Santiago de Compostela - Pilgrim's Guide to Compostela-Excerpts
Routes
CHAPTER II. THE DAYS' JOURNEYS ON THE WAY OF SAINT JAMES. POPE CALIXTUS.
From the Somport to Puente la Reina there are three short days' journeysThe first one is from Borce, which is a town situated at the foot of the Somporttowards Gascony, to Jaca. The second is from Jaca to Monreal. The third is from Monreal to Puente la Reina.
Provisions
CHAPTER VI. THE GOOD AND BAD RIVERS FOUND ON THE ROAD TO SANTIAGO. POPE CALIXTUS
These are the rivers between the Port de Cize, the Somport and Santiago. From the Somport pass flows a pure river by the name of Aragón which waters Spain. From the Port de Cize, indeed, comes forth a pure river which is called by many the Runa and which runs through Pamplona. The Arga runs along with the Runa to Puente la Reina. At a place called Lorca, in the eastern part [of Spain], runs a river called the Salty Brook. Be careful not to let it touch your lips or allow your horse to drink there, for this river is deadly! On its bank, while we were going to Santiago, we met two men of Navarre sitting sharpening their knives; they are in the habit of skinning the mounts of pilgrims who drink that water and die. When questioned by us, these liars said that it was safe to drink. We therefore watered our horses, and immediately two of them died, which these people skinned on the spot. At Estella runs the Ega; this water is fresh, pure and excellent. Through the town called Los Arcos runs a death-carrying river, and beyond Los Arcos towards the first hospiceóÑthat is, between Los Arcos and that hospiceÑruns a river fatal to beasts and men who drink it.
Local Customs
Taking the road of the Port de Cize, after Tours, one enters the land of the Poitevins, fertile, excellent and full of all sorts of good things. The Poitevins are valiant heroes and fighting men, very experienced in war with bows, arrows and lances, daring in the front line of battle, very fast in running, elegant in their dress, distinguished of face, shrewd of speech, very generous with gifts, lavish in hospitality.
Then comes the region of Saintonge;... which is considered to have excellent wine and abundant fish but rustic language. The people of Saintonge are considered to have rustic speech, but that of the people of the Bordelais is regarded as even more rustic.
After that are the Landes of the Bordelais, a three-days' journey, exhausting to be sure. This is a country devoid of all good things, lacking in bread, wine, meat, fish, water and springs, sparse in towns, flat, sandy but abundant, however, in honey, millet, panic-grass and pigs. If, however, by chance you cross the Landes region in summer, take care to guard your face from the enormous insects, commonly called guespe [wasps] or tauones [horseflies], which are most abundant there; and if you do not watch carefully where you put your feet, you will slip rapidly up to your knees in the quicksand that abounds there.
After this valley is found the land of Navarre, which abounds in bread and wine, milk and cattle. The Navarrese and Basquess are held to be exactly alike in their food, their clothing and their language, but the Basques are held to be of whiter complexion than the Navarrese. The Navarrese wear short black garments extending just down to the knee, like the Scots, and they wear sandals which they call lavnrcas' made of raw hide with the hair on and are bound around the foot with thongs,... These people, in truth, are repulsively dressed, and they eat and drink repulsively. For in fact all those who dwell in the household of a Navarrese, servant as well as master, maid as well as mistress, are accustomed to eat all their food mixed together from one pot, not with spoons but with their own hands, and they drink with one cup.
.... In certain regions of their country, that is, in Biscay and Álava, when the Navarrese are warming themselves, a man will show a woman and woman a man their private parts. The Navarrese even practise unchaste fornication with animals. For the Navarrese is said to hang a padlock behind his mule and his mare, so that none may come near her but himself. He even offers libidinous kisses to the vulva of woman and mule. That is why the Navarrese are to be rebuked by all experience people.