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LIBRARY  OF  THE 

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A      SPKING     TOUE 


POETUGAL. 


LONDON:    PRINTED    BT 

SPOTTISWOODE    AND     CO.,     NEW-STKEET    SQUARE 

AND    PARLIAMENT    STREET 


i^vD^Yr 


V 


OF    A 


SPRING  TOUR  IN  rORTUGAL 

with  a  Cia/ihr  iftt    tU3irdf  of  Torhi^^l ,    ujtd 


BY 


REV.    ALFEED    CHARLES  ^SMITH,    M.A. 

CUniST  CHURCH,  OXFORD  :  RECTOR  OK  YATKSBURY,  WILTS  : 
AUTHOR  OF  'THE  ATTRACTIONfl  OF  THE  NILE* 

ETC. 


,#!]( 


•  :;  t'ift'i  \ 


fii'i  f 


PORTUGUESE    BULLOCK-CART 
{from    a    Photograph    by    Rev.    A.    Smith). 


LONDON: 


LONG  M 


A  N  a,     a  R  E  E  N,  -A  N  D     CO 
LIBRARY 

AMh;HlCAN    MUSEtiM 

OF 
NATURAL   HISTORY 


TO 

MY   VERY   DEAR   MOTHER 

I  Jlebitatc  tins  ilDolumc 

AS    A    SLIGHT    TOKEN    OF    MY    MOST    SINCERE 
AFFECTION    AND    ESTEEM. 


*<^\ 


PREFACE 


If  anyone  will  be  at  the  pains  to  look  back  twenty  years, 
and  compare  the  amount  of  foreign  travel  in  which  our. 
countrymen  at  that  date  indulged  with  the  touring  which 
prevails  at  present,  he  can  hardly  fail  to  be  surprised  at 
the  enormous,  rapid,  and  continued  rate  of  increase  in 
the  development  of  what  now  may  almost  be  called  a 
passion  of  the  English  nation. 

The  immediate  cause  which  has  so  violently  excited 
British  restlessness,  and  so  vehemently  promoted  foreign 
travel,  has  unquestionably  been  the  extension  of  railways, 
which  now  form  a  network  over  the  principal  portions  of 
Europe,  and  which  offer  such  great  facilities  to  tourists ; 
and  which,  by  diminishing  the  inconveniences  and  fatigue 
of  travel,  have,  to  a  great  extent,  annihilated  time  and 
space,  and  enabled  the  infirm,  the  delicate,  and  even  the 
confirmed  invalid,  to  encounter  distant  journe3^s,  without 
alarm  at  the  demands  on  physical  endurance,  which  even 
a  slight  trip  used  formerly  to  entail. 

Hence,  the  Continent  of  Europe  is  not  only  inundated 
during  the  summer  and  autumn  with  vast  troops  of 
pleasure-seekers,  who  systematically  court  healthy  re- 
laxation for  mind  and  body  amid  foreign  scenes,  and  for 
which  I,  for  one,  heartily  commend  the  good  taste  of  my 
countrymen ;  but  there  are  also  periodical  migrations  of 


Vlll  PEEFACE. 

large  bodies  of  English  to  warmer  climes  as  the  winter 
draws  near  ;  and  again,  these  bodies  are  reinforced  by  the 
addition  of  considerable  flights  of  their  congeners,  who, 
though  braving  the  frosts  and  snows  of  winter,  yet,  as  the 
cold  winds  of  spring  begin  to  blow  over  our  island,  depart 
for  the  sunny  south,  there  to  bask  in  warmth  and  comfort 
till  the  easterly  gales  have  subsided;  and  they  may  venture 
to  return  home. 

With  regard  to  the  first-mentioned  English  tourists, 
those  who  go  abroad  for  pleasure  alone,  I  shall  not  need 
to  say  many  words  in  proof  of  my  assertion,  that  their 
numbers  have  been  increasing  to  an  astonishing  extent 
during  the  last  few  years.  Anybody  who  has  chanced  to 
be  staying  at  Dover  or  Folkestone,  or  any  of  our  southern 
ports,  and  has  watched  (as  seaside  loiterers  are  apt  to  do) 
the  arrival  and  departure  of  the  daily  steamers,  will  not 
need  to  be  reminded  of  the  continual  stream  of  travellers 
passing  to  and  from  the  Continent  without  intermission, 
while  the  addition  of  so  many  steamers  on  the  principal 
lines  of  route  within  the  last  few  years  is  sufficient  con- 
firmation of  the  increase  of  travellers.  But  it  is  not  only 
in  the  more  beaten  tracks  that  such  evidence  is  apparent ; 
in  less-frequented  districts,  and  to  more  remote  countries, 
the  same  remark  holds  good.  With  Norway  there  is  now 
constant  direct  steam  communication,  and  the  fjelds  and 
fjords  of  that  wild  but  interesting  country  are  annually 
overrun  by  hundreds  of  sportsmen,  anglers,  and  tourists ; 
whereas,  when  I  visited  it  in  1 850,  there  were  no  steamers 
from  England  at  all,  and  we  had  to  make  our  tedious  way 
through  Belgium  and  northern  Germany,  and  then  by  the 
Baltic  and  Copenhagen  ;  and  the  total  number  of  English- 


PREFACE  IX 

men  who,  during  that  year,  reached  the  capital,  amounti-d 
to  twelve,  as  I  was  informed  by  the  excellent  British 
Consul  at  Christiania.  With  Spain  a^^ain,  since  the 
opening  of  railways  within  the  last  few  years,  communi- 
cation is  now  easy  and  direct,  and  we  must,  in  returning 
from  our  recent  tour  described  in  these  pages,  have  en- 
countered therein  twenty  British  tourists  for  every  one  we 
met  in  1861,  when  we  worked  our  way  painfully  and 
laboriously  through  the  length  and  breadth  of  Spain,  in 
those  most  uneasy  and  ponderous  of  vehicles,  the  old- 
fashioned,  clumsy  Spanish  diligences. 

But  I  need  not  multiply  examples.  The  famous  Pen- 
insula and  Oriental  Company  has  found  it  necessary  to 
charter  a  steamer  every  week  from  Marseilles,  as  well  as 
from  Southampton ;  though  there  are  several  other  lines 
of  communication  lately  opened  with  the  east,  by  way 
of  Brindisi  at  the  Southern  extremity  of  Italy,  as  well  as 
by  Trieste  and  Corfu ;  and  the  same  multiplication  of 
steamers  (the  surest  proof  of  increased  traffic)  may  be 
observed  at  almost  every  port  at  home  and  abroad. 

But  if  this  is  the  case  with  regard  to  the  general 
summer  tourist,  it  is  tenfold  more  apparent  with  the 
winter  and  spring  migrants,  to  w^hose  periodical  move- 
ments I  have  alluded  above.  Twenty  years  ago,  the  few 
who,  dreading  the  cold  winters  to  which  the  majority  of 
English  districts  are  exposed,  thought  it  necessary  to  seek 
a  warmer  climate,  were  contented  with  the  very  slight 
advantage  in  this  respect,  which  the  milder  atmosphere  of 
Torquay  and  other  sheltered  parts  of  the  Devonshire  or 
Cornwall  coasts  were  able  to  offer;  whilst  others,  more 
susceptible  of  cold,  and  desiring  greater  warmth  than  could 


X  PREFACE. 

be  found  at  home,  but  in  all  amounting  to  an  insignificant 
number,  either  made  a  voyage  to  Madeira,  or  a  land  jour- 
ney to  the  then  Italian  city  of  Nice,  these  being  almost 
the  only  sanitary  stations  frequented  by  our  countrymen  in 
the  winter.  But  what  a  change  has  come  over  their  habits 
now,  and  how  rapidly  that  change  has  been  developed  I 
And  in  order  to  appreciate  to  the  full  the  extent  of  these 
winter  Sittings,  let  me  direct  the  attention  of  my  readers 
to  the  two  southern  districts  nearest  home,  and  most  ac- 
cessible, and  therefore  most  resorted  to  by  English  invalids. 
I  allude  to  the  coast  of  south-eastern  France,  on  the  Cor- 
nice, and  the  coast  of  south-western  France,  at  the  foot  of 
the  Pyrenees ;  and  let  me  call  particular  attention  to  the 
extraordinarily  rapid  increase  of  the  many  sanitary  stations 
in  both  those  districts,  to  which  I  can  bear  testimony 
from  my  own  experience. 

In  1851,  I  traversed  the  whole  of  the  Cornice  from 
Genoa,  passing  a  night  at  the  small  and  wretched  inn  in 
the  centre  of  the  little  town  of  Mentone,  where  I  saw  no 
indications  of  the  residence  of  a  single  Englishman ; 
and  driving  through  Cannes,  where,  with  the  single  ex- 
ception  of  the  villa  of  Lord  Brougham,  there  was  nothing 
to  foreshadow  British  occupancy.  In  1864,  I  spent  the 
winter  at  various  parts  of  the  Cornice ;  even  Marseilles 
was  not  witliout  its  quota  of  British  sojourners  ;  Hyeres 
sheltered  a  little  colony;  but  Cannes  already  boasted 
eight  or  ten  hotels  and  pensions,  and  many  villas  and 
lodgings,  with  its  English  church  and  chaplain,  and  about 
five  hundred  English  visitors.  I  say  nothing  of  Nice,  and 
its  suburb  of  Cimies,  with  their  crowds  of  English, 
and  two    English  churches,  because,  tliough  very  much 


PRICFACK.  XI 

more  frequented  than  formerly,  this  has  long  been  a 
favourite  winter  resort.  But  I  pass  on  to  Mentone,  which 
already  contained  a  large  English  colony  on  either  side  of 
the  town,  in  the  numerous  hotels  and  j)ensio7is  whicli  had 
sprung  up  on  the  eastern  and  western  bay,  and  wns  resor- 
ted to  by  our  countrymen  to  the  number  of  from  six  to 
seven  hundred ;  while  farther  on,  Bordighera  and  San 
Eemo  were  beginning  to  attract  attention,  each  with  its 
single  hotel  generally  crowded.  Here  we  have  a  con- 
viction suddenly  awakened  in  the  minds  of  the  English 
nation,  that  the  climate  of  the  Cornice  offers  advantages 
for  winter  resort  which  are  not  to  be  neglected.  But  we 
will  not  only  contrast  with  the  former  absolute  ignorance 
of  that  overlooked  district  its  sudden  growth  in  British 
favour  and  popularity,  five  years  back ;  let  us  compare 
the  present  position  of  its  chief  places  of  resort,  and  we 
shall  find  that  they  have,  one  and  all,  continued  to  in- 
crease with  unprecedented  rapidity,  and  are  now  thronged 
by  a  very  considerable  British  population.  Thus  I  am 
informed  by  trustworthy  friends,  who  passed  last  winter  n 
those  districts,  that,  as  nearly  as  could  be  ascertained,  the 
Eno'lish  at  Cannes  amounted  to  about  one  thousand  ;  at 
Nice,  to  about  two  thousand ;  and  at  Mentone,  to  about 
eighteen  hundred;  while  the  smaller  colonies  at  Hyeres, 
Bordighera,  and  San  Eemo,  are  proportionally  increased. 
These  facts  and  figures  outweigh  all  argument,  and  with 
such  statistics  we  can  only  marvel  at  the  remarkable 
development  of  regular  periodical  migration  in  our  country- 
men, which  must  have  been  in  abeyance  and  lying  dor- 
mant in  their  system  for  a  long  period ;  but  now,  when 
opportunity  has  arisen,  has  burst  forth  with  an  uncontrol- 


Xll  PREFACE. 

lable  violence,  and  to  such  an  extent  as  will  require  the 
pen  of  a  Darwin  to  explain. 

Turning  now  for  a  moment  to  south-western  France,  it 
will  be  enough  to  show  that  very  much  the  same  rapid 
growth  has  characterised  the  places  resorted  to  by  the 
English  during  winter  in  that  district.  Twenty  years 
ago,  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  very  name  of  the 
little  fishing  village  of  Biarritz  was  quite  unknown  in  this 
country.  When  I  first  saw  it  in  1861,  it  was  beginning  to 
be  recognised  as  a  winter  resort  for  the  English,  as  well  as 
a  summer  residence  for  the  Imperial  family,  and  hotels 
and  pensions  expressly  prepared  for  the  habits  of  our 
countrymen,  were  in  course  of  erection.  But  when  I 
visited  it  lately,  though  aware  of  its  immense  increase, 
I  was  astonished  to  find  so  large  a  town  and  suburb,  ex- 
tending over  so  great  an  area,  and  frequented  by  the 
English  in  such  numbers  that  it  was  little  else  than  a 
British  colony  ;  and  the  same  continuous  increase,  though 
hardly  perhaps  to  the  same  extent,  is  said  to  be  observed 
at  Pau  and  other  sheltered  spots  beneath  the  Pyrenees. 

Now,  one  of  the  natural  results  of  this  flocking  of  the 
English  to  certain  favoured  localities  is  the  very  rapid 
increase  of  prices,  which  (I  am  told)  have  more  than 
doubled  within  the  last  five  years,  both  on  the  Cornice  and 
at  Biarritz.  That  of  itself  is  one  considerable  disadvan- 
tage, which  repels  many  from  the  districts  thus  Anglicised  ; 
but  again,  I  for  one  (and  there  are  many  others  of  my 
mind)  do  not  desire,  when  we  go  abroad,  to  plant  ourselves 
in  an  English  colony,  where  everything  that  strikes  the 
ear  and  the  eye  reminds  one  of  St.  John's  Wood  or  the 
suburbs  of  Cheltenham,  or  Bath,  or  Brighton ;  but  with 
every  feeling  of  respect  and  all  due  appreciation  for  the 


PREFACE.  xiii 

sterling*  good  qualities  of  our  fellow-countrymen,  prefer, 
when  we  are  in  a  foreign  land,  to  associate  with  the 
natives,  and  to  cultivate  the  society  of  John  Bull  exclu- 
sively at  home. 

On  these  grounds  it  becomes  to  many  of  us  a  serious 
matter  of  perplexity,  when  intending  to  escape  from  the 
March  winds  of  England  to  a  warmer  climate,  to  decide 
where  we  shall  go.  And  as  all  the  more  accessible  parts 
of  Europe  are  being  rapidly  overrun,  and  occupied  by 
Englishmen,  this  is  a  difficulty  which  increases  every  year. 
It  was  therefore  with  no  little  satisfaction  that,  in  poring 
over  the  map  of  Southern  Europe,  we  espied  the  hitherto 
neglected  and  little-known  kingdom  of  Portugal — so  ac- 
cessible both  by  sea  and  land,  at  so  short  a  distance  from 
home,  with  a  climate  notoriously  warm,  and  yet  so  seldom 
visited  bv  tourists.  When  we  had  once  bethouMit  our- 
selves  of  Portugal,  everything  seemed  to  impel  us  in  that 
direction.  We  had  soon  mastered  the  contents  of  Murray's 
'  Handbook  for  Portugal,'  which  by  the  way,  is  nearly  the 
only  book  of  modern  date  which  we  could  discover  to  give 
us  any  practical  information  regarding  the  country  we 
were  about  to  visit,  but  which  furnished  us  with  ample 
instruction  to  enable  us  to  form  our  plans,  and  propose 
our  route.  We  found  that  the  spring  months  of  April  and 
May  were  those  especially  recommended  to  tourists  in  that 
country,  when  the  winter  rain  had  passed  away,  and  the 
fierce  heat  of  summer  had  not  yet  set  in.  We  anticipated 
great  enjoyment  in  exploring  the  wild  and  very  beautiful 
heaths  for  which  Portugal  is  famous,  as  well  as  the  hills 
and  valleys  of  its  northern  provinces,  in  all  of  which  our 
anticipations  were  more  than  realised.  In  short,  though 
we  started  on  this  expedition  with  very  high  expectations 


xiv  PREFACE. 

of  satisfactioD,  we  returned  from  our  two  months'  tour 
heartily  gratified  with  the  result,  and  eager  to  make  known 
to  our  countrymen  what  a  delightful  field  for  tourists, 
hitherto  fresh  and  unhacknied,  lies  within  easy  reach  of 
England,  at  the  south-western  corner  of  Europe. 

My  dear  father  was  my  companion,  as  in  all  my  best 
foreign  tours  in  former  years,  and  will  again  be  designated 
in  these  pages  as  F. ;  and  whereas  I  again  carried  a  gun 
and  a  double  field-glass,  and  all  the  apparatus  required  by 
an  ornithologist,  for  obtaining  and  preserving  specimens 
of  birds,  he  was  provided  with  his  camera,  and  all  that  a 
photographer  needs  for  a  successful  campaign  amidst  the 
most  striking  objects  of  interest ;  and  so  great  was  his 
perseverance,  and  so  determined  his  attacks,  that  he  car- 
ried away  forts,  churches,  and  cloisters  at  the  camera's 
mouth,  and  his  portfolio  remains  as  ample  proof  of  his 
prowess,  both  within  and  beyond  the  strong  lines  of  Torres 
Vedras,  in  this  second,  though  bloodless.  Peninsular  war. 

Perhaps  it  may  be  advisable  to  say  one  word  on  the 

subject  of  expenses,  which,  however  vulgar  and  prosaic, 

does  nevertheless  demand  the  attention  of  most  travellers. 

The  calculations  which  we  had  made  from  the  pages  of 

the  Handbook,  previous  to  our  start,  proved  to  be  exactly 

correct,  and  may  be  roughly  defined  thus : — 

£     5.  d.      £    s.  d. 

For  each  tourist,  passage  out  by  steamer ;  -\ 

everything  included          .         .         .         .1210  0[^, 

Journey  home  by  land,  by  rail,  first  class,  f 

(hotels  MOi{  included )        .         .         .         .     12   10  oJ 

Hotels  ;  seven  weeks,  at  an  average  of  about  -j 

six  shillings  per  day         .         .         .         •     ^'-^     ^  ^125     0     0 

Journeying  through  the  country,  by  rail,  dili-  j 

gence,  mule,  or  boat  .         .         .         .     lU     0     0  '   

£oO     0     0 


PREFACE.  XV 

With  these  preliminary  remarks  on  the  advantages 
which  the  sunny  little  kin<r(h,iii  of  r()rtii<^r.'il  offers,  and 
with  the  desire  to  make  known  the  delights  wliich  we  have 
experienced  there,  so  that  others  of  our  countrymen  may 
he  tempted  to  go  and  taste  for  themselves;  and  under 
the  belief  that  this  outlying  corner  of  Europe  has  been 
strangely  overlooked,  and  as  much  neglected  by  authors 
as  travellers,  I  venture  to  send  forth  this  narrative  of  our 
tour,  trusting  it  may  meet  from  an  indulgent  public  the 
same  favour  kindly  accorded  to  my  travels  on  the  Nile. 


A.  C.  S. 


Yateshiry  Rectouy 

Fel>.  1870. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTEE  I. 

INTRODUCTORT.  pack 

The  voyage  to  Lisbon — The  Brazil  mail  packet  Shannon — The  Bay  of 
Biscay — Easter  Sunday  on  board — Delightful  change  of  weather — 
Recollections  of  former  exploits  in  those  waters     .         .         .         .         1  -  1 1, 

CHAPTER  II. 

LISBON  {general  view). 

First  impressions  generally  indelible— Landing— The  Custom-house 
— Curiosity  of  officials — The  Gallegos  as  porters  and  water-carriers 
— Carts  of  Lisbon— Street  cries — Cleanness  of  the  city — Largos  and 
public  gardens — Warmth — Gentle  emeute 12  -  i:-  • 

CHAPTER  ni. 

LISBON  {continued). 

Results  of  the  great  earthquake — Castello  di  San  Jorge — The  cathe- 
dral— Portuguese  churches — Tenets  of  the  Portuguese  church — 
Church  and  monastery  of  Belem — Cloisters  and  casa  pia,  or  orphan- 
age— Tower  of  Belem — Palace  of  the  Ajuda — The  aqueduct — En- 
glish church  and  cemetery — Gardens  of  the  Estrella       ...       23 

CHAPTER  IV. 

LISBON  {continued). 

The  opening  of  the  Cortes — Character  of  the  Portuguese — Portu- 
guese bull-fights — The  markets  at  Lisbon — Fishes — Molluscs — 
Game — Birds — Fruit — Vegetables — Gardens  and  quintas  round 
Lisbon — Trees,  shrubs,  and  climbing  plants  .         .         .         .35 

a 


xviii  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  V, 

CINTRA. 


Expectations  too  higlily  raised— General  aspect  of  Cintra— Mont- 
serrat— Other  villas  and  quintas — The  rocks  above — The  Penha 
convent— The  royal  palace— Cork  trees— Olive  trees— Abtindance 
of  springs— Pveturn  to  Lisbon— A  country  fair  and  holiday  cos- 


tumes 


4S 


CHAPTER  VI. 

EVORA   AND    SETUBAL. 

Journey  to  Evora— A  Portuguese  railway— A  Portuguese  heath- 
Sparse  population— General  aspect  of  Evora— The  cathedral- 
Archbishop's  library— Flag  of  the  Holy  Inquisition— Antiquities 

Temple  of  Diana— Aqueduct — A  wander  through  the  heath — 

Journey  back  to  Setubal— General  aspect  of  the  town — Return  to 
Lisbon 5» 

CHAPTER  Vn. 

ALCOBA9A. 

Journey  by  rail  to  Carregado — Stranded  at  the  station — A  moonlight 
<jriye  —  Cereal —  Caldas  de  Rainha  —  Arrive  at  Alcoba^a — The 
monastery  ;  its  church,  gardens,  library,  kitchen,  buttery,  refectory 
— Benefits  conferred  by  the  monks 76 

CHAPTER  VIIL 

BATALIIA, 

Recollections  of  the  monks— Drive  to  Batalha — Magnificence  of  th& 
monastery— Its  general  aspect ;  the  church,  western  doorway.  Poun- 
ders' chapel,  cloisters,  chapter-house,  roof,  Capella  imperfetta~K 
wander  throiigh  the  forest 90 

CHAPTER  IX. 
COLMBRA. 

Drive  to  Pombal — Lciria — Cattle  fair — View  of  Coimbra — Excellent 
hotel — The  banks  of  the  river  Mondego  -  The  University  and  its 
scholars — University  costume,  system,  buildings — The  observatory 
— The  library — Tlifi  great  hall — The  Museum  of  Natural  History — 


CONTENTS.  xlx 


I'AOH 


Chim-h  and  convent  of  Santa  Cruz — Tho  old  catliodral-  Tlii^  now 
cathedral — Fruit  market — B'o7ite  dos  Amoves,  and  Qidnta  das  lagri- 
■nuis 103 

CHAPTER  X. 

OPORTO. 

Kefloctions  on  tho  University  of  Coimbra — Railway  jonrnoy  to  Oporto 
— Custom-house— View  of  the  city — Fireworks— Religious  pro- 
cession through  the  streets — The  cathedral  -The  church  of  San 
Francisco — The  Torre  dos  Clerigos— Tho  English  church  and  cenie- 
tery — The  public  library — The  Crystal  Palace — Bar  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Douro — Road  towards  Foz — Scrra  convent — Name  '  Oporto'     117 

CHAPTER  XI. 

OPORTO  {continued). 

The  port-wine  trade — Tho  merchants'  'lodge'  -Cultivation  of  the 
vine— The  camellia — Tho  Rev.  E.  Whiteley's  garden — Gigantic 
tulip-tree— Gigantic  magnolia— The  strawberry — Water         .         .129 

CHAPTER  XII. 

BR  AG  A    AND    BOM    JESUS. 

Difficulty  of  procuring  information  about  roads — Travelling  in 
Portugal  in  its  infancy — The  Portuguese  diligence — Scenery  of 
Minho — Arrive  at  Braga — Its  churches — Pilgrimage  to  Bom  Jesus 
—Rude  representations  of  our  Lord's  Passion,  compared  with  that 
at  Varallo — Miracle  plays  at  Mentone  and  Monaco,  Barcelona,  and 
Ammergau — Splendid  view  of  the  Gerez  mountains — The  wolf — 
The  wild  boar — The  lynx — The  gcnett— The  ibex — The  mouflon 
— Drive  to  Ponte  do  Lima 139 

CHAPTER  XIIL 

THE    RIVER    LIMA    AND    VI ANNA. 

Pretty  scenery — Quiet  peaceful  river — A  long  voyage  in  a  grain  boat 
— Slow  progress— Floating  with  the  stream — Aground  on  a  sand- 
bank—Reach Vianna  at  last — Long  wooden  bridge — Origin  of  name 
of  Vianna  do  Castello — Its  churches — Our  proposal  to  alter  tho 
hour  of  the  daily  diligence  accepted — Novel  mode  of  ensuring 
punctuality— Early  mass — Our  journey  back  to  Oporto  ;  slower 
than  ever— Well-made  road  in  want  of  thorough  repair  .         ,154 


XX  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

JOURNEY    HOME    BY    LAND.  page 

The  direct  way  to  France  by  no  means  sti-aight — Our  intentions  to 
return  by  Zamora  overthrown— Rail  due  south— Busaco — Engine 
breaks  down  and  delays  us  two  hours — Elvas — Badajoz  and  its 
siege — Merida  and  its  Roman  remains— Comparison  between  Spain 
and  Portugal  and  their  respective  inhabitants — Ciudad  Reale — 
Madrid  and  its  Museu  i?ea/— Biarritz— The  Landes— Bordeaux- 
Paris — Home 168 

CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    BIRDS    OF    PORTUGAL. 

Portuguese  ornithology  hitherto  overlooked — Portugal  a  very  pro- 
mising field  for  the  ornithologist— Varieties  in  size  and  colour  of 
many  well-known  species — Museums  of  Lisbon  and  Coimbra — Dr. 
Suche  and  Professor  Barbosa  du  Bocage — Catalogue  of  birds  seen, 
with  Portuguese  names,  and  occasional  observations       .         .         .     183 


IXDEX 


A     SPRING     TOUR 


IN 


PORTUGAL. 

CHAPTEK   I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

The  morning  was  as  cold  and  chilly,  the  east  wind  as 
keen  and  cutting,  the  sharp  icy  sleet  which  beat  against 
our  faces  as  unpleasant  as  misanthrope  could  desire,  as  we 
made  our  way  across  the  Southampton  docks  to  the  little 
steam  tender  which  was  to  convey  us  some  three  miles 
down  the  river  ;  for  the  huge  Brazilian  steamer  Shannon 
(which  already,  at  that  distance,  looked  a  very  Leviathan 
amidst  the  many  crafts  of  all  sizes  which  thronged  the 
Southampton  water)  had  dropped  down  the  river  with  the 
tide  at  early  morning,  there  to  await  the  arrival  of  her 
passengers,  and  the  mail  bags  which  were  to  come  on 
board  at  2  o'clock. 

Miserable  indeed  were  our  feelings,  blue  and  pale  were 
our  faces,  and  thoroughly  depressed  our  spirits,  as  the 
pitiless  sleet  and  rain  and  the  searching  cold  wind  pene- 
trated to  our  very  bones  ;  and,  as  we  bade  adieu  to  the  in- 
hospitable climate  of  old  England,  our  only  consolation, 
wherewith  we  hugged  ourselves  beneath  our  wrappers  and 
cloaks,  was  that  we  were  on  the  wing  for  the  balmy  air 
and  brilliant  skies  of  the  sunny  south ;  a  feeling  of  exui- 

B 


2  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX    PORTUGAL. 

tation  and  joy,  however,  which  was  somewhat  chequered 
at  the  pang  of  leaving  home,  and  damped  by  the  recol- 
lection which  would  continue  to  intrude  upon  our  minds, 
that  a  weary  voyage  of  four  days  at  least,  at  a  season 
alarmingly  near  to  the  spring  equinox,  and  over  a  sea  pro- 
verbially liable  to  storms,  intervened,  ere  we  could  hope 
to  reach  that  warm  and  delicious  climate,  now  more  than 
ever  appreciated  as  w^e  shivered  in  our  misery  on  the  deck 
of  the  little  vessel  which  carried  us  and  our  fellow-pas- 
senofers  from  our  native  land. 

At  length  that  tedious  transit  was  effected ;  and  as  we 
made  our  way  amidst  a  crowd  of  cargo  boats,  luggage 
boats,  provision  boats,  and  others  which  hovered  round 
the  Shannon,  and  looked  at  her  vast  proportions  as  she 
loomed  large,  and  black,  and  heavy,  on  that  lowering 
morning,  a  very  whale  among  the  minnows,  and  as  steady 
as  a  rock  amidst  her  dancing,  bobbing  satellites,  we 
thought  we  had  never  seen  so  enormous  a  steamer,  a  con- 
clusion which  w^as  not  dispelled,  when,  on  mounting  the 
stairs  and  entering  her  side,  we  found  ourselves  between 
decks  with  long  vistas  of  cabins,  stretching  out  in  endless 
succession  on  either  hand,  and  staircases  innumerable, 
conducting  upwards  to  the  main  deck  and  downwards  to 
other  tiers  of  cabins  and  the  spacious  saloons. 

Xo  sooner  on  board  than  our  luggage  and  our  berths 
first  claimed  our  attention ;  for,  like  experienced  mariners 
as  we  were,  we  knew  that  the  comfort  of  our  voyage  de- 
pended in  no  small  degree  on  securing  such  articles  of  the 
former  as  we  needed  whilst  at  sea,  and  in  appropriating  to 
ourselves  the  cabin  which  w^e  had  been  at  so  much  pains 
to  select,  as  near  as  might  be  amidships,  where  the  roll  of 
a  vessel  in  a  heavy  sea  would  be  less  sensibly  felt,  and  yet 
so  far  forwards  as  to  escape  the  churning  noise  of  the 
engines  as  well  as  the  powerful  odours  which  reigned 
supreme  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  kitchen.     It  was  no 


INTRODUCTORY.  3 

easy  matter  to  watcli  that  inoiintain  of  luggage,  which, 
consigned  to  the  agents  the  previous  evening  by  rigid 
order  of  the  Company,  was  now  arriving  on  board  in  great 
masses ;  and  it  required  all  our  eyes  to  watch  every  article 
as  it  was  passed  rapidly  from  the  ship's  side  to  the  gaping 
hold  which  yawned  beneath,  if  we  desired  to  rescue  our 
own  particular  bag  or  portmanteau  for  present  use.  And  as 
we  stood  by  that  bustling  throng,  and  admired  the  activity 
of  the  sailors,  and  the  order,  even  in  the  midst  of  so  much 
confusion,  which  the  officers  maintained,  we  seemed  to  be 
suddenly  brought  face  to  face  with  another  hemisphere,  as 
we  read  the  destination  of  the  great  bulk  of  baggage  which 
was  being  passed  so  rapidly  into  the  hold ;  and  as  we  saw 
painted  in  large  letters  on  the  several  cases,  'Bahia,' 
'  Monte  Video,'  *  Pernambuco,'  ^  Eio  de  Janeiro,'  '  Buenos 
Ayres,'  we  seemed  indeed  to  be  breathing  another  atmo- 
sphere, and  South  America  stood  out  more  vividly  before 
our  minds  than  ever  before. 

And  now,  having  duly  witnessed  the  interment  of  our 
more  bulky  impedimenta  in  the  great  grave  which  gaped 
below,  and  having  secured  our  smaller  effects  and  de- 
posited them  in  our  pleasant  and  airy,  albeit  diminutive 
cabin,  we  proceeded  to  reconnoitre  our  position,  and  to 
ramble  over  the  great  vessel  which  was  to  be  our  tem- 
porary home  for  some  days.  No  wonder  she  seemed 
colossal  from  the  shore  and  from  the  river  ;  no  wonder  we 
felt  bewildered  as  we  climbed  her  many  staircases  and 
traversed  her  many  decks ;  for  the  Shannon  is  the  largest 
of  all  the  ships  on  the  Koyal  Mail  Steam  Packet  Com- 
pany's list,  and  even  the  smallest  of  the  Brazil  boats  is 
of  greater  tonnage  than  the  biggest  in  the  employ  of  the 
Peninsular  and  Oriental  Company.  I  will  not  say  that 
the  Shannon  is  a  trim,  taut,  handsome  ship :  I  will  not 
compare  her,  for  elegance  and  finish,  with  her  sisters  which 
ply  between  Southampton  and  the  East ;  but  this  I  will 

B   2 


4  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN    PORTUGAL. 

say,  that  for  a  thorough  sea-going,  steady,  trustworthy, 
vessel  wherein  to  cross  the  Bay  of  Biscay  in  doubtful 
weather,  commend  me  to  the  Shannon  and  its  excellent 
commander,  Captain  Jellicob.  Of  3,472  tons  burden,  of 
800  horse-power,  with  a  crew  (including  engineers, 
stewards,  cooks,  butchers,  &c.)  numbering  130,  with  ample 
accommodation  for  350  passengers,  with  ventilation  both 
in  saloon  and  cabin  exceptionally  good,  this  really  fine 
ship,  from  her  great  size  and  appearance  of  solidity,  in- 
spires confidence  in  her  strength  and  endurance,  and  is 
better  calculated  to  reassure  timid  passengers  who  are 
about  to  cross  the  wide  Atlantic,  than  are  the  brighter, 
smarter,  more  elegant,  but  smaller  and  less  substantial 
steamers  which  sail  from  the  same  port  for  the  calmer 
waters  of  the  Mediterranean.  Nor  will  the  traveller  re- 
gret that  the  Brazilian  mail  packets  make  no  pretensions 
to  compete  in  the  numbers  they  carry  with  the  large 
steamers  which  ply  between  New  York  and  Liverpool; 
for  these  latter  are  sometimes  crowded  with  800  passengers, 
who  (as  I  have  been  assured  by  a  suffering  eye-witness) 
were  necessarily  herded  together  like  cattle,  with  scarcely 
room  to  move.  Whereas  the  officers  of  the  Shannon  in- 
formed me  that  the  greatest  number  ever  conveyed  by 
their  vessel  on  one  occasion  amounted  to  450,  who,  from 
some  political  reason,  hurried  back  to  Europe  en  masse 
from  Brazil. 

Our  tour  of  inspection  round  our  floating  home  brought 
before  us  indeed  the  more  salient  points  of  her  construc- 
tion and  arrangement ;  but  so  bewildering  were  the  many 
staircases  and  tiers  of  cabins,  that  it  was  not  till  we  had 
been  a  day  or  two  on  board  that  we  could  find  our  way 
without  difficulty  to  saloon,  and  cabin,  and  deck.  The 
large  saloon  is  admirably  constructed  deep  down  in  the 
after  part  of  the  vessel,  with  two  tiers  of  cabins  and  a 
gallery   running   round.     By   this    arrangement  there  is 


INTRODUCTORY.  5 

plenty  of  space  over  head,  and  ample  ventilation  is  pro- 
vided from  the  lofty  skylights,  a  matter  of  no  small  im- 
portance in  any  climate  and  in  any  vessel,  but  of  the 
greatest  necessit}^,  ^vhen  it  is  considered  that  the  numbers 
congregated  therein  daily  for  meals  amount  to  several 
hundreds,  and  also  that  the  ship's  destination  is  ahvay.s 
across  the  equator  and  within  the  tropics. 

Another  great  advantage  which  the  construction  of  the 
Shannon  offers  is  her  flush  deck,  which  extends  from  stem 
to  stern  without  a  single  step  or  obstruction  of  any  kind, 
and  thus  offers  an  admirable  promenade  to  the  Englishman 
at  sea,  who  is  notorious  amongst  all  nations  for  the  perti- 
nacity, the  diligence,  the  endurance,  and  the  speed  with 
which,  of  grave  face  and  dejected  mien,  he  paces  up  and 
down  the  allotted  space,  as  if  impelled  by  some  avenging 
Fury,  or  as  if,  like  a  leopard  caged  in  his  den,  he  must 
perforce  make  the  most  of  the  little  room  for  exercise  at 
his  command. 

We  found  our  ship  well  furnished  with  animals  for  food, 
including  a  stye  of  pigs,  several  pens  of  sheep,  amounting 
in  all  to  about  a  score,  poultry  of  all  sorts  and  in  great 
profusion  ;  and,  above  all,  the  cow,  which  was  to  supply 
the  milk  at  breakfast,  that  never-failing  subject  of  interest 
to  idle  passengers,  round  whose  stall  a  group  of  smokers 
generally  congregated  every  da3^ 

But  that  which  most  frequently  arrested  our  steps  as  we 
wandered  carelessly  over  the  great  ship,  and  afterwards 
often  attracted  our  admiration  and  wonder,  was  the  colossal 
size  of  the  engines,  which,  though  working  so  easily  and 
gently  and  smoothly,  seemed  powerful  enough  to  tear  away 
from  all  opposition,  and  to  work  their  way  against  all 
antagonists,  and  do  desperate  battle  with  the  winds  and 
waves  even  of  the  great  Atlantic,  though  proverbially  the 
stronghold  of  those  mighty  elements.  No  wonder  that  the 
furnaces  which  acted  as  the  jaws  of  those  huge  monsters 


6  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

consumed  a  vast  amount  of  fuel :  such  force  was  not  to  be 
maintained  without  a  proportionate  supply  of  food ;  but 
yet  it  was  startling  to  be  assured,  and  the  assurance  seemed 
ahnost  incredible,  that  from  eighty  to  ninety  tons  of  coal 
were  the  daily  average  rations  of  which  our  huge  engines 
easily  disposed. 

Our  fellow-passengers  were  a  motley  set :  the  greater 
part  South  Americans,  of  Portuguese  and  Spanish  extrac- 
tion, their  dark  sallow  complexions  proclaiming  at  once 
their  nationality  ;  but  there  were  many  Germans  as  well, 
on  their  way  to  Brazil,  and  a  small  sprinkling  of  French, 
as  well  as  about  thirty  of  our  fellow-countrymen.  And  as 
national  peculiarities  are  never  so  conspicuous  as  at  meals, 
and  all  the  passengers  required  their  respective  tastes 
to  be  considered,  our  dinners,  and  more  particularly  our 
breakfasts,  had  a  remarkable  character,  which  had  reference 
to  the  habits  of  no  country  in  particular,  but  were  a  medley 
of  East  and  West,  North  and  South,  German  and  Brazilian, 
English  and  Portuguese  combined. 

With  regard  to  daily  routine:  the  watches,  the  bells,  the 
officers'  uniform,  the  hours  of  meals,  to  which  we  were 
summoned  by  trumpet, — all  were  arranged  on  very  much 
the  same  system  as  that  which  prevails  in  the  boats  of  the 
Peninsular  and  Oriental  Company,  with  which  I  was  already 
familiar,  and  which  I  have  described  elsewhere. 

We  had  ample  time  for  exploring  our  vessel,  and 
making  ourselves  acquainted  with  its  general  arrangement 
before  we  weighed  anchor ;  for,  though  carried  on  board 
by  the  steam  tender  at  11  a.m.,  it  was  3  p.m.  before  the 
mails  were  shipped  ;  and  then,  when  unmoored  from  the 
buoy  which  held  us,  it  was  a  long  and  tedious  business 
to  turn  our  unwieldy  ship  within  the  narrow  channel  of 
Southampton  water;  but,  once  under  weigh,  we  soon 
steamed  down  the  river,  and  past  the  Isle  of  Wight  and 
the  Needles,  and  long  after  dark  descried  at  a  distance  the 


m rKODUCTORY.  7 

lights  of  Portland ;  and  that  was  the  last  glimpse  we  had 
of  the  English  coast,  as  we  held  our  way  down  the  Channel, 
the  cold  north-east  wind  forbidding  us  to  remain  on  deck, 
and  compelling  us  to  seek  shelter  below. 

The  following  morning  found  us  off  the  F'rench  coast, 
and  before  mid-day  we  had  passed  Ushant,  and  soon  after 
lost  sight  of  land  altogether.  As  this  was  Good  Friday,  I 
offered  myself  as  chaplain,  and  proposed  to  have  service 
for  the  crew  and  the  English  passengers  on  board;  but  the 
captain  pleaded  that,  in  consequence  of  meeting  so  many 
vessels  in  the  Channel,  all  the  officers  and  the  greater  part 
of  the  crew  had  been  on  duty  all  the  previous  night ;  that 
all  was  in  confusion  the  first  day  at  sea ;  and  that  most  of 
the  passengers  were  sea-sick,  and  therefore  begged  leave  to 
decline  my  offer,  which,  however,  he  would  gladly  accept 
for  Easter  Day. 

And  now,  during  this  and  the  following  day,  we  were 
fairly  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  by  common  consent  allowed  to 
be  the  home  of  the  storm,  and  the  focus  where  the  largest 
waves  and  the  highest  winds  congregate.  The  east  wind, 
which  had  followed  us  from  Southampton,  gained  a  little 
more  courage  as  we  advanced  into  the  Bay,  and  the  waves 
were  certainly  of  grand  dimensions,  and  smaller  vessels 
which  we  passed  or  met  were  labouring  heavily,  and  pitch- 
ing in  a  most  uncomfortable  way;  but  here  our  fine  large 
paddle-wheeled  vessel  show^ed  to  advanta,ge,  and  we  could 
afford  to  admire  the  great  waves  of  the  Atlantic  as  they 
rolled  in,  and  to  speculate  on  their  size  and  height,  un- 
deterred by  fear  of  the  ill  effects  which  they  so  frequently 
produce.  I  had  once,  indeed,  been  assured  by  a  gallant 
admiral,  who  for  years  had  cruised  in  these  waters,  that 
the  Bay  of  Biscay  was  the  most  maligned  spot  in  the  world, 
and  that  the  popular  tales  of  its  frequent  storms  and  the 
terror  which  its  very  name  inspired  in  the  breasts  of  timid 
landsmen  were  delusions  founded   on  libels;  but  now  I 


8  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

heard  a  very  different  tale  from  those  who  traversed 
the  Bay  at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  A  violent  storm  was 
often  encountered  there  in  the  middle  of  summer ;  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  a  dead  calm  would  sometimes  prevail 
there  in  the  winter  months.  One  gentleman  averred,  that 
in  the  month  of  July  he  was  kept  three  days  in  the  middle 
of  the  Bay  in  a  storm,  without  moving  or  attempting  to 
move :  the  steamer  was  simply  allowed  to  roll  with  the 
waves;  for,  as  she  could  with  press  of  steam  scarcely  make 
half  a  knot  an  hour,  the  captain  preferred  waiting  to  ex- 
pending his  fuel  to  no  purpose.  And  all  allowed  it  to  be 
a  most  stormy  spot,  and  that  there  were  no  such  waves  as 
the  Atlantic  waves,  and  that  three  waves  may  always  be 
seen  together,  and  that  they  came  into  the  Bay  of  Biscay 
with  surprising  force  and  violence. 

Xow,we  experienced  what  would  be  considered  favourable 
weather  and  a  good  passage  ;  and  yet  we  saw^  quite  enough 
to  tell  us  that  the  Bay  of  Biscay  amply  deserves  the 
character  it  has  gained.  From  the  time  we  entered  the 
Bay  until  we  rounded  the  Spanish  coast,  being  the  greater 
part  of  two  days,  the  cold  north-east  w^ind  froze  our  bones, 
the  large,  long,  rolling  waves  made  themselves  felt,  and  for 
those  two  days  we  saw  neither  land  nor  bird  nor  fish,  and 
but  very  rarely  a  sail  in  these  inhospitable,  deserted  waters. 
I  never  before  saw  so  desolate  a  sea,  and  the  officers  of  the 
Shannon  assured  me  it  was  always  so  there.  Moreover — 
sure  proof  of  rough  weather — our  plates  and  dishes  and 
glasses  and  bottles  were  confined  within  mahogany  frames, 
and  strapped  to  the  table  at  dinner,  for  we  ventured  to 
make  our  appearauce  regularly  at  meals,  the  winds  and 
waves  and  the  Bay  of  Biscay  notwithstanding. 

When  we  went  on  deck  on  the  morning  of  Easter  Day 
we  found  a  thorough  change  of  atmosphere.  We  had  sud- 
denly jumped  during  the  night  from  winter  to  summer; 
we  had  passed  within  sight  of  the  lights  of  Cape  Finisterre; 


INTRODUCTORY.  9 

we  were  beyond  the  malice  of  the  l-5ay  of  Bisca}^  and  under 
shelter  of  the  Spanish  coast.  We  had  exchanged  tlie  biting 
north-east  wind  for  a  warm,  soft,  southerly  breeze;  the 
great  waves  had  disappeared,  the  sea  was  already  l)eginning 
to  calm  down,  and  the  glorious  sun  shone  out  with  a  bril- 
liancy and  warmth  that  spoke  unmistakably  to  our  feelings 
of  the  sunny  south  ;  and  though  some,  in  their  marvellous 
obtuseness  to  the  delights  of  heat,  had  an  awning  stretched 
overhead,  and  crept  into  the  shade,  we  were  rather  disposed 
to  enjoy  it  to  the  full,  and  we  revelled  in  its  cheering 
beams,  and  we  basked  in  its  bright  rays  to  our  hearts' 
content. 

At  half-past  10  a.m.,  or,  to  speak  more  nautically,  at 
five  bells,  the  whole  ship's  company  was  mustered  on  deck, 
where  they  stood  in  close  file  from  stem  to  bow,  130  in 
number ;  the  officers  also  appeared  in  full  uniform ;  and 
when  the  quartermaster  had  dressed  the  ranks,  the  purser 
walked  down  the  line,  calling  over  the  names,  followed  by 
the  captain  and  chief  officer,  who  closely  inspected  all 
hands,  beginning  with  the  seamen,  firemen  and  engineers, 
and  concluding  with  stewards,  butchers,  cooks  and  boys. 
Then  the  captain  ordered  those  on  duty  to  remain  on  deck, 
and  all  the  rest  to  go  down  to  the  saloon  to  prayers.  I 
found  my  place  prepared  in  the  middle  of  the  long  table, 
the  cushions  which  supported  the  large  Bible  and  Prayer 
Book  being  covered  with  the  Union  Jack.  The  crew  occu- 
pied the  benches  at  the  farther  side  of  the  saloon  from  one 
en.d  to  another,  the  officers  and  English  passengers  those 
on  my  right  and  left ;  while  many  Brazilians,  Portuguese, 
and  Germans  witnessed  our  service  from  the  galleries 
which  ran  round  the  saloon  above.  As  soon  as  the  captain 
and  chief  officer  came  down  from  a  careful  inspectioTi  of 
the  ship,  I  began  the  morning  pra3^ers.  F.  read  the  lessons, 
and  a  more  well-behaved  congregation  I  never  saw.  I 
preached  a  short  sermon  on  the  great  event  of  the  day, 


10  A    SPRING   TOUR   IN    PORTUGAL. 

and  what  with  the  attention  of  the  men,  the  recollection 
that  we  were  celebrating  the  greatest  festival  of  the 
Christian  year  under  circumstances  so  novel  to  myself,  and 
the  many  nations  and  creeds  and  languages  represented  at 
it,  I  felt  that  I  had  never  taken  part  in  any  service  so 
peculiarly  interesting,  albeit  the  roll  of  the  vessel  in  the 
Atlantic  waves  necessitated  continual  caution  and  a  firm 
hold  of  the  table  to  enable  me  to  retain  my  balance,  as  I 
stood  to  proclaim  the  Resurrection  of  our  Lord  on  that 
Easter  morning. 

The  afternoon  of  that  day  proved  thoroughly  hot,  and 
the  delicious  warmth  coming  upon  us  so  rapidly  after  the 
bitter  winds  which  had  followed  us  from  England,  was  all 
the  more  welcome  and  more  duly  appreciated,  from  the 
contrast ;  and  it  was  positive  enjoyment  to  sit  on  deck  and 
drink  in  the  balmy  air  of  the  south,  and  ruminate  as  day- 
dreamers  at  sea  are  apt  to  do. 

There  were  plenty  of  subjects  to  crowd  in  upon  the 
mind  as  we  traversed  those  waters,  so  prolific  of  glorious 
enterprises,  grand  discoveries,  and  disastrous  losses.  Here 
sailed,  in  far  distant  times,  those  hardy  mariners  the 
Phoenicians,  creeping  out  of  the  Mediterranean  beyond  the 
Pillars  of  Hercules  and  coasting  northwards  towards  the 
Cassiterides,  undeterred  by  their  ignorance  of  what  lay 
be3^ond,  or  even  by  the  fearful  rumours  of  dangers  which 
prevailed,  and  still  venturing  onwards  till  they  reached  the 
shores  of  Britain.  Hence,  long  ages  afterwards,  went  forth 
the  bold  discoverer,  Vasco  de  Gama,  the  first  to  double 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  and  open  out  the  way  to  India. 
Over  these  waters  sailed  the  invincible  Armada,  that  vast 
squadron  which  started  from  Lisbon  with  such  confidence 
of  success  and  such  determination  against  England,  but 
which  the  winds  and  the  storms  of  the  Bay  of  Biscay  and 
the  valour  of  our  countrymen  so  signally  defeated.  Hither, 
too,  in  later  times,  came  our  own  fleet,  and  hereabouts 


INTRODUCTORY.  1 1 

were  gained  so  many  of  our  famous  victories,  which  the 
names  of  Corunna,  Vigo,  and  Trafalgar  call  up  before  our 
minds.  But,  far  above  all,  to  these  waters  came  direct 
from  Genoa  the  far-seeing  Columbus,  big  with  the  project 
he  had  not  yet  divulged;  and  as  Portugal  was  at  that 
period  the  country  to  which  adventurous  spirits  from  all 
parts  of  the  woi'ld  resorted,  as  the  great  theatre  of  mari- 
time enterprise,  his  first  proposal  was  made  to  King 
Joao  II.  to  sail  under  the  flag  of  that  monarch,  and  to 
seize  for  the  crown  of  Portugal  that  land  beyond  the 
Atlantic,  of  whose  existence  his  courageous  heart  never 
suffered  him  for  one  monient  to  doubt.  And  now,  as  we 
sat  on  the  deck  of  the  Shannon  and  watched  the  great 
waves  rolling  in  from  the  west,  it  was  interesting  to  think 
Avith  what  a  full  heart,  and  with  what  powerful  feelings  of 
hope  and  expectation,  the  great  discoverer  must  have  set 
out  on  his  voyage  after  all  the  tedious  delays  and  bitter 
disappointments  which  beset  him  ;  and  with  what  trium- 
phant feelings  of  deserved  success  he  must  have  returned 
to  Lisbon,  to  the  delight  of  his  generous  patron,  Isabella 
of  Spain,  and  to  the  intense  mortification  of  the  King  of 
Portugal,* 

We  slackened  speed  as  we  ran  down  the  coast,  for  we 
could  not  cross  the  bar  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tagus  till  day- 
light ;  and  our  captain  had  no  desire  to  increase  unneces- 
sarily his  enormous  consumption  of  coal,  and  before  sunset 
the  sea  had  subsided  into  a  perfect  calm,  and  our  last 
evening  on  board  the  Shannon  was  as  peaceful  and  pleasant 
as  we  could  desire. 

*  Prescott's   History  of  the  Bcign  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,   vol.  ii. 
pp.  141,  154. 


12  A   SPRING   TOUE    IN    PORTUGAL. 


CHAPTER  II. 

LISBON  :     GENERAL     VIEW. 

The  Handbook  had  prepared  us  to  expect  a  fine  view  of 
Lisbon  as  we  steamed  up  the  river ;  so  we  were  early  on 
deck  to  witness  the  entrance  of  the  Tagus,  and  to  mark 
the  first  specimens  of  Portuguese  buildings,  and  rocks,  and 
people  which  offered  themselves  to  our  sight.  In  every 
first  glance  at  a  new  country,  and  more  particularly  when 
it  is  approached  by  sea,  there  is  a  great  deal  to  interest  the 
traveller  ;  for  every  country  has  its  own  specialities,  and 
there  are  certain  broad  characteristics,  even  in  the  general 
outline,  which  is  all  one  can  gain  in  passing  up  the  middle 
of  a  river,  which  speak  for  themselves  and  impress  them- 
selves indelibly  on  the  mind  ;  and  those  first  impressions, 
however  corrected  by  after  experience  and  modified  by 
greater  familiarity,  are  in  a  certain  sense  never  effaced. 
At  least,  that  is  my  own  experience,  and  amidst  the  recol- 
lections of  many  foreign  scenes,  sharply  and  prominently 
stand  out  in  my  mind  the  first  view  of  Belgium,  as  seen 
on  entering  the  Schelt ;  of  France,  as  seen  many  years  ago 
at  Calais  ;  of  Denmark,  from  the  Baltic ;  of  Norway,  from 
the  fjord  of  Christiania;  of  the  East,  on  enteriDg  the  har- 
bour of  Alexandria;  of  Syria,  on  approaching  Beyrout. 
And  these  sudden  impressions  seem  burnt  in  on  the 
memory  with  tenfold  distinctness,  partly  perhaps  by  reason 
of  the  eager  expectation  and  interest  with  which  one 
naturally  approaches  a  new  country,  partly  too  from  the 


LISBON  :    GENERAL  VIEW.  13 

(ibstinoDce  froiu  nil  views,  and  tho  blank  in  this  respect 
which  a  aeii  voyage  necessarily  creates,  so  that,  as  he  ap- 
proaches hind,  the  travclier  is  on  the  eager  look-out,  and 
keenly  alive  to  whatever  presents  itself  to  his  observation. 
Tlse  lirst  vi<!W  of  Tortngal  was  no  exception  to  this  rule, 
and  as  we  crossed  the  bar  on  a  bright  morning,  and  en- 
tered the  Tagus  between  its  two  outlying  forts  and  steamed 
slowly  up  the  river,  the  few  leagues  which  intervened  be- 
tv/een  its  mouth  and  the  capital,  we  had  quite  enough  to 
occupy  our  attention ;  the  bright  green  vineyards  on  the 
one  hand  and  the  red  glowing  rocks  on  the  other,  be- 
tokening at  once  tliat  we  had  reached  a  southern  clime, 
while  the  buildings  which  wet-e  dotted  here  and  there  on 
the  hills  or  on  the  shore  looked  strange  and  peculiar,  half 
Italian,  half  Maltese,  but  exceedingly  white  and  dazzling 
in  the  full  sunshine.  And  now  we  have  passed  the 
picturesque  tower  of  Belemj  conspicuously  projecting  into 
the  river,  and  the  whole  view  of  Lisbon  bursts  upon  our 
sight.  It  is  a  noble  view,  and  worthy  to  be  compared 
with  that  .of  G^enca  cr'  Naples  from  the  sea ;  and  I  do  not 
think  we  were  at  a'il  prepared  to,sse  so  large  or  so  mag- 
nificent a  city.  Bivlt,  like  all  the  other  large  towns  of 
Portugal,  on  steep  hills,  the  houses  rising,  tier  above  tier 
from  the  water's  edge  to  the  extreme  summit,  and  stretch- 
ing alcng  the  rivers  bar>;<:  for  nearly  five  English  miles  in. 
length,  the  vvrhole'  ci'ty  is  comprehended, in  a  single  glance^ 
and  so  looks  very  imposing  and  much  larger  th.an  it  really 
is,  Doubtless  the  brilliant  sunshine  must  be  taken  into 
account  as  we  appraise  the  value  of  o'utr  picture,  for  even 
Lisbon  would  not  show  to  advantage  id  a  London  fog,  but 
then  no  such  'pherionuenon  peculiar  to  the  Thames  Ims 
ever  appeared  upon  the  Tagus;  and  we  may  take  it  for 
granted  that  the  brightest  Jmd  clearest  of  skies  is  the 
normal  atmospheric  ^condition  of  the  Portugese  capital. 
Even  the  cynical  Ghilde  Haroldl  who  is  by  no  means  .cat- 


]4  A  SPRING  TOUR  IN  rORTUQAU 

tering  to  this  country,  was  forced  to  exclaim,  as  tiie  bril- 
liant city  burst  upon  his  view : — 

Wlmt  bciiutios  doth  Lisbon  first  unfold  t 
Ilor  image  flouting  in  that  noble  tldo 
Wliicli  puctb  vainly  piivo  with  sands  of  gold. 

As  soon  as  we  had  cast  anchor,  we  took  our  leave  of  the 
courteous  Captain  Jeliicob,  as  well  as  the  purser  and  the 
other  excellent  officers  of  the  Shannoni  and  leavin<T  our 
baggage  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  custom  liouse  officers, 
we  entered  one  of  the  many  boats  which  by  this  time  had 
Hurrounded  us,  and  pulled  ashore.  Then,  after  the  usual 
wrangle  with  the  good-tempered  boatmen,  wliich  I  iind  is 
become  the  universal  accompaniment  to  setting  forth  on 
shore  in  a  strange  land,  we  climbed  up  the  steep  streets  to 
the  Hotel  Braganza,  glad  to  breakfast  on  ieirafirma,  and 
to  secure  rooms  in  that  comfortable  house.  As  we  made 
the  Braganza  our  liead-quarters  for  several  weeks,  it  was 
pleasant  to  find  ourselves  in  a  central  position,  and  yet 
high  up  above  the  river;  so  that  not  only  our  windows 
commanded  a  magnificent  view  of  the  city,  the  Tagus 
crowded  with  shipping,  and  the  hills  on  the  opposite  shore, 
but  we  enjoyed  the  signal  advantage  in  a  hot  country  of 
pure  air  and  the  sea  breeze,  which  was  daily  wafted  up  the 
river.  It  wiis  the  business  of  a  morning,  even  with  tb.e 
help  of  an  English  resident  in  Lisbon,  who  most  kindly 
volunteered  his  services  as  interpreter,  to  pass  our  baggage 
through  the  custom  house,  for  Portuguese  inspection  is 
still  as  minute,  and  Portuguese  curiosity  quite  a^  intense, 
as  in  the  old  days  we  remember  so  well  at  Calais  and  at 
Dover,  So  we  not  only  had  to  unlock  every  box  and  un- 
strap every  portmanteau,  but  the  rigid  search  for  contra- 
band articles  required  a  lengthened  investigation  of  the 
contents  of  every  package,  which  is  always  very  annoying 
and  somewhat  humiliating  to  the  owner.  But  this  ridicu- 
lous search  to  gratify  curiosity  (for  it  did  »ot  appear  that 


LISUO?^:   GENERAL  VIEW.  15 

anything  was  liable  to  duty)  became  somewhat  more  than 
annoying  when,  on  opening  F.'s  large  box  of  photograpliic 
apparatus,  wherein  clieinicaln  were  nicely  ytowed  away, 
and  rows  of  little  bottles  packed  in  sawdust,  proclaimed 
their  intention,  these  wise  men  in  office  desired  to  over- 
haul such  stores,  and  even  examine  the  prepared  glasses, 
to  which  the  admission  of  a  single  ray  of  daylight  would 
be  fatal.  Then  we  had  to  argue,  storm,  and  bluster  in  ii 
variety  of  languages,  but  our  indignation  generally  found 
most  vent  in  our  mother  tongue ;  and  as  we  persevered  in 
our  renionstrancesy  t!ie  enemy  at  length,  if  not  convinced, 
at  all  evencs  gave  in,  as  will  generally  be  found  to  be  the 
case  if  the  traveller  will  but  stand  firm  with  that  *  dojziied 
obstinacy '  for  which  the  Englishman  is  fortunately  famous. 
At  length  the  examination  was  completed:  the  box  of 
eliemicals  was  relocked,  ray  gun-case  had  been  subjected 
to  a  severe  scrutiny, — stock,  lock,  and  barrel  had  been 
separately  inspected,  and  no  smuggled  goods  detected 
therein ;  boxes  of  arsenical  soap  and  implements  ox  taxi- 
dermy had  bee*},  examined  with  many  doubtf:il  end.  sus- 
picious glances  at  me  as  the  culprit  implicated  in  such 
pursuits;  above  all,  my  india-rubber  bath,  my  faithful 
compaDJon  in.  Eastern,  travels,  bad  been  withdrawD.  from 
its  canvas  case  and  closely  investigated ;  and,  as  I  ex- 
plained its  object  and  intention,  had  evidently  drawn  down 
on  my  devoted  head  the  character  of  an  eccentric  madman; 
and  then  car  goods  were  reles^sed,  and  we  were  free  to 
remove  them  to  our  quarters.  To  this  end  we  enlisted  the 
services  of  four  G-allegos,  who  crowd  in  swarms  round  the 
custom  house  and  quay,  and  these  stout  porters  worked 
in  pairs.,  like  beasts  of  burden  as  they  are,  and  in  a  very 
short  time  conveyed  our  formidable  and  really  heavy 
baggage  up  the  steepest  of  streets  to  our  hotel.  Their 
mode  of  carrying  heavy  burdens  is  very  ingenious  :  each 
man  is  provided  with  a  tightly-made  straw  collrwT  covered 


10  A  SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

with  cloth,  and  shaped  like  a  horseshoe :  this  he  places 
round  his  neck,  the  open  part  in  front;  then,  when  they 
liave  collected  the  heavy  goods  they  are  about  to  carry,  it 
may  bo  a  cask,  or  a  large  bale  of  merchandise,  or  four  or 
five  largo  boxes,  these  are  rapidly  tied  together  with  cord, 
and  suspended  from  a  pole,  which  pressing  upon  their 
straw  collars,  is  carried  slowly  along  between  two  Grallegos; 
and  it  is  astonishing  what  heavy  weights  these  sturdy 
porters  will  convey  up  and  down  the  streets  of  Lisbon,  where 
WMgirons  and  carts  are  still  almost  imknown,  and  where, 
within  a  very  short  time,  wheels  were  seldom  seen.  But 
though  all  kinds  of  goods  are  thus  conveyed  on  the 
shoulders  of  the  Gallego,  his  principal  business  is  to  carry 
the  water  from  the  fountains  throughout  the  <iity.  Now, 
there  are  many  noble  fountains  scattered  about  the  town, 
but  as  yet  there  is  no  system  of  supplying  the  houses  by 
means  of  pipes  and  cisterns  and  taps,  no  water  company 
to  ensure  a  constant  supply  of  tho.t  invaluable  element. 
Therc^fore,  around  all  the  fountains,  and  from  early  morn- 
ing to  night,  the  stranger  will  be  interested  to  watch 
crowds  of  these  patient  Gallegos  sitting  in  rows  on  their 
gaily-painted  water  casks,  cliatting  in  merry  mood,  and 
scrupulously  waiting  their  turns  to  fJl  their  casks,  and 
then  trotting  off  with  their  burden  on  their  shoulder,  upon 
which,  a  white  cloth  lias  been  previously  doubled,  some  of 
them  to  supply  private  houses,  and  some  to  cry  *  aguci ' 
through  the  streets,  amidst  this  water-drinking  people,  not 
unlike  the  SaJdui,  who,  with  goat-skin  on  back  and  brass 
cup  in  hand,  sings  *mom'  in  the  streets  of  Cairo. 

Now,  these  Gallegos  are  in  reality  Gallicians  from  the 
North  of  Spain  ;  but,  like  the  Swiss  of  old,  they  expatriate 
themselves  with  a  view  to  collecting  money,  and  have 
vohintarily  become  the  *  Helots'  or  the  'Gibeonites'  of 
Lisbon,  veritable  liewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water ; 
nay,  so  thoroughly  have  they  assumed  this  position,  that  the 


LISBON  :    OENEHAL   VIEW.  17 

proud  Portuguese  beggar  disdains  to  interfere  with  an 
occupation  fitted  only  for  slaves,  and,  as  he  shrugs  his 
fllioiildors,  exclaims  in  the  well-known  proverb,  'The 
Almighty  made  the  Portuguese  first,  and  then  made  the 
Gallcgo  to  wait  upon  him.'  Methinks,  however,  that  the 
despised  Gallego  has  the  best  of  the  argument,  as  ho 
pockets  the  affront  and  jingles  the  money  he  is  collecting 
wherewith  to  retire  to  his  native  mountains  and  end  his 
days  in  comfort,  and  whispers  to  himself,  sotto  voce,  in  the 
proverb  he  knows  so  well,  'We  are  Grod's  people;  it  is 
their  water,  but  we  sell  it  them.' 

I  have  said  that  there  are  few  carts  in  Lisbon,  but 
nothing  will  rivet  the  attention  of  the  newly-landed  tra- 
veller more  than  the  sight  which  will  soon  catch  liis  eye 
of  some  antiquated  plaustrum  moving  slowly  through  tlie 
streets.      These  ancient  and  most  clumsy  but  picturesque 
vehicles  can  never  have  altered  their  shape  since  the  days 
of  Virgil,  and  assuredly,  from  the  indescribable  groaning 
and   squeaking   the}''  emit   in   all  other   places  save  the 
capital  (where  such   music  is  now  forbidden  under   the 
penalty  of  a  heavy  fine),  they  still  deserve  the  epithets 
bestowed  by  that  poet,  ' Stridentia,  gemeniia  xjlaustra.' 
Their  peculiarity  consists  in  the  ponderous  axle,  to  which 
heavy  solid  wheels'  without  spokes  are  firmly  fixed,  and 
which  revolves  with  the  wheels,  not  without  labour  and 
pain  ;  add  to  this  a  few  planks  for  the  bed,  witli  or  without 
sides  OS  the  case  m.ay  be,  a  long  pole  and  an  elaborately 
carved  yoke,  a  pair  of  cream  or  dun-coloured  oxen,  and 
a   picturesque    carter,  armed   with   a   long   ox-goad,  and 
dressed  in  various  coloured  garments,  and  we  have  before 
us  the  identical  cart  which  not  only  Virgil  and  Juvenal 
have  described,  but  wJiich  Homer  too  has  portrayed,  and 
of  which  we  may  see  an  exact  representation  taken  from  a 
bas-relief  at  Pome,  and  equally  applicable  to  the  antique 
woin    of    Homer    and    Virgil,    or    the    modern    cart    of 

c 


18  A   SPRING  TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

rortugal,  under  the  bead  *Plaiistrum'  in  the  'Dictionary 
of  Greek  and  Koman  Antiquities'  ])y  Dr.  Smith.  It  is 
8tran<^(i,  indeed,  that  these  most  clumsy  machines  should 
still  continue,  wlicn  it  is  considered  liow  h^avy  must  be 
the  draught,  and  what  a  waste  of  power  such  construction 
entails  ;  it  is  still  more  strange  that  the  creaking,  grinding, 
groaning  which  accompanies  every  turn  of  the  axle  should 
be  tolerated,  when  not  only  that  most  horrible  noise  might 
be  immediately  obviated,  but  with  it  the  wear  of  material 
and  additional  labour  of  the  oxen  be  sensibly  diminished 
by  the  application  of  a  little  oil  or  grease,  as  in  fact  is 
now  made  compulsory  in  Lisbon  ;  but  I  was  told  that  the 
drivers  resent  such  interference  with  their  privileges  as 
atrocious  tyranny,  and  that  they  enjoy  the  music  of  their 
carts,  as  more  educated  ears  delight  in  the  harmonies  of 
an  orchestra,  while  they  affirm,  with  the  tendency  to  super- 
Btition  for  which  they  are  notorious,  that  such  noise  avails 
to  the  driving  away  of  evil  spirits  and  hobgoblins,  which 
assuredly  it  may.  if  at  least  the  fairies  they  dread  be  fairies 
of  good  taste. 

Possibly  it  may  be  for  a  similar  reason  tliat  the  street 
cries  of  Lisbon  are  so  harsh,  so  discordant,  and  withal  so 
continuous.  Never  was  a  city  so  bescreamed :  and  as  you 
walk  through  it,  morning,  nocn,  and  evening,  the  same 
continual  chorus  of  cries  in  voices  of  various  tones  of 
shrillness  and  harshness  assails  your  ears.  Every  con- 
ceivable article  of  sale  is  cried  by  the  seller,  as  he  or  she 
inarches  through  the  middle  of  the  streets  with  the  basket 
or  bundle  of  wares  poised  on  the  top  of  the  head,  or  held 
beneath  the  arm.  And  such  a  jumble  of  articles !  meat 
and  muslin,  water  and  wood,  furniture  and  fish,  milk  and 
millinery,  all  seem  mixed  up  together  in  this  strife  of 
tongues,  and  the  shriller  the  voice  in  this  contest  for  custom 
the  better  the  chance  that  the  article  thus  shrieked  will 
find  a  purchaser. 


LISDON:    OENEUAL   VIE^V.  19 

'  Wo  had,  I  acknowleclgre,  expected  to  find  Tvisl)on  and 
tbo  Lisbonitcs  uiiaavoiiry  and  unclean,  for  they  have  Ioiimt 
had  this  reputation,  and  we  liad  not  forgotten  the  i)oet'H 
description — 

Wjioso  cntoroth  within,  this  town, 

That,  Hhconinp;  far,  colostial  scorns  to  bo, 
DiHConsohito  will  wander  up  and  down, 

'Mid  many  tilings  unsightly  tx)  strango  o'c ; 

For  hut  and  palaco  show  like  filthily. 

Doubtless  this  was  the  case  nob  many  years  ago ;  but  as 
we^wandered  through  the  handsome  streets,  and  admired 
the  elegant  buildings,  the  squares  and  the  public  gardens, 
we  simultaneously  exclaimed  that  we  knew  no  foreign  town 
Vvrhicb  had  such  a  general  air  of  cleanliness,  and  we  were 
agreeably  surprised  to  find  how  remarkably  bright  and 
fresh  and  sweet  the. whole  city  appeared  to  be.  Subse- 
quent observation  only  corroborated  these  first  impressions, 
and  I  now  unhesitatingly  decla,re  that  no  town  of  Southern 
lands,  not  even  Turin,  which  in  some  respects  it  re- 
semble?, presents  a  cleaner,  fairer  appearance  than  the 
much -maligned  city  of  Lisbon.  To  this  no  doubt  the 
steepness  of  the  streets,  in  great  measure  conduces,  for  the 
>e7en  hills  on  which  it  is  biiilt  by  no  means  resemble  the 
z^^^zii  bills  of  Rome,  snch  gentle  slopes  as  to  be  scarcely 
traced  by  the  diligent  enquirer;  but  these  are  real  sharp 
inclines,  such  <is  would  not  disgrace  the  city  of  Bath,  so 
that  to  walk  ever  Lisbon  was  a  laborious  task  in  hot 
wsiitber.  and  oie  interminable  ascent  and  descent,  with 
the  very  rare  relief  of  a  little  fiat  ground,  which  was 
immediately  seized  ttpon  for  a  '^Pra^a'  or  <  Largo,'  or  a 
public  garden.  Now-,  in  i  warm  climate  there  is,  next  to 
good  d~'d.nage  and  eUalniiness,  nothing  more  essential  for 
the  heoith  as  well  as  the  .comfort  of -a  town  than  large  open 
spacer?  -vvhich  may  acfc  as  rcservoksof  i^ir,  or,  as  they  have 
beer-  vvcll  called,  Uhe  hm.gs*  of,  <i  <j5ty,  and  with  these 

q2  '"■  '■'  ■- 


20  A   SPRING  TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

Lisbon  is  admirably  provided.  The  public  squares  are 
generally  planted  with  trees  which  are  invalimble  for 
shade,  and  well  provided  with  seats,  and  as  the  whole 
population  seeks  the  open  ftir  aa  the  coolness  of  eveniug 
draws  on,  the  nightly  assemblage  in  these  squares  was  very 
great,  just  as  is  the  case  in  the  Alamedas  and  Prados  of 
the  cities  of  Spain.  But  still  more  valuable  and  far  more 
beautiful  are  the  'public  gardens,'  which.,  situated  in  the 
heart  of  the  city,  and  planted  with  rare  Brazilian  flowers 
and  shrubs  which  thrive  with  extraordinary  vigour  in  this 
climate,  are  always  open  to  the  people,  and  with  their 
fragrant  scents,  delightful  shade,  and  the  perpetual  splash 
of  fountains,  invite  the  passer-by  to  seek  repose  for  a 
while. 

But  four  days  back  we  were  shivering  in  England ;  our 
teeth  chattering  under  the  influence  of  the  cold  east 
wind,  and  the  sleet  driving  in  our  faces  and  freezing  us  to 
the  bone,  Xow  we  were  baslnng  under  a  southei-n  sun,  or 
spending  our  evening  in  the  public  squares  and  gardens — 
generally  in  the  pretty  little  Largo  de  Carnoes,  which  we 
frequented  almost  every  night.  At  mid-day  the  therm.o- 
meter  in  the  shade  stood  at  86°,  so  that  many  remained 
within  doors  while  the  fiercest  beat  prevailed,  as  is  the 
wont  of  southern  peoples ;  and  here  we  found  the  gardens 
glowing  with  flowers,  and  early  potatoes  and  green  peas 
and  strawberries  already  in  profusion,  which  certainly 
astonished  and  pleased  our  nortliern  minds  not  a  little. 

The  very  first  afternoon  we  spent  in  Lisbon  we  found  a 
crowd  of  men  surrounding  a  public  building,  who,  with 
loud  voices  and  angry  faces,  were  gesticulating  fiercely, 
while  a  small  guard  of  soldiers  watched  hard  l)y.  On  en- 
quiring the  cause  of  our  interpreter  and  guide,  whom  we 
had  einployed  in  that  capacity  from  his  knowledge  of  our 
tongue,  but  whose  English  was  very  limited,  he  told  us 
that  it  was  an  '  insurrection,'  and  that  the  rebels,  who  were 


LISBON  ;    GENERAL   VIE\V.  21 

poor   and   Imn^^ry,  would  put   down    Uie    Ministers,  and 

*  wanted  much  fight.'  However,  as  we  visited  the  same 
spot  again  and  again  during  the  evening,  and  only  found 
tha  same  rather  excited  crowd,  and  horse  and  foot  soldiei.s 
patrolling  tl)e  streets,  we  thought  it  was  a  very  well- 
ordered  and  gentle  emeute,  and  would  recommend  it  as  a 
model  for  invitation  to  all  other  nations  that  way  inclined. 
It  is  somewhat  remarkable  how  frequently  F.  and  I 
have  come  in  for  insurrectionary  disturbances  in  various 
countries.  On  the  first  occasion  of  our  visiting  Switzerland 
in  1839,  as  we  drove  into  the  town  of  Zurich,  we  saw  groups 
of  excited  men  standing  at  the  street  corners,  and  when 
we  asked  our  voiturier  what  was  doing,  he  coolly  replied, 

*  Kien  du  tout,  messieurs,  rien  du  tout :  seulement  le 
gouvernement  en  bas;'  and  such  indeed  proved  to  be  the 
case,  as  vve  afterwards  learned  from  the  landlord  of  our 
hotel,  whose  brother,  with  ten  others,  had  been  killed  in 
the  affray  not  an  hour  before  our  arrival.  Again,  in 
December  1851,  when  Louis  Napoleon  made  his  grand 
coup  cVetat^  as  we  drove  from  Italy  into  France  by  the 
Corniche,  and  as  we  entered  the  turbulent  department 
of  Var,  perfectly  ignorant  of  French  politics,  we  suddenly 
found  ourselves  surrounded  by  Ked  Ivepublicaus  at  Dra- 
giiignan,  the  carriage  stopped,  and  ourselves  marched  olT 
as  prisoners  before  the  self-constituted  council ;  and  when 
released,  after  many  enquiries,  it  was  only  to  be  arrested 
again  at  the  next  town  or  village,  to  hear  the  Marseil- 
laise shouted  in  our  ears,  and  be  marched  afresh  before 
the  tribunal  of  oavriers,  while  v/e  saw  the  magistrate.-^, 
priests,  and  gens-d'armes  on  their  way  to  prison  with  their 
hands  tied  behind  their  backs.  Nor  did  we  escape  from 
that  most  disaffected  district  uiitil  we  were  provided  with 
a  Republican  passport,  whicli  I  treasure  to  this  day  as  a 
very  curious  document,  and  which  says  in  the  briefest  of 
terms,  *Laisse?:  passer  citoyen  Smith,'  but  which  had  the 


22  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   TORTUGAL. 

effect  of  opening  our  way  to  Lyons,  Avhere  we  were  glad 
enough  to  arrive,  and  to  witness  the  unwonted  spectacle  of 
()0,000  troops  bivouacked  in  the  squares  and  streetB  in  a 
foggy  niglit  in  winter. 

Far  more  akirniing  was  the  insurrection  in  Egypt,  the 
particulars  of  whicli  I  have  elsewhere  described,  which 
occurred  in  the  spring  of  18G5,  and  which  was  a  very  for- 
midable outburst  of  JMuslim  fanaticism  against  Christians, 
native  and  foreign.  And  now,  to  crown  all  our  experiences, 
was  this  gentle  Portuguese  disturbance ;  which,  however, 
never  advanced  beyond  angry  expressions  and  loud  mur- 
murs and  complaints,  and,  as  a  treasonable  movement,  was 
not  to  bo  compared  for  a  moment  with  the  loudly-ex- 
pressed determination  for  a  revolution  which  we  heard 
openly  declared  both  at  the  table  d'hote  in  the  great  hotel 
at  JMadrid  and  in  the  Puerta  del  Sol,  as  we  passed  through 
on  our  way  home,  threats  too  which  did  not  prove  to  be 
empty  and  unmeaning,  but  very  soon  to  ripen  into  action, 
and  successful  action  too,  as  we  all  know  now. 

To  return,  however,  to  the  Portuguese  capital,  and  to 
sum  up  our  general  impressions  of  it  as  it  struck  us  on  our 
arrivaic  Imposing  in  size,  clean  in  appearance,  handsome 
with  regard  to  its  buildings,  steep  with  reference  to  its 
streets,  woj'm  as  t6  its  temperature,  civil,  orderly,  and  gentle 
as  to  its  inhabitants:  such  were  the  epithets  we  at  once 
bestowed  upon  ]><isbon :  and  the  good  opinion  we  formed 
of  it  at  first  we  retained  to  the  end  of  our  visit,  and  still  our 
verdict  is  altogether  in  its  favour,  and  we  are  quite  pre- 
pared to  echo  the  praise  bestowed  upon  it  by  its  earliest 
founders,  when  it  was  called  '  Olisippo '  or  '^  Oiisipo,*  a 
Phoenician  term  (as  Pliny  inform.s  us),  signifying  'Pleasant 
bay/ which  its  Koman  conquerors  in  the  time  of  Augustus 
exchanged  for  the  scarcely  less  complimentary  title  of 
*Felicitas  Julia.' 


CHAPTER  III. 
L I  s  B  0  N — continixed. 

As  WE  Climbed  and  descended  the  everlasting?  hills  of 
Lisbon,  or  as  we  sat  in  her  many  squares  or  amidst  the 
semi-tropical  plants  and  shrubs  in  her  beautiful  public 
gardens,  the  thought  would  often  recur  to  our  minds,  that 
a  whole  city  and  people  were  buried  beneath  us  ;  and  we 
could  not  help  picturing  to  ourselves. the  awful  catastrophe 
as  it  must  have  suddenly  overwhelmed  that  flited  spot. 
But  little  more  than  r.  hundred  years  had  elapsed  sines 
the  vv^orld-renowned  earthquake  had  in  a  few  minutes,  and 
without  previous  warning,  laid  the  entire  city  in  ruins, 
aestroving  the  houses.,  which  cr-ambied  up,  it  is  said,  and 
disappeared  in  dust,  burying  the  wTetched  inhabitants  be- 
neath the  debris.  It  is  difficult  to  imagine  such  a  visi- 
tation. The  morning  of  November  1,  1755,  was  fine  and 
calm;  the  sun  shone  out  in  full  lustre,  and' the  whole  face 
of  the  sky  is  reported  to  have  been  serene  and  clear;  and 
there  was  nothing  to  betoken  any  unusual  event,  no 
warning  rum.bling  to  herald  the  impending  calamity. 
The  city  stood  in  its  accustomed  sunshine,  and  the  in- 
habitants rose  to  their  evcry-day  oCcapations,  never  dream- 
ing of  the  general  destruction  hanging  over  them.  Then 
of  a  sudden  the  first  shock  began,  rapidly  followed  by 
other  and  more  severe  shocks,  till,  in  the  short  space  of 
fifteen  minutes,  the  gr{>ater  part  of  the  city  was  destroyed, 
and  the  2:reat  bulk  of  the  inhabitants  overwhelmed.     Nor 


24  A   SraiNG   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

was  the  heaving,  cracking  earth  the  only  element  which 
fought  against  the  devoted  city.  On  a  sudden  a  huge 
wave  rose  from  the  trouhled  river,  mounting  fifty  feet 
above  the  water  level,  and  sweeping  over  tlic  banks  on 
which  a  terror-stricken  crowd  was  congregated  for  safety, 
away  from  the  falling  houses,  drew  them  all  into  its  bed, 
together  with  all  the  ships  and  boats  in  the  harbour,  and 
so  effectually  engulfed  them  that  no  vestige  of  them  was 
ever  seen  again.  Fires,  too,  breaking  out  in  irinny  parts 
of  the  city,  some  say  in  a  hundred  places  at  once,  raged 
with  great  fury,  and,  unchecked  by  the  inhabitants,  con- 
sumed tlie  greater  portion  of  what  the  earthquake  had 
left ;  while  a  brisk  breeze  arose  to  fan  the  flames  and  join 
in  the  work  of  destruction.  Thus  all  the  elements  com- 
bined against  Lisbon,  and  the  result,  so  far  as  can  be  as- 
certained, was  that  no  less  than  fifty  thousand  human 
beings  perished  in  that  catastrophe,  while  the  value  of  the 
property  destroyed  has  been  estimated  at  two  million 
pounds. 

As  we  stood  on  the  spot  where  all  this  occurred,  and 
called  to  mind  that  fearful  day,  the  length  of  time  which 
had  elapsed  since  the  earthquake  did  not  seem  to  diminish 
the  appalling  nature  of  the  catastrophe,  but  it  made  our 
hearts  shudder  and  our  very  bodies  tremble,  and  the  re- 
collection would  come  upon  us  again  and  again.  More- 
over, there  were  ruins  yet  remaining  here  and  there,  which 
had  never  been  rebuilt  or  removed,  such  as  the  church 
popularly  known  as  the  Carmo.  tho-agh  properly  '  Nossa 
Senhora  do  Yen cimento,'  and  others,  which  serve  as  me- 
mentos to  remind  any  who  would  forget,  and  which  still 
rear  their  broken  roofless  walls  on  high  in  attestation  of 
the  injury  they  suffered.  But  as  to  the  greater  part  of  the 
city,  without  doubt  its  present  uniform  handsoQie  aspect 
is  in  great  measure  due  to  the  earthquake,  which,  as  was 
the  case  with  the  great  fire  of  London,  swept  away  com- 


LISBON.  25 

paratively  mean  streets  and  bumble  buildings,  and  made 
way  for  the  more  Hpacious  thoroujj^lifares  and  more  im- 
posing; houses  by  which  they  were  replaced  :  so  tliat,  as  it 
JH.an  ill  wind  that  blows  no  good,  oven  that  dire  catas- 
trophe, the  earthquake,  might  assume  to  itself  the  boast 
of  the  Roman  Emperor  Augustus,  *  Where  1  found  a  city 
of  brick,  I  liave  left  a  city  of  marble.' 

As  during  the  few  weeks  of  my  sojourn  in  Lisl>on,  I 
spent  a  considerable  portion  of  each  day  in  rambling  uver 
the  'tity  and  was  never  tired  of  exploring  its  faithest 
corners,  I  made  myself  tolerably  familiar  with  many  of  its 
details,  as  well  as  its  general  aspect.  For  the  latter,  one 
has  but  to  climb  to  one  of  the  many  commanding  positions 
which  abound  at  all  points,  and  the  whole  city  lies  mapped 
before  you.  Conspicuous  amongst  these  elevations  stands 
the  Castello  de  S.  Jorge ;  and  it  is  well  worth  the  labour 
to  thread  the  narrow  streets  which  lead  to  its  summit, 
for  the  sake  of  the  view  of  the  older  and  more  eastern 
portions  of  the  city  which  nestle  beneath  the  protection  of 
this  fort.  Possibly  the  enterprising  traveller  ^Yho  pene- 
trates some  of  these  uninviting  streets  may  demur  to  the 
character  for  cleanliness  which  I  have  ventured  to  impute 
to  Lisbon  :  but  then  it  must  be  remembered  that  an 
exception  proves  the  rule,  and  also  that  this  portion  of 
the  city  was  least  injured  by  the  earthquake,  and  so  offers 
the  best  sample  v/e  have  of  the  original  town.  Not,  hovv- 
ever,  that  in  that  general  catastrophe  any  part  came  of? 
unscathed ;  for,  I  suppose,  scarcely  a  single  building 
escaped  scot  free,  or  without  more  or  less  injury.  At  all 
events  the  Se  or  Cathedral,  v/hich  stands  immediately 
below  the  castle,  and  is  sliirlitlv  raised  above  this  older 

O  ■J 

part  of  the  city,  was  in  great  degree  demob  shed  by  the 
earthquake,  and  then  suffered  still  more  from  tlie  fire 
which  burst  out  amongst  the  ruins.  Whether  it  had  at 
any  time  any  pretensions  to  beauty  I  cannot  say,  but  it  is 


2G  A   SPRING  TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

now  IIS  iinpretcDding  and  unadorned  a  structure  as  may 
be  met  with  in  any  capital  in  Europe;  it  is,  however,  of 
considerable  size,  and  specially  venerated  as  containin«i^ 
tlie  bonos  of  the  Spanish  martyr,  8.  Vincente,  who  was 
broiled  in  the  Diocletian  persecution,  and  buried  at  tlie 
wild  and  stormy  promontory  at  tiie  extreme  south-western 
corner  of  Europe,  to  which  he  has  bequeathed  bis  name; 
and  whose  translation  to  Lisbon,  as  well  as  previous  in- 
terment, was  duly  watched  over  (so  the  loji^end  nms)  by 
two  ravens  which  followed  the  relics  of  the  saint ;  and  if 
anyone  should  be  so  sceptical  as  to  doubt  this  history, 
let  him  repair  at  once  to  the  venerable  S^  at  Lisbon,  and 
there  he  may  see  the  living  ravens,  or  their  d(.'sccndants, 
still  tended  in  the  cloisters  as  he  might  have  seen  the 
bears  at  J5erne  or  the  eagles  at  Geneva ;  and  if  that  is  not 
enough,  let  him  examine  the  city  arms,  and  there  again 
he  will  find  the  faithful  birds  immortalised,  and  presiding 
over  the  fortunes  of  the  town. 

I  am  not  about  to  describe  the  churches  of  Lisbon, 
though  I  entered  the  greater  part  of  them,  because  they 
are  very  fully  and  admirably  detailed  in  the  Handbook, 
and  I  have  nothing  to  add  to  that  report;  but  I  may  a?; 
well  observe  here  that  the  churches  of  Portugal  generally 
are  wholly  different  from  those  of  Spain.  Sombre  and 
gloomy  tiiey  are  in  some  measure,  as  would  be  obviously 
desirable  in  so  scuthern  a  clime ;  but  they  have  none  of 
that  intense  darkness,  that  almost  total  absence  of  light, 
which  one  experiences  in  so  many  of  the  Spanish  churches, 
which  results  from  the  diminutive  size  of  the  windows,  their 
position  im?Tiediately  beneath  the  roof,  and  the  dark 
colours  of  the  stained  glass  with  which  they  are  filled;  a 
dim  liglit  which  prevailed  to  so  great  an  extent  on  a  dull 
day  in  autumn  at  the  Cathedral  of  Seville,  that  when  I 
attended  a  service  at  mid-day,  at  which  there  was  a 
crowded  congregation  sitting  closely  packed  on  the  floor 


LISBON.  27 

to  hear  a  celebrated  bishop,  it  was  impossible  to  diHcern 
more  than  the  bare  outline  of  the  preaclH^r,  and  it  wan 
difficult  to  find  our  way  through  the  buildin<^. 

Portu|j^ueKe  churclios,  airain,  are  very  much  plainer,  and, 
for  the  most  part,  though  there  are  exceptions,  are  wanting 
in  the  magnificent  marbles,  the  copious  gilding,  and  the 
innumerable  pictures  and  statues  with  which  Spanish 
churches  are  decorated  from  ceiling  to  floor.  Neither  is 
thciv  arrangement  as  in  the  sister  country  of  Spain,  but 
rather  savours  of  the  churches  of  Italy  or  France.  There 
is  no  walled-in  coro  with  its  trascoro,  blocking  up  the 
nave  and  concealing  the  high  altar.  But  above  all,  the 
dedication  of  the  cathedrals,  as  well  as  the  chief  post  of 
honour  in  the  high  altar,  is  here  devoted  to  our  Elessed 
Lord,  and  not  (as  is  almost,  if  not  quite,  universally  the 
case  in  Ultramontane  Spain)  given  up  to  the  Virgin,  per- 
haps, commemorating  her  Assumption,  but  still  oftener 
her  immaculate  Conception,  that  last  and  inost  extreme 
dogma  of  Eome,  in. which  Marioiatrous  Spain  especially 
delights.*  Now,  this  divergence  between  the  two  sister 
countries  of  the  Peninsula  in  the  general  aspect  of  the  in- 
terior of  their  respective  churches,  and  still  more  in  the 
dedication  of  their  cathedrals,  suggests  at  once  that  the 
tenets  held  by  the  iwo  nations  are  not  identical,  and  such 
in  fact  we  find  to  be  the  case.  For  whereas  Spain  is  pro- 
verbially the  stronghold  of  all  tiiat  is  extreme  in  Ivomisli 
doctrine,  and  in  this  respect  *  His  most  Catholic  Majesty, 
the  eldest  and  most  dutiful  Son  of  the  Church,'  as  he  was 
officially  styled,  ruled  over  a  na^tion  far  more  obedient  to 
the  fiats  of  the  Holy  Roman  See  than  the  subjects  of  the 
Pope  himself,  the  Portuguese  clergy  are  entirely  opposed 
to  such  opinion's ;  indeed,  to  so  great  an  extent  do  they 

*  Timt  most  of  the  cathedrnls  of  Spain  ure  de'dicatod  to  the  Virgin, 
869  Ford's  HundhooJi;  for  Sjiain^  passim,  especially  pp.  69,  495,  84-i,  908, 
910,  912,  913,  942. 


28  A   SPRING  TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

show  their  aversion  to  them,  that  in  the  University  of 
Coimbra,  where  theology  especially  flourishes,  several  of 
the  text-books  employed  in  the  schools  are  said  to  bo  in 
the  *  Index  Expurgatorius '  of  Rome.  Neither  do  the  Portu- 
guese clergy  resemble  the  Spanish  priests  in  appearance 
more  than  in  doctrine,  for  in  dress  they  more  nearly  ap- 
proach our  own  clergy,  being  habited  in  black,  and  of  no 
peculiar  ecclesiastical  cut,  while  the  hat  they  universally 
wear  exactly  resembles  what  we  denominate  the  wide- 
awake, and  which,  light  in  weight,  and  shading  the 
neck  as  well  as  face,  is  admirably  adapted  to  a  southern 
climate. 

Tliere  is  one  church,  outside  the  city  indeed,  but  scarcely 
beyond  its  suburbs,  which  is  of  so  remarkable  a  style  of 
architecture,  so  richly  though  quaintly  decorated,  and 
withal  so  interesting,  that  I  paid  several  visits  to  it,  and 
always  found  some  fresh  point  of  attraction,  so  singularly 
does  it  differ  from  all  other  ecclesiasticoi  buildings  in 
Lisbon,  and  so  entirely  does  it  occupy  the  first  place 
amongst  the  architectural  lions  hereabouts.  It  was  a  plea- 
sant excursion  by  river,  on  board  one  of  the  steamboats 
which  ply  every  half-hour  between  the  quay  and  Belem, 
or  it  was  an  equally  agreeable  drive  through  the  extensive 
suburbs  in  one  of  the  many  public  carnages  which  may  be 
at  any  time  hailed,  and  I  have  more  than  once  extended 
my  walks  to  this  suburban  district.  The  church  is  said  to 
have  been  built  to  commemorate  the  glorious  voyage  of 
the  great  Portuguese  naval  discoverer,  Yasco  de  Gam.a, 
and  to  occupy  the  site  of  a  small  chapel,  wherein  he  and 
his  brave  companions,  like  Grod-fearing  men  as  they  were, 
spent  tlie  night  in  prayer  before  they  set  out  on  their  ad- 
venturous voyage.  It  is  built  of  a  limestone  of  a  remark- 
ably fine  grain,  dug  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood,  for 
I  accidentally  stumbled  upon  the  quarries.  This  lime- 
stone, when  first  quarried,  is  of  a  most  clear  and  dazzling 


LISBON.  29 

whiteness,  but  exposure  to  the  air  gradually  tinges  it  in 
great  part  with  a  brilliant  yellow  colour,  which  again  here 
and  there  tones  away  into  a  rich  brown.  The  effect  is 
extremely  good,  and  the  elaborate  carving  of  the  exterior, 
the  peculiar  mouldings,  and  the  handsome  though  quaint 
tracery  of  the  windows,  derive  very  considerable  advantage 
from  the  rich  liue  which  has  overspread  the  whole.  80 
remarkable  is  the  architecture  of  this  church,  and  withal 
so  highly  finished  are  the  decorations  with  which  it  is 
covered,  that  w^e  were  never  tired  of  examining  its  many 
peculiarities.  To  very  severe  connoisseurs  indeed,  who  see 
nothing  attractive  in  ecclesiastical  buildings  which  do  not 
come  up  to  their  standard  of  what  is  absolutely  correct, 
and  who  despise  everything  but  pure  Grothic,  this  anoma- 
lous style  may  doubtless  appear  debased,  and  be  rejected 
as  of  little  merit ;  and,  indeed,  I  have  heard  the  church  of 
Bel  em  decried  by  such  enthusiasts  for  Grothic  work.  But, 
in  face  of  such  adverse  criticism,  I  venture  to  think  that 
the  few  examples  we  possess  of  this  style  are  of  exceeding 
interest,  inasmuch  as  they  appear  to  belong  exclusively  to 
the  Portuguese,  and  are  not  to  be  met  with  beyond  the 
limits  of  that  country.  How  to  define  this  Portuguese 
style  I  know  not,  for  we  can  neither  describe  it  as  Moorish 
or  Saracenic,  nor  flamboyant.  By  some  writers,  indeed,  it 
has  been  styled  '  modern  Norman  Gothic ;'  but  I  venture 
to  think  that  such  a  designation  is  hardly  correct.  How- 
ever, whatever  may  be  its  title,  there  can  be  no  question 
that,  whether  we  pause  over  the  exterior  with  its  magnifi- 
cent porch,  so  richly  adorned  with  sculpture,  and  the  battle- 
ments such  as  I  had  never  seen  before ;  or  whether  we 
examine  the  interior,  with  its  tall  and  slender  columns 
sculptured  from  top  to  bottom,  the  well-groined  roof,  and 
the  deeply-cut  mouldings  and  decorations  of  a  variety  of 
forms,  we  w^ere  always  impressed  with  the  elaborate  finish 
and  the  exquisite  beauty  of  the  whole ;  and  this  feeling  of 


30  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN    PORTUGAL. 

general  admiration  was  doubtless  not  a  little  enhanced  by 
the  pleasure  of  finding  something  distinctive  and  peculiar 
to  the  country  in  lieu  of  a  style  prevalent  elsewhere.  In 
entire  agreement  with  the  architecture  of  the  church  are 
the  really  elegant  cloisters,  which  have  attracted  the  ad- 
miration even  of  those  who  see  little  meritorious  in  the 
larger  fabric.  So  delicate  and  exquisite  is  the  tracery,  so 
well-proportioned  and  charming  the  arches,  so  unique  and 
satisfactory  the  general  coup  cVoeil^  including  a  graceful 
palm  tree  which  occupies  the  centre  of  the  quadrangle, 
that  you  stand  entranced  as  you  pass  through  the  door,  and 
utter  an  exclamation  of  admiration  as  well  as  astonishment; 
nor  do  you  retract  your  first  impression  as  you  more 
minutely  examine  the  details,  and  observe  the  wondrous 
variety  of  pattern  as  well  as  elaborate  finish  of  the  work. 
But  I  must  not  linger  over  the  beauties  of  Belem,  which 
have  been  fully  described  in  the  Handbook.  Suffice  it  to 
say,  that  to  us  it  was  the  most  attractive  point  near  Lisbon, 
and  we  visited  it  again  and  again,  and  always  found  new 
beauties  to  admire.  On  one  of  these  excursions  we  entered 
the  Cdsa  pia,  or  orphan  establishment,  adjoining.  This 
was  once  the  convent  to  which  the  exquisite  church  be- 
longed ;  but  now  the  good  fathers  are  gone,  and  the 
orphans  occupy  their  place.  We  found  the  children,  some 
700  in  number,  just  finishing  their  dinner  in  the  refec- 
tory ;  they  were  clean  and  neat,  and  the  boys  were  remark- 
able for  their  closely-cropped  heads,  which,  after  the 
manner  of  the  country,  were  so  effectually  deprived  of  hair, 
that  they  involuntarily  suggested  inmates  of  a  lunatic 
asylum,  whose  heads  had  been  recently  shaved.  However, 
they  looked  bright  and  merry,  and,  in  addition  to  a  tin 
cup,  plate,  knife,  fork,  and  spoon,  each  child  was  furnished 
with  an  immense  napkin,  all  which  apparatus  seemed  some- 
what disproportionate  to  the  ration  of  soup  and  bread 
which  formed  the  diuner  on  that  occasion. 


LISBON.  31 

In  the  same  hamlet  or  suburb  of  Belem,  jutting  out  on 
a  promontory  where  the  Tag-iis  contracts,  and  staudin;^  out 
in  tlie  river,  so  as  to  be  a  prominent  object  from,  as  well 
as  to  command  the  approach  to,  Lisbon,  the  picturesque 
tow^er  which  forms  the  fort  claims  attention.  It  has  the 
appearance  of  anything  but  strength  ;  but  the  projecting 
window  at  each  corner,  the  castellated  look,  and  the  quaint 
device  of  knots  of  cable,  carved  in  stone,  which  form 
stringcourse,  ornament,  and  finish  throughout,  combine  to 
render  it  a  most  striking  object,  w^hether  seen  from  the 
river  on  the  approach  to  the  capital,  or  from  the  land 
after  plodding  through  the  deep  beds  of  sand  which  inter- 
vene between  this  isolated  tower  and  the  suburb. 

High  above  Belem,  and  to  be  reached  by  a  broad  but 
very  steep  road,  stands  the  enormous  and  most  con- 
spicuous palace  of  the  Ajuda.  It  is  a  vast,  rambling 
edifice,  not  without  a  certain  air  of  grandeur,  and  is 
flanked  by  a  lofty  detached  campanile,  which  serves  also 
as  a  clock  tower ;  but,  as  in  so  many  other  cases  in  Portu- 
gal, the  conception  was  grander  than  the  power  of  accom- 
plishment, and  the  result  has  been  a  vast,  unfinished 
building,  which  adds  another  to  the  long  list  of  royal 
palaces,  which  already  seem  out  of  all  proportion  to  the 
wants  as  well  as  finances  of  the  sovereigns. 

But  of  all  the  works  in  the  environs  of  Lisbon,  that 
which  is  the  most  conspicuous,  as  well  as  the  most  useful, 
is  the  very  well-constructed  aqueduct,  which,  winding  over 
valleys  on  lofty  arches,  or  creeping  along  the  sides  of  hills, 
or  burrowing  through  their  recesses,  conveys  a  perpetual 
stream  of  excellent  water  a  total  distance  (as  I  was 
repeatedly  assured  by  the  custode  in  charge)  of  seven 
leagues,  though  the  Handbook  says  two  leagues  ;  and 
who  will  verify  the  exact  distance  I  do  not  know.  In  one 
place,  where  a  deep  valley  must  be  crossed,  the  aqueduct 
is  carried  on  arches  at  an  immense  height  overhead ;  and 


32  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

the  spectator  is  astonished  at  the  magnitude  of  the  work. 
Nor  is  he  less  favourably  impressed  with  this  grand  design 
as  he  follows  the  long  succession  of  arches  to  the  capital, 
and  there  examines  the  huge  reservoir  into  which  the 
water  is  poured,  and  then,  ascending  to  the  top,  enters 
the  aqueduct  itself,  and  finds  himself  in  a  lofty  passage  or 
gallery,  and  while  he  walks  through  this  spacious  en- 
closed corridor,  he  sees  at  his  feet  two  open  pipes,  one  at 
either  side,  of  which  the  one  is  always  full  of  flowing 
water,  and  the  other  acts  as  a  reserve ;  and  so  each  takes 
its  turn  for  six  months  at  a  time,  while  its  fellow  is  cleaned 
and  repaired. 

I  must  not  omit  to  mention  the  English  church  as  I 
speak  of  Lisbon,  for  this,  with  its  cypress-planted  cemetery, 
is  no  unimportant  spot  on  the  Estrella,  and,  overhanging 
the   very   beautiful    Estrella    gardens,   is   a   conspicuous 
point  in  a  general  view    of   the   city.      Moreover,  it  is 
no  small  matter  to  have  secured  so  spacious  a  church  and 
so  large  a  burial-ground  in  any  southern  capital  for  our 
much   abused,  though   in   reality  most   catholic.  Church 
of  England.     As  regards  the  building,  indeed,  I  cannot 
congratulate  my  countrymen  on  its  ecclesiastical  aspect ; 
for  anything  more  mean  externally,  or  more  ill  adapted 
for  our  services  within,  it  would  be  difficult  to  conceive. 
Without  vestige  of  chancel,  meanly  furnished  with   altar, 
and  with  square,  well  be-curtained  boxes  on  either  hand 
for  his  Excellency  the   English  Minister   at  this  court; 
with  towering  desk,  and  still  more  towering  pulpit,  the 
great,  ugly  room  which  does  duty  for  our  church,  but  is  in 
reality  the  counterpart  of  some  of  our  meeting-houses  at 
home,  offers  to  the  inhabitants  of  Portugal  but  a  sorry 
spectacle  of  our  ecclesiastical  arrangements.      It  is  de- 
plorable, indeed,  that  such  should  be  the  case,  and  that, 
with  perhaps  a  natural  desire  to  exhibit  to  our  country- 
men the   contrast  between  our  simple  services  and  the 


LISBON.  33 

more  elaborate  ceremonious  services  of  the  Ivomish  faith, 
those  who  built  our  English  fabric  at  Lisbon  have  run  into 
the  disastrous  extreme  of  erecting,  as  a  sample  of  Anglican 
church  architecture,  the  very  barest,  baldest,  coldest,  I  will 
even  say  most  hideous  building,  which  gives  no  oppor- 
tunity for  the  exercise  of  our  ordinary  ritual,  and  in  no 
wa}^  resembles  our  ecclesiastical  buildings  at  home.  What 
wonder  that  in  this,  as  in  so  many  instances  throughout 
Europe,  the  members  of  another  Communion,  more  pro- 
fuse than  ourselves  in  artistic  accessories  to  public  worship, 
turn  away  from  our  services  in  derision  as  well  as  disgust, 
despising  the  bare  white  walls  and  the  cold,  unadorned 
structure  which,  from  east  to  west,  shows  no  token  of 
Christianity,  no  single  sign  or  emblem  that  it  does  not 
belong  to  the  Socinian  or  the  Jew.  It  is  true  that  perfect 
freedom  of  design  with  regard  to  the  exterior  of  English 
churches  is  not  always  permitted  by  Grovernments  devoted 
to  the  Eomish  faith ;  but  many  instances  might  be  adduced 
where  this  difficulty  has  been  overcome  with  great  success, 
even  as  regards  the  exterior ;  while,  whatever  the  outward 
aspect,  the  interior  could  of  course  be  satisfactorily  ar- 
ranged in  accordance  with  the  services  as  appointed  in  our 
Prayer  Book,  and  generally  celebrated  by  the  church  at 
home.  During  one  of  the  Sundays  which  we  spent  at 
Lisbon,  a  confirmation  was  held  in  the  English  church 
by  the  ex-Bishop  of  Labuan  (Dr.  MacDougall)  ;  but  the 
miserable  arrangement  of  the  altar  and  its  rails,  and  the 
general  seating  of  the  church,  rendered  the  holy  rite  any- 
thing but  impressive — indeed,  prevented  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  congregation  from  witnessing  it  at  all ;  and  I 
felt  quite  vexed  to  think  hovv^  poor  an  impression  of  that 
solemn  service  must  have  been  carried  away  by  the 
Portuguese  spectators,  many  of  whom  were  on  that  oc- 
casion attracted  within  the  walls  of  our  church. 

Great  indeed  was  the  contrast  to  emerge  from  the  bare 


34  A   SPRING   TOUR    IN   PORTUGAL. 

white  walls  of  that  forbidding  building  into  the  brilliant 
sunshine ;  to  wander  beneath  the  deep  shade  of  the  dark 
cypresses  in  the  cemetery ;  to  stroll  through  the  beautiful 
gardens  of  the  Estrella,  gay  wdth  a  hundred  flowers ;  or 
even  to  saunter  through  the  streets,  where  the  good  taste 
of  the  colour-loving  south  has  covered  the  faces  of  many 
of  the  houses  with  glazed  tiles  of  porcelain,  sometimes  of 
a  red  or  brown  hue,  but  far  more  frequently  of  a  blue 
colour,  and  always  in  a  pretty  pattern.  This  is  known  as 
azulejo,  and  imparts  a  remarkably  bright  finish  to  the 
houses ;  and  when  (as  is  often  the  case)  several  adjoining 
buildings  are  thus  decorated,  the  appearance  is  extremely 
pleasing. 


95 


CHAPTER  IV. 

LISBON — continued^ 

During  our  stay  at  Lisbon  the  Cortes  assembled,  and  as  we 
witnessed  the  arrival  of  the  representatives,  our  minds  were 
duly  impressed  with  admiration  at  the  gay  liveries  and  smart 
equipages  of  the  senators,  and  at  the  gorgeousness  of  their 
court  robes.     The  royal  carriages,  dra>vn  by  six  horses,  to- 
gether with  their  coachmen,  footmen,  and  postilli(ms,  were 
a  perfect  blaze  of  scarlet  and  gold ;  and  if  matter-of-fact 
Englishmen  are  inclined  to  grumble  (as  they  are  some- 
times apt  to  do)  at  the  unwonted  dress  they  are  called 
upon  to  assume,  when  in  attendance  on  their  sovereign, 
let  thern  study  the  costume  of  state  in  which  the  Por- 
tuguese senator  must  appear,  and  they  will  be  more  satis- 
fied at  their  own  comparative  immunity  from  that  burden. 
When  the  opening  of  the  Cortes  had  been  pronounced  com- 
plete, the  event  was  celebrated  by  the  parading  of  troops 
Id.  their  gayest  uniform,  through  the  principal   streets  of 
the  city ;  reviews  of  cavalry  in  the   larger  squares,  with 
bands  playing  and  colours  flying;  continual  firing  of  guns 
from  the  men-of-war  in  the  harbour,all  of  which  were  decked 
with  flags,  and  in  fine,  such  a  din  of  military  bands  from 
the  heart  of  the  city,  such  deafening  salutes  from  the  river, 
and  such  j\n  expenditure  of  powder  as  savoured  more  of 
the  bombardment  of  a  besieged  city  than  the  announce- 
ment of  the  opening  of  a  peaceable  Parliament.     I^ut  then 
the  southerner  delights  in  sensation,  and  his  ordinary  mode 

2J  2 


?G  A   SPRING  TOUR   IN   rORTUOAL. 

of  expressing  his  approbation  is  with  a  noise  and  a  din 
which  would  seem  to  our  more  phlegmatic  countrymen 
extravagant,  and  out  of  proportion  with  the  occasion ;  so 
difTcrent  is  the  temperament  of  those  who  inhabit  different 
clinics. 

Hitherto  I  have  said  little  of  the  Portuguese,  beyond 
an  occjisional  casual  remark  on  their  behaviour  ;  but  now 
this  seems  a  fitting  place  to  express  my  unqualified  ad- 
miration of  their  general  character.  I  had  expected  to 
find  tliem  partaking  of  the  disposition  of  their  Spanish 
neighbours,  and  I  confess  that  I  am  not  an  admirer  of  the 
Spauiai'ds.  I  am  well  aware  that  it  is  the  fashion  to  ex- 
tol the  lofty  bearing,  the  noble  air,  the  proud  self-respect 
of  that  haughty  race  ;  but  I  fail  to  see  on  what  solid 
foundation  such  superior,  and  somewhat  defiant  preten- 
sions rest.  In  my  humble  judgment,  such  excessive  self- 
laudation,  and  self-appreciation,  to  the  exclusion  of  the 
whole  world  beyond,  savours  rather  of  empty  conceit  and 
ridiculous  arrogance  ;  and  this  becomes  the  more  apparent, 
when  one  examines  the  ground  of  such  boasting,  as  inor- 
dinate assumption  of  superiority  seems  to  challenge  us  to 
doo  Now,  after  travelling  through  the  length  and  breadth 
of  Spain,  and  after  frequent  contact  with  her  people  of 
every  class,  I  should  be  disposed  to  pronounce  that  they 
are  below  the  average  in  most  of  those  attributes  which 
chiefly  redound  to  the  credit  of  national  character.  Mr, 
Ford,  in  his  admirable  Handbook  of  Spain,  tells  us  that  the 
'so-called  lower  orders  are  superior  to  those  who  arrogate 
to  themselves  the  title  of  being  their  betters.'  If  this  be  sc, 
then  I  can  only  say  that  bad  indeed  are  the  best,  for  it  is  to 
the  lower  orders,  the  people  generally,  that  I  allude,  when 
I  denounce  as  most  objectionable  that  vast  assumption  of 
self-importance,  the  effect  of  which  is  first  to  despise  all  other 
nations,  and  then  to  treat  them  not  only  without  courtesy^ 
but  Tvitiiout  common  civility ;  and  I  am  obliged  to  own 


LISBON.  37 

that  I  know  no  other  people  who  delight,  on  all  occasions, 
to  assert  their  pretended  superiority,  not  only  by  a  loud 
and  boisterous  free  and  easy  tone,  at  every  opportunity, 
but  by  positive  rudeness  and  studied  impertinence :  and 
that  this  is  no  exceptional  character,  appertaining  to  but 
a  few  individua,ls,  but  general  throughout  the  nation,  I 
have  a  veryAlecided  opinion,  an  opinion,  too,  confirmed  by 
a  second  and  recent  journey  through  Spain. 

Now  to  all  this  tlie  Portuguese  character  is  an  exact 
contrast:  indeed,  I  know  no  nation  which  recommends 
itself  to  the  stranger  so  much  at  first  sight  as  this  re- 
markably civil,  obliging,  respectful,  deferential  race.  Not 
indeed  by  aiiv  J^yperbolic  phrases  or  extravagant  pre- 
tensions, as  when  the  Spanish  noble  puts  his  palace  and 
all  its  contents  at  your  disposal,  without  the  slightest  in- 
tention of  bestowing  on  you  one  single  maravedi;  but  I 
have  invariably  found  that  the  Portuguese,  of  all  classes, 
will  at  every  opportunity  undergo  any  trouble,  take  any 
pains,  submit  to  real  inconvenience,  to  show  a  kindness  to 
the  stranger,  while  there  is  not  to  be  found  throughout  the 
country  any  of  that  false  pride,  that  hateful  hauteur,  that 
abominable  assumption,  which  prevail  to  so  great  an  ex- 
tent across  the  border.  These,  it  is  true,  are  but  super- 
ficial and  inferior  traits  of  character,  but  as,  on  the  one 
hand,  they  are  very  apparent  to  the  traveller,  so,  on  the 
other,  they  form  a  tolerably  correct  index  of  wliat  is  more 
hidden  from  view.  Thus  the  Portuguese  is  not  only  far 
more  truthful,  from  having  no  cause  for  concealment  and 
no  desire  of  self- laudation,  but  he  is  far  more  open  and 
honest,  less  liable  to  take  offence,  and  consequently  less 
vindictive.  As  we  journeyed  through  the  country  we  saw 
little  disposition  to  impose  on  the  foreigner,  though  tins 
iT!.ay  probably  be  in  some  measure  due  to  the  rare  ap- 
pearance of  the  foreigner  amongst  them.  As  regards  their 
religious  feelings,  I  do  not  think  that  I  am  in  a  position  to 


t\H  A   SPRING    TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

form  any  decided  opinion ;  though,  strangely  mixed  up 
with  a  great  deal  of  gross  superstition  and  irreverence, 
they  certainly  sliowed  upon  occasion  a  considerable  aryiount 
of  earnestness  and  devotion ;  and  the  churclics  were  often 
crowded  with  worshippers  of  both  sexes,  so  that,  as  regards 
the  male  population,  outwardly  at  least,  they  appeared  far 
more  attentive  to  their  religious  duties  than  the  men  of 
Spr-in.  Neither  are  they  so  bloodthirsty  and  cruel  as  the 
Spaniards,  and  in  proof  of  this  I  would  adduce  the  bull- 
lights  of  the  respective  nations.  I  did  not  indeed  witness 
a  bull-fight  at  Lisbon,  though  the  season  began  soon  after 
our  arrival,  and  several  fiestas  took  place  during  our  stay  ; 
but  I  had  seen  enough  of  that  horrible  exhibition  in  former 
years  at  Madrid,  and  did  not  desire  to  renew  my  expe- 
riences. But  the  Portuguese  bull-fight  is  far  less  brutal, 
inasmuch  as  the  baited  animals  are  not  killed;  neither,  as 
their  horns  are  tipped  with  large  wooden  balls  padded  and 
covered  with  leather,  are  the  horses  mangled  and  slain, 
which  is  the  most  sickening  spectacle  in  the  Spanish  arena. 
Still,  even  under  these  more  humane  conditions,  which 
declare  at  once  the  more  gentle  spirit  of  the  people,  (for 
hov-'  -^'ould  Spanish  spectators  endure  such  emasculation  cf 
sport !)  serious  accidents  do  sometimes  occur.  A  friendy 
wh  0  attended  a  fiesta,  saw  one  of  the  chulos  badly  hurt ;  at 
another  time  a  matador  was  reported  mortally  wounded ; 
and  on  several  occasions  the  maddened  bulls  leaped  the 
barriers  which  divided  them  from  the  spectators.  Still, 
these  were  only  legitimate  accidents,  which  must  occa- 
sionally attend  such  rough  sport,  and  there  was  nothing 
here  of  the  deliberate  cruelty,  the  brutalisiug,  demoralising 
shedding  of  blood,  which  is  the  necessary  accompaniment 
of  the  Spanish  bull-fight,  and  without  which  indeed  the 
Spanish  popidace  would  not  be  content.  So  that,  whether 
or  no  the  fiesta  de  toros,  as  practised  in  the  latter  country, 
tends  to  render  its  inhabitants  savage  and  bloodthirsty,  as 


MSRON.  89 

]iu8  been  stoutly  affirmed  and  as  vcliemcntly  denied,  the 
result  remains  the  same — that  their  character  is  fierce, 
truculent,  and  cruel  to  a  degree  which  can  by  no  meaiiH  be 
imputed  to  the  Portuguese.  Tliere  is  yet  another  and  more 
decinivc  p^oof  of  ti)e  milder  nature  of  these  latter,  in  the 
very  infrequent  use  of  the  knife,  and  those  dark  deeds  of 
violence  so  rife  amongst  the  hot-blooded,  quarrelsome 
Spaniards.  In  short,  the  more  I  compare  the  disposition 
of  the  two  nations  which  inhabit  the  Peninsula,  the  more 
convinced  I  am  that  the  advantage  lies  very  decidedly  in 
favour  of  the  Portuguese,  for  whom  indeed  I  have  learnt 
to  entertain  a  very  sincere  regard,  and  an  admiration  which 
I  am  very  far  from  feeling  towards  the  Spaniards. 

As  I  am  well  aware  that  the  opinions  I  have  ven- 
tured to  express,  in  contrasting  Portuguese  with  Spanish 
character,  are  altogether  opposed  to  the  laudations  of 
everything  connected  with  Spain  (save  and  except  Spanish 
bonds)  which  seme  enthusiasts  have  lately  proclaimed,  I 
desire  to  fortify  my  own  assertions  with  the  judgment  of 
unexceptionable  witnesses,  who  seem  to  bear  me  out  in  my 
views.  Now,  the  lp.te  Duke  of  Wellington  will  be  allowed 
to  be  as  sound  and  -jri^rsj udiced  a  judge  of  character  as 
may  readily  be  found,  and  he  had  ample  opportunities 
during  the  long  Peninsular  war.  for  forming  a  decided 
opinion  in  regard  to  both  nations;  but  throughout  his 
despatches,  and  notoriously  in  his  estimation,  the  Spaniards 
^ere  altogether  disagreeable  and  distasteful,  and  are  gene- 
rally ::nentioned.  with  marked  disapproval  and  dislike: 
•whereas  to  the  Portuguese  be  became  more  and  more 
attached,  as  experience  made  him  more  familiar  with  their 
national  character.  And  herein  I  do  not  speak  of  their 
respective  merits  as  soldiers,  though  in  that  capacity  too 
the  Portuguese  were  immeasurably  preferred  by  the  Duke 
to  their  Spanish  com.panions  in  arms.  The  testimony  of 
the  great  captain  of  modern  times  is  almost  conclusive ; 


40  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

but  with  regard  to  the  Spaniard,  I  may  add  the  verdict  of 
Mr.  Ford,*  than  whom  no  one  is  more  competent  to  speak 
on  this  subject;  of  Miss  Eyre,  who  can  scarcely  find  words 
throughout  lier  volume  to  express  her  detestation  of  their 
insolent  rudeness;!  of  Mrs.  Byrne,  who  is  more  gently, 
but  yet  unmistakably  indignant  with  their  selfishness, 
idleness,  and  arrogance.l  While  in  favour  of  the  Portu- 
guese I  can^oint  to  the  opinion  of  the  late  Earl  of  Car- 
narvon, in  his  most  interesting  volume  ;§  and  would  call 
attention  to  the  following  passage  in  an  admirable  essay 
by  one  who  knew  them  well  :||  *The  rural  population  of 
Portugal  are  as  simple  in  their  character  as  in  their  re- 
quirements; they  are  by  no  means  the  vindictive  revo- 
lutionary people  that  they  are  so  often,  but  so  unjustly, 
represented  to  be.  They  look  wretched,  because  they  are 
poor,  ill-clad,  and  miserably  fed ;  but  they  are  cheerful, 
contented,  shrewd,  generous,  hospitable,  honest,  hard- 
working, unaspiring,  sober,  suffering,  and  persevering.* 

Now  the  result  of  this  diversity  of  temperament  in  the 
two  nations  wliich  inhabit  the  Peninsula  is,  that  they 
hate  one  another  with  a  mortal  hatred.  The  Spanish  em- 
pire has  always  coveted  the  dominions  of  its  western  neigh- 
bour, and  looked  with  an  envious  eye  on  its  long  line  of 
coast,  and  its  valuable  rivers,  and  over  and  over  again  has 
attempted  to  seize  the  rival  country,  and  consolidate  under 
one  head  the  two  kingdoms ;  and  sometimes  has,  for  a 
longer  or  shorter  period,  succeeded  in  these  enterprises.  But 
against  such  attempts  at  annexation  the  Portuguese  have 
always  offered  the  most  strenuous  resistance ;  their  national 

*  Hmulhook  for  Spain,  pp.  392,  54C,  558,  et  passim. 
f   Ov(T  the  Pyrenees  rnlo  Spain,  pp.  213,  244,  2G4, 
I   Cosns  (Ic  Kapana,  vol.  i.  pp.  20,  21,  7C. 
§  Portugal  and  Gallicia,  passim. 

!1  Prize  Essay  on  Portugal.  By  John  James  Forrester.  London,  1854. 
Page  5. 


LISBON.  41 

pride  has  been  aroused  by  such  encroachments,  and  so  f^reat 
has  been  their  courage  and  determination  that  they  have 
never  relaxed  their  efforts  till  they  have  shaken  off  the 
hated  yoke.  Thus  to  this  day  they  are  always  looking  on 
one  another  with  suspicion  and  distrust :  they  stand  at  bay, 
rather  in  the  attitude  of  combatants  during  a  truce  than  of 
friends  and  neighl)ours ;  and  if  the  Spaniard  expresses  for 
the  Portuguese  the  same  contempt  which  the  Englishniau 
of  the  last  century  was  wont  to  heap  upon  the  French,  the 
Lusitanian  is  not  a  whit  behindhand  in  bitter  feelings  of 
aversion,  as  well  as  in  ridicule  and  mockery  w^th  which  he 
in  turn  regards  his  Spanish  brother. 

But  enough  of  these  '  odious  comparisons.'  Let  me  now 
pass  on  to  those  daily  rendezvous,  where  not  only  the  peo- 
ple may  be  best  studied  by  the  stranger,  but  the  productions 
of  the  country,  animal  and  vegetable,  game  and  fowl  and 
fish,  flowers  and  fruits  and  vegetables,  may  be  examined 
at  leisure ;  I  mean  the  markets,  which  I  regularly  attended 
every  morning,  and  where  I  learnt  more  of  the  general 
appearance  and  habits  of  the  peasants,  as  well  as  of"  the 
fauna  and  flora  of  the  country,  than  I  gained  after  many 
long  and  laborious  excursions,  gun  in  hand,  through  her 
mountains  and  rocks,  and  forests  and  fields  and  gardens, 
and  along  the  banks  of  her  rivers,  and  on  her  sea-shore. 

Now  the  great  market  of  Lisbon  (for  there  is  a  smaller 
and  a  very  inferior  one  near  the  quay,  which  I  may  at  once 
pass  over)  occupies  the  whole  of  the  Pra^a  da  Figueira, 
near  the  great  Prapa  de  Dom  Pedro,  more  generally  known 
as  the  Pocio.  The  peculiarity  which  at  once  strikes  the 
stranger  as  he  first  makes  its  acquaintance  is,  that  the  area 
is  occupied  by  colossal  white  umbrellas,  of  homely  make 
and  rough  aspect,  tethered  above  the  stalls  they  protect 
from  the  scorching  sun  by  small  ropes,  and  in  every  stage 
of  dilapidation.  These  huge  canvas  coverings  stretched 
over  the  flowers  and  fruits  and  vegetables  which  occupy 


42  A    SPRING   TOUR    IN   PORTUGAL. 

the  centre  of  the  square  remind  one  of  booths  at  a  fair,  but 
scarcely,  I  think,  as  was  suggested  by  a  friend,  of  a  mili- 
tary encampment,  so  rough  and  ragged,  and  withal  dis- 
orderly, do  they  seem.  However,  they  fulfil  their  purpose 
in  warding  off  the  destructive  rays  of  the  sun  from  the 
perishable  goods  beneath,  and  they  certainly  add  vastly 
to  the  southern  aspect  of  the  scene,  and  so  are  in  perfect 
harmony  with  the  vegetable  productions  they  shelter. 
Along  the  sides  of  the  square,  at  the  houses  provided  with 
projecting  sheds,  are  exposed  the  fish  and  game  and  fowl 
with  which  Lisbon  is  daily  supplied :  and  of  these  I  will 
now  say  something,  correcting  the  opinions  I  formed  in  my 
daily  visits  to  the  markets  with  what  I  learned  elsewhere, 
and  adding  such  information  as  I  gained  from  subsequent 
experience  in  the  country,  as  well  as  from  sundry  sports- 
men and  naturalists  whom  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  en- 
counter. 

The  fish  market  first  claims  our  attention,  and  here  the 
traveller  will  naturally  halt  to  examine  the  strange  forms 
which  will  immediately  arrest  his  notice.  Foremost  of  all  he 
will  be  struck  with  a  long,  thin,  narrow  fish,  which,  I  believe, 
is  called  the  becuna,  and  which  resembles  nothing  so  much 
as  an  elongated  flexible  strap  :  with  sharp-pointed  snout  of 
pike-like  aspect,  of  silvery  white  and  blue-green  hue,  not 
unlike  the  mackarel  in  colour,  this  coarse  species,  w^hich  is 
very  abimdant  here,  and  eaten  by  the  lower  orders,  mea- 
sures from  four  to  five  feet  in  length,  but  for  those  who 
value  quality  more  than  quantity  it  is  by  no  means  held  in 
esteem.  Far  more  to  the  taste  of  gourmands  are  the  red 
mullets,  which  are  very  plentiful  here,  and  of  great  size. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  the  John  Dory,  the  epicure's  fish, 
and  renowned  as  the  species  from  whose  mouth  St.  Peter 
took  the  tribute  money,  whence  its  real  name  of  janitore, 
corrupted  into  'John  Dory,'  after  the  manner  of  the  thought- 
less Briton:  just  as  the  underground  artichoke,  which  is 


LISBON.  43 

a  species  of  sim  flower,  and  is  distinguished  from  its  name- 
sake as  fjira  sole,  has  been  absurdly  dubbed  the  'Jerusalem' 
artichoke,  as  if  it  had  been  on  a  pilgrimage  to  the  Holy  City. 
Then  again,  of  teuipting  appcjirance  and  excellent  shape, 
the  so-called  Tagus  salmon  demands  notice,  but  it  shows  to 
more  advantage  in  the  fish  market  than  at  the  table,  for  its 
flesh  is  white  and  full  of  bones,  and  in  no  respect  tastes 
like  salmon  ;  moreover  (though  by  no  means  to  be  despised, 
and  not  at  all  coarse),  it  is  somewhat  insipid.  Passing 
on  from  the  true  fish,  of  which  there  is  always  a  vast 
variety  exposed  for  sale,  including  turbot,  whiting,  sardines, 
soles,  &c.,  and  also  an  immense  quantity — for  the  whole 
coast  of  Portugal  swarms  with  fish— we  almost  recoil  from 
the  disgusting  cuttle-fish,  and  wonder  how  human  stomach 
can  venture  to  receive  that  odious  mollusc.  But  the  pea- 
santry of  Portugal  are  not  particular ;  '  0  dura  messorura 
ilia!'  all  is  fish  that  comes  to  their  net;  and  even  these 
soft-bodied  invertebrates  are  devoured  with  gusto.  Very 
different  is  our  verdict,  as  we  examine  the  magnificent 
prawns,  which  here  attain  a  size,  and,  I  may  add,  a  flavour 
far  exceeding  anything  I  have  known  elsewhere:  more- 
over they  are  very  abundant,  and  we  had  the  pleasure  of 
renewing  our  acquaintance  with  this  crustacean  of  colossal 
size  every  day  at  the  hotel  breakfast. 

I  do  not  think  I  need  particularise  any  other  of  the 
fisherman's  spoils,  which  I  daily  overhauled  in  my  wan- 
derings through  the  market;  so  I  pass  on  to  the  game 
which  was  exposed  for  sale  at  the  poulterers'  stalls.  Of 
ground  game,  rabbits  were  exceedingly  plentiful,  hares 
extremely  scarce ;  but,  doing  duty  for  venison,  kids  were 
evidently  considered  of  great  price,  and  very  young  lambs 
imitated  the  kids  to  the  best  of  their  ability.  Of  feathered 
game,  amidst  a  multitude  of  chickens  of  every  size  and 
breed,  ducks  closely  packed  in  baskets,  geese  and  turkeys, 
and  an  innumerable  multitude  of  pigeons;  the  little  bustard. 


44  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

here  called  a  ^  pheasant,'  was  occasionally  seen  ;  red-legged 
partridges  were  in  abundance ;  wild  duck  and  teal  in  toler- 
able plenty ;  quails  in  immense  profusion ;  while  bunches 
of  larks,  pipits,  finches,  and  warblers  of  all  sorts,  soft- 
billed  and  hard-billed  in  the  same  bouquet,  and  all  tied 
by  the  neck,  adorned  the  various  stalls  from  one  end  to 
another.  And  here,  too,  delicacy  of  taste  was  not  re- 
garded, for  on  one  occasion  a  kestrel  hawk,  and  on  another 
a  common  buzzard,  were  amongst  the  tempting  dainties 
offered  me  for  sale  ;  and  I  was  especially  bidden  to  observe 
how  fat  and  plump  they  were.  However,  ^de  rjustibus  non 
est  disjDutanduin: '  and  the  Lisbonites  only  share,  in  their 
taste  for  rank  game,  with  their  neighbours  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Pyrenees;  for  there  too,  and  even  in  Provence, 
renowned  for  its  cuisine,  I  have  met  with  the  common  buz- 
zard at  the  poulterer's  stall,  and  recommended  too,  as  an 
especially  dainty  dish. 

But  we  must  return  to  the  fruit  and  vegetables,  which 
I  have  already  said  occupied  the  great  area  of  the  market, 
and  here  the  productions  of  a  southern  climate  are  espe- 
cially conspicuous.  Of  course,  all  the  world  knows  that 
Lisbon  is  famous  for  its  oranges,  and  certainl}'  the  perfec- 
tion to  which  that  excellent  fruit  attains  can  scarcely  be 
rightly  estimated  but  by  those  who  eat  the  mi n  the  sunny 
land  where  they  are  grown,  and  soon  after  they  are  gathered 
from  the  tree,  and  before  the  freshness  and  delicate  aroma 
are  worn  off.  Moreover,  the  profusion  of  oranges  was 
something  marvellous ;  such  mountains  of  rich  golden 
fruit  piled  on  the  ground,  such  huge  baskets  of  the 
choice>t  sorts  picked  out  for  a  higher  price  ;  but  even 
then  it  was  glorious  to  see  what  a  quantity  could  be 
purchased  for  a  penny  ;  and  I  recollect,  during  a  short 
railway  excursion  one  day  from  Lisbon,  how  we  filled  all 
our  pockets  with  most  magnificent  naranja,  and  our 
hands  as  well,   and  all   for  three  half-pence,  which  we 


LISBON.  45 

were  afterwards  assured  by  a  fellow-traveller  was  far  more 
than  we  ought  to  have  paid.  Then,  again,  though  only 
early  in  April,  green  peas  were  as  plentiful  as  with  us  at 
the  latter  end  of  June,  and  the  mountains  of  those  vege- 
tables almost  rivalled  the  orange  heaps  in  size;  whilst  the 
good  women  who  presided  over  these  delicacies  spent  all 
their  spare  time  in  shelling  the  peas,  at  which  pastime 
they  had  from  practice  become  wondrously  expert.  Straw- 
berries, too,  were  just  at  the  height  of  their  season,  and 
that  not  the  small,  tasteless  fruit  one  so  often  meets  in 
the  foreign  market,  but  of  great  size,  and  of  a  flavour 
such  as  only  a  continued  brilliancy  of  sunshine  can  im- 
part. More  strange  to  the  English  eye,  but  not  nearly  so 
inviting  to  the  English  palate,  were  the  yams,  which  I 
have  also  seen  at  Malaga  and  other  southern  ports  of 
Spain.  And  here  we  first  became  acquainted  with  the 
banana,  a  long,  thick,  curly,  pod-like  fruit,  which  is 
peeled  from  the  top  downwards,  and  is  fleshy,  but  not 
juicy :  it  has  a  very  peculiar  flavour,  which  is  extolled  by 
some;  but  as  it  is  said  to  require  an  apprenticeship  in 
order  to  appreciate  its  excellence,  quite  as  much  as 
caviare  or  the  olive,  I  suppose  I  did  not  persevere  long 
enough  over  the  task,  for  to  me  it  seemed  a  sickly, 
woolly,  insipid  fruit. 

I  have  not  of  course  enumerated  one-quarter  of  the 
natural  produce  of  the  country,  which  was  daily  brought 
into  the  market,  whether  fish,  flesh,  or  fowl,  fruit  or 
vegetable.  I  have  merely  touched  upon  a  few  items 
which  seemed  most  striking  to  foreign  eyes.  And  now, 
in  connection  with  the  fauna  and  flora  of  Portugal,  I 
would  say  a  word  of  the  charming  gardens  and  quintas 
within  which  the  villas  in  the  suburbs  of  Lisbon  are  en- 
shrined. With  such  a  climate  and  in  such  a  latitude, 
luxuriance  of  vegetation  would  naturally  be  expected,  but 
we  were  certainly  not  prepared  for  the  magnificent  tropical 


46  A   SPRIXG   TOUR   IX   PORTUGAL. 

plants,  the  glorious  creepers,  and  the  gorgeous  flowers, 
which  exceeded  anythiug  of  the  kind  I  had  ever  seen 
before.  Doubtless  the  connection  which  Portugal  has 
lono-  had  with  the  Azores  and  the  Brazils  will  account 
in  great  measure  for  the  profusion  of  tropical  and  South- 
American  plants  and  shrubs  with  which  the  gardens  are 
filled.  Then  these  exotics  are  carefully  tended  and  duly 
supplied  with  water,  and  the  almost  continual  sunshine 
which  prevails  does  the  rest.  The  result  is,  that  many  a 
species  which  we  cherish  in  a  hot-house  thrives  here  in  the 
open  air,  and  attains  a  size  and  perfection  of  which  we 
had  little  idea.  Amongst  these  the  graceful  palm-trees, 
of  man}'  varieties,  are  coUvSpicuous ;  araucarias  of  several 
species  become  useful  for  the  deep  shade  they  afford ; 
and  the  orange-tree,  though  one  of  the  commonest,  yet 
at  the  same  time  one  of  the  most  charming,  is  ever  an 
ornament  which  pleases  the  eye,  while  its  delicate  blossom 
scents  the  air  ;  and  the  lemon  and  citron  diversify  the 
groves  or  avenues  in  which  these  most  valuable  trees 
usually  figure.  Among  the  many  creeping  plants  where- 
with tlie  walls  of  the  houses  as  well  as  gardens  are  often 
covered,  is  one  which  at  once  attracts  the  notice  of  stran- 
gers, from  the  huge  masses  of  brilliant  colour  which 
almost  dazzle  the  eye,  as  it  hangs  in  a  rich  mass,  and 
completely  conceals  its  support.  This  is  the  Bougain- 
ville, a  plant  not  unknown  in  England,  but  only  recog- 
nised as  a  diminutive  exotic,  which  feebly  exists  under 
glass.  Here  it  flourishes  in  the  utmost  luxuriance,  and  a 
single  root  will  produce  an  infinity  of  shoots,  which  climb 
over  the  wall  to  an  incredible  distance,  and  completely 
occupy  its  face.  There  are  three  varieties — the  maroon- 
coloured  or  purple,  the  dark  red,  and  the  light  red  ;  per- 
haps the  second  is  the  most  attractive,  but  all  are  gay  and 
pleasing,  and  to  the  very  end  of  our  stay  at  Lisbon  we 
found  ourselves  continually  stopping  to  admire  anew  some 


LISBON.  47 

fresh  specimen  of.  this  very  beautiful  climber.  Of  course 
the  magnolias  were  here  in  perfection,  aloes  of  all  sorts, 
and,  in  short,  almost  everything  which  florists  could 
desire — with  the  exception,  however,  of  camellias,  for 
which  we  had  heard  that  Portugal  was  renowned ;  but 
we  learned  that  Lisbon  is  too  hot  for  that  handso-me 
shrub,  but  that  we  should  see  it  in  cooler  districts,  as, 
indeed,  we  afterwards  did  at  Cintra,  and  still  more  memo- 
rably at  Oporto,  of  the  largest  size  and  in  the  greatest 
luxuriance,  as  shall  be  related  fuither  on. 


48  A  SPRING    TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 


CHAPTER   V. 

CINTRA. 

In  the  last  chapter  I  was  at  issue  with  Lord  Byron  in 
regard  to  the  general  character  of  the  Portuguese  :  not 
less  do  I  dissent  from  what  appears  to  me  his  most  exag- 
gerated praise  of  Cintra.  To  be  sure,  a  poet  is  allowed 
a  great  deal  of  licence,  and  perhaps  it  is  unfair  to  take 
his  description  aw  pied  de  lettre;  still,  as  I  believe 
that  half  the  English  world  has  received  its  impression  of 
Portugal  in  general,  and  Cintra  in  particular,  from  '  Childe 
Harold,'  and  has  therefore  the  very  highest  idea  of  its 
superlative  beauty,  I  desire  to  state  what  I  consider  the 
unvarnished  truth,  as  it  strikes  a  matter-of-fact,  prosaic 
traveller.  In  the  first  place,  however,  all  due  allowance 
must  be  made  for  the  disappointment  which  is  certain  to 
ensue,  when  expectation  has  been  strung  up  too  highly ;  and 
doubtless  we,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  our  countrymen, 
drove  over  from  Lisbon  to  Cintra  with  anticipations  in  regard 
to  the  scenery  of  the  latter  place  which  were  not  likely  to 
be  realised.  The  carriage  which  conveyed  us  was  a  narrow 
chariot,  not  unlike  an  old-fashioned  English  post-chaise, 
and  our  horses  were  a  pair  of  rough,  sturdy  cart-horses; 
the  driver  a  good-humoured,  jovial  fellow,  who  was  twisting 
up  cigarettes  and  smoking  them  through  the  whole  journey. 
Twice  we  stopped  to  bait  our  horses,  which  was  a  very 
marvellous  proceeding;  they  were  not  taken  from  the 
carriage,  but  the  bits  were  removed  from  their  mouths,  and 


CINTRA.  '49 

then  slices  of  coarse  black  l)read,  dipped  in  red  wine,  were 
given  to  each  animal  in  due  order.  So  far  the  bait  was 
intelb'gible  enough ;  but  now  our  coachman  proceeded  to 
pour  a  Clip  of  red  wine  over  the  backs  and  loins  of  the 
horses,  which,  he  assured  us,  gave  them  great  refreshment 
and  courage ;  and  when  we  still  appeared  sceptical  on  the 
point,  he  reiterated  his  assertions  with  redoubled  violence 
and  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  in  all  of  which  he  was  well 
seconded  by  an  old  lady  who  did  duty  as  the  ostler.  It 
is  a  journey  of  about  five  leagues,  or  sixteen  miles,  from 
Lisbon  to  Cintra :  the  first  leaorue  through  the  interminable 
suburbs  of  the  capital ;  then  we  reach  the  large  hamlet  of 
Bemfica,  which,  however,  is  now  connected  with  Lisbon  by 
an  unbroken  succession  of  houses ;  and  now,  for  another 
league,  villas  with  their  gardens  and  quintas,  and  high 
stone  walls  shutting  in  the  retreats  of  the  more  wealthy 
Lisbonites,  line  the  road  on  either  hand  ;  for  the  third  and 
fourth  league  the  road  traverses  the  open  corn  fields,  brown, 
scorched,  and  treeless,  ugly  and  uninviting  enough;  though, 
as  our  first  introduction  to  rural  scenes  in  Portugal,  we 
found  ample  objects  of  interest,  and  an  occasional  glimpse 
of  the  aqueduct  spanning  a  valley  or  creeping  along  a 
hill-side  diversified  the  general  monotony  of  the  scene. 
And  then,  as  we  drew  near  to  Cintra,  the  rocky  mountains 
and  forest-clad  hills  seemed  to  bar  all  approach,  and  it  was 
pleasant  to  exchange  the  dazzling  sunshine  and  the  glaring 
road  for  welcome  shade,  as  we  drove  under  huge  oak  and 
plane  and  cork  trees  which  met  overhead.  And  now,  as 
we  crawled  up  the  steepest  inclines,  and  descended  terrific 
hills  at  a  furious  pace,  with  villas  and  palaces  and  their 
respective  gardens  on  either  hand,  we  were  fairly  in  the 
long  straggling  town  of  Cintra ;  but  we  traversed  it  from 
end  to  end,  till  after  a  more  than  ordinarily  steep  de- 
clivity, galloped  down  at  a  greater  speed  than  before, 
our  merry  driver  pulled  up  his  horses  with  a  jerk,  and  we 


50  A   SPRING    TOUR    IN   PORTUGAL. 

were  deposited  at  the  hotel  of  our  compatriot,  good  Mrs, 
Lawrence. 

We  spent  a  week  at  Cintra,  and  during  that  time  I  wan- 
dered, gun  in  hand,  through  forests  and  valleys,  climbed 
up  all  the  higher  mountains,  and  very  thoroughly  explored 
the  whole  district,  so  that  I  flatter  m3^self  I  am  somewhat 
better  qualified  to  pronounce  an  opinion  on  its  merits  than 
the  great  majority  of  my  countrymen  in  Portugal,  whose 
habit  generally  appears  to  be,  to  drive  over  in  the  morning 
from  Lisbon,  dine  at  Cintra,  and  back  to  the  capital  in  the 
evening ;  or,  if  they  should  be  very  enthusiastic  sight-seers, 
they  will  devote  two  days  to  the  excursion ;  spending  one 
night  in  rural  retirement,  and  returning  the  following  day, 

I  need  scarcely  say,  that  such  a  hurried  glimpse  conveys 
no  real  notion  of  the  place,  for  Cintra  nestles  amidst  a 
collection  of  hills,  and  extends  over  a  considerable  area. 
Indeed,  its  great  charm  is,  that  it  affords  a  cool  retreat  in 
summer  from  the  oppressive  heat  of  Lisbon  ;  and  its  grate- 
ful shades,  deep  forests,  pleasant  groves  and  gardens,  as 
well  as  pure  air  and  abundant  springs,  must  seem  delight- 
ful after  the  perpetual  glare  and  dust  of  the  capital  in  the 
dog-days.  And  so  the  villas  and  private  houses  and  coun- 
try seats  of  the  wealthy  occupy  every  inviting  nook  for  a 
league  or  more  on  every  side  of  the  little  town,  each  em- 
bowered in  its  quinta,  hidden  amidst  the  dense  foliage 
which  is  so  highly  appreciated,  and  striving  with  all  its 
might  to  escape  from  the  vertical  rays  of  the  sun.  For 
certainly  no  sun-worshippers  are  the  Portuguese  at  Cintra : 
the  one  aim  and  object  of  these  veritable  giaours  seems  to 
be  to  shut  out  their  fierce  enemy;  and  with  this  end  in  view, 
they  build  their  houses  in  some  odd  corner,  where  an  over- 
hanging rock  casts  perpetual  shade,  and  their  gardens  and 
pleasure-grounds  resemble  intricate  groves  and  well-kept 
shrubberies,  where  the  one  requirement  is  shelter  from  the 
sun.     Amongst  the  innumerable  villas  which  occupy  every 


CINTRA.  51 

available  position,  but  alw.aya  with  this  cliief  essential  of 
shade  prominently  in  view,  there  is  one  which  more  es- 
pecially deserves  notice,  not  only  as  the  renowned  creation 
of  the  luxurious  author  of  '  Vathec  ;'  but  still  more  as  re- 
built by  its  present  proprietor,  and  the  gardens  and  grounds 
laid  out  anew  with  consummate  taste,  it  bears  away  the 
palm  as,  in  all  respects,  the  most  lovely  of  its  compeers. 
This  is  the  famous  Montserrat,  and  it  is  indeed  a  little 
paradise :  perched  amid  swelling  knolls  on  the  hill-side, 
surrounded  by  gardens  and  shrubberies,  where  oriental 
palms  and  Mexican  palms  vie  with  one  another,  where 
araucarias  of  many  species,  Brazilian  shrubs  of  great  rarity, 
and  whole  groves  of  tree  camellias  flourish  side  by  side, 
and  scent  the  air  with  the  perfume  of  a  thousand  flowers. 
Then  it  is  flanked  by  groves  of  orange,  lemon,  and  fig  trees, 
and  backed  by  deep  woods  of  gigantic  cork,  and  olive,  and 
chestnut,  and  dark  fir  trees,  beneath  whose  branches  reigned 
so  impenetrable  a  gloom  as  to  defy  even  the  mid-day  sun ; 
while,  high  up  overhead,  rose  the  bare  and  broken  crests  of 
the  rocky  mountains  which  formed  the  shelter  on  the  south; 
and  far  away  to  the  west  we  could  see  the  broad  expanse  of 
the  Atlantic,  never  at  rest  even  in  the  calmest  weather,  but 
always  breaking  on  the  shore  with  a  surf  which  whitened 
the  coast-line  with  a  broad  fringe,  discernible  for  many  a 
league.  Montserrat  is  in  truth  exceedingly  lovely,  and  if 
it  might  do  duty  as  a  sample  of  all  Cintra,  then  I  should 
think  no  praise  could  be  too  great  for  its  deserts ;  but  I  am 
bound  to  add  that  it  stands  quite  alone,  and  that  no  other 
quinta  comes  near  the  perfection  of  this  favoured  spot. 
Moreover,  not  only  is  the  English  proprietor,  Mr.  Cook, 
evidently  a  man  of  refined  taste,  but  his  excellent  head 
gardener,  Mr.  J3urt,  knows  how  to  make  the  most  of  the 
position ;  and  with  sun  and  shade,  and  springs  of  water  to 
any  extent  at  his  command,  he  has  so  mingled  the  wild  and 
the  cultivated,  so  arranged  the  shrubs  and  plants  of  both 

E   2 


52  A    SPRING   TOUR   IN   TORTUGAL. 

hemispheres,  that  as  you  lie  on  the  soft  turf,  under  the 
shade  of  a  gifi^antic  magnolia,  you  seem  in  enchanted  ground, 
so  surrounded  are  you  with  the  most  flourishing  specimens 
of  a  hundred  tropical  plants  and  shrubs,  never  seen  before. 
No  wonder  that,  having  obtained  permission  to  wander  at 
pleasure  with  my  gun  through  its  extensive  walks  and 
woods  and  quintas,  I  spent  a  considerable  part  of  several 
days  within  its  precincts;  and  I  always  came  back  to  it 
with  fresh  appreciation  of  its  beauties,  and  renewed  con- 
victions that  it  formed  the  jewel  of  Cintra.  But  my  ram- 
bles extended  amongst  many  other  properties,  and  many  a 
pretty  glen  and  many  a  charming  nook  did  I  stumble  on ; 
and  most  kind  and  obliging  were  the  inhabitants,  who 
freely  invited  me  to  enter  their  grounds,  and  walk  where  I 
pleased ;  though  there  was  one  great  drawback  to  such  tres- 
passing, in  the  lofty  stone  walls  with  which  each  quintawas 
surrounded ;  so  that,  once  within  the  ring  fence,  it  was 
generally  imperative  on  the  intruder  to  return  to  the  gate 
by  which  he  entered.  Now  these  villas  and  quintas,  sur- 
rounded each  by  its  own  wall,  and  backed  by  its  own  woods, 
succeed  one  another  all  along  the  slopes  of  the  hills  on 
which  Cintra  stands  ;  far  below  them  lies  the  red,  scorched, 
glowing  plain,  far  above  them  stand  the  bare  jagged  rocks, 
which  seem  so  strangely  distorted,  and  look  so  uneven  and 
rouo'l],  and  whose  summits  reach  two  thousand  feet  above 
the  sea.  To  me  these  heiglits  were  a  great  attraction,  and 
almost  eveiy  day  I  climbed  to  one  and  another  peak,  now 
wandering  out  westwards  to  the  point  which  overhangs  the 
mouth  of  the  Tagus,  now  ascending  to  the  point  crowned  by 
the  Penha  palace,  now  choosing  some  intermediate  height 
fur  my  mountain  scramble.  From  all,  the  view  was  in  most 
respects  the  same :  the  rocks  themselves  the  strangest  col- 
lection of  boulders,  thrown  together  in  huge  masses,  like 
an  immense  stone  heap  on  a  gigantic  scale.  Immediately 
below  lay  the  town  of  Cintra,  with  its  long  suburbs  of  villas. 


CINTRA.  53 

and  g*ardens,  and  woods  stretching  along  the  hills  on  both 
hands ;  to  the  north  the  flat,  interminable,  treeless  plain, 
glowing  in  the  sun,  and  abounding  in  cornfields  and  vine- 
yards, with  oNlafra  four  leagues  away,  showing  its  vast  pile 
of  buildings  like  a  second  Escorial,  colossal  in  size,  even 
from  here ;  to  the  south  the  hills  of  Alemtejo,  stretching  far 
away  into  the  clear  distance,  and,  perhaps,  as  some  report, 
in  the  extreme  horizon,  even  the  mountains  of  the  little 
southern  province  of  Algarve;  to  the  west  the  broad  Atlantic, 
of  whose  waters  I  had  never  seen  at  one  glance  half  such 
an  expanse  before;  to  the  east  the  Tagus,  winding  up  towards 
the  capital,  and  extending  into  a  broad  bay  above  it,  though 
Lisbon  itself  was  hidden  from  view  by  the  lower  hills  which 
intervene.  There  was  always  a  fresh  breeze  blowing  on  the 
top  of  these  elevated  ridges,  and  there  was  always  an  un- 
clouded sky  and  the  very  brightest  of  suns,  and  it  was  diffi- 
cult to  decide  which  of  the  many  peaks  was  the  highest,  for 
each  in  turn,  as  seen  from  some  fresh  point  of  view,  seemed 
to  claim  the  right  of  precedence.  However,  leaving  others 
to  settle  that  knotty  point,  we  may  affirm  of  all  of  them, 
that  they  boasted  the  same  glorious  prospect,  that  they 
were  all  equally  rugged  and  barren,  and  that  here  silence 
and  solitude  reigned  supreme,  broken  only  by  the  occasional 
tinkle  of  a  sheep-bell,  or  the  shrill  reed-pipe  of  a  goat- 
herd, for  in  these  upland  rocks  the  Arcadian  herdsmen  thus 
beguiled  the  monotony  of  their  lives.  Nor  was  animal 
life  much  more  abundant  than  the  vegetation:  for  of  the 
mammalia  I  saw  not  a  single  specimen ;  of  birds,  a  colony 
of  choughs  and  an  occasional  raven  monopolised  the  upper 
rocks,  while  larks  and  pipits  contented  themselves  with  a 
lower  elevation.  But  the  reptile  world  was  better  repre- 
sented; for  brown  and  grreen  lizards  basked  on  the  £jlowini>- 
rocks,  and  darted  in  and  out  amidst  the  huge  boulders,  and 
on  one  occasion  I  succeeded  in  shooting  a  flne  specimen  of 
the  beautiful  '  eyed '  or  '  great  spotted '  green  lizard  (Za- 


54  A    SPRING   TOUR   IN    TORTUGAL. 

cevta  ocellata),  which  measured  nearly  two  feet  in  length, 
and  was  of  the  most  vivid  green  hue,  speckled  and  spotted 
with  deep  black  or  bright  blue.  Subsequently,  I  saw  several 
of  this  gigantic  species,  but  on  no  occasion,  not  even  in  the 
museum  at  Lisbon,  did  I  meet  with  so  large  a  specimen 
as  in  the  rocks  above  Cintra.  If,  however,  I  might  credit 
the  assertion  of  an  unscientific  witness,  who  certainly  had 
no  wish  to  exaggerate,  but  related  what  he  believed  to  be 
true,  my  large  lizard  would  appear  to  be  but  a  mere  pigmy ; 
for  I  was  repeatedly  told  of  a  gigantic  green  lizard  which 
haunted  some  rock  terraces  at  Montserrat,  w^hich  measured 
about  four  feet  in  length !  but  this,  I  take  leave  to  say, 
was  an  unintentional  over-estimate. 

Pre-eminently  conspicuous  on  one  of  the  highest  sum- 
mits stands  the  Penha  or  Pena  Convent,  once  (as  its  name 
implies)  a  monastery,  but  now  the  palace  of  the  enlightened 
Dom  Fernando,  father  to  the  present  king.  Now,  if  it  be 
the  case,  as  the  ancient  Persians  thought,  that  '  a  palace 
ought  to  have  a  lofty  site,  and  look  down  on  the  habita- 
tions of  meaner  men,'  *  then,  undoubtedly,  the  Penha 
Palace  is  most  admirably  situated,  for  by  many  hundred 
feet  it  out-tops  all  other  buildings  in  the  place.  Otherwise, 
notwithstanding  the  excellent  carriage  road  which  w4nds 
up  to  the  castle  gate,  methought  it  w^as  somewhat  incon- 
venient to  have  one's  dwelling  so  high  in  these  peaceable 
times,  when  strength  and  security  from  attack  are  not  the 
first  considerations  in  choosing  a  dwelling-place.  More- 
over, perched  on  the  extreme  summit,  this  semi-regal 
palace  is  exposed  to  every  wind  which  blows,  and  though 
it  is  well  to  feel  a  gentle  breeze  stirring,  when  the  heat 
below  is  almost  tropical,  it  is  another  thing  to  be  exposed 
to  such  frequent  hurricanes  and  rude  blasts,  as  coming  in 
direct  from  the  wide  Atlantic,  seem  to  haunt  these  heights 

*  Rawlinson's  Ancient  Monarchies,  vol.  iv.  p.  239. 


CINTRA.  55 

with  a  pertinacity  which  reminds  one  they  have  had 
nothing  to  worry  for  many  a  thousand  miles,  on  their 
course  across  the  ocean.  With  this  trifling  exception  of 
situation  (which  however  has  its  advantages  in  a  sultry 
clime),  the  Penha  Castle  is  a  pleasant  residence :  it  is  built 
after  the  Moorish  style,  with  horse-shoe  arches,  and  the 
walls  glitter  with  bright  blue  glazed  tiles  or  azulejo  ;  and 
it  is  castellated,  turreted,  and  balconied  at  every  possible 
point.  It  is  also  provided  with  ramparts,  drawbridges, 
porcullis,  and  mock  defences,  and  cannon  pointing  in  all 
directions,  to  frighten  away  Moors  or  other  would-be  in- 
vaders, in  case  they  should  think  it  worth  while  to  climb 
so  high.  From  the  Penha  turrets  conspicuous  on  one 
side  is  a  colossal  statue  of  the  great  discoverer  Vasco  de 
Grama,  armed  with  lance  and  shield,  who  stands  on  the 
very  summit  of  an  elevated  peak ;  and  on  the  other  side 
the  ruins  of  two  Moorish  towers,  which  crown  other 
heights,  and  which  must  have  been  impregnable  fortresses 
in  troublous  times  when  such  elevated  positions  were  of 
real  advantage.  Below  the  Castle  are  gardens  and  shrub- 
beries, admirably  laid  out  and  beautifully  kept ;  and  here 
we  strolled  without  hindrance,  for  all  here  is  liberally 
thrown  open  to  the  public ;  indeed,  Dom  Fernando  is  in 
all  respects  a  liberal,  generous  man,  and  much  beloved  by 
people  of  all  ranks. 

There  are  other  lions  to  be  visited  at  Cintra,  which  are 
all  duly  chronicled  in  the  Handbook,  and  on  which  I  need 
not  enlarge.  There  is  the  royal  palace,  which  attracts  the 
eye  before  you  enter  the  town,  and  is  always  a  prominent 
feature  in  the  view,  remarkable  for  its  tall,  sugar-loaf 
chimneys,  which  remind  one  of  glass  works,  or  other  facto- 
ries, rather  than  of  a  king's  summer  residence.  There  is  a 
large,  rambling  villa,  of  no  external  beauty,  but  interest- 
ing as  the  spot  where  the  famous  Convention  of  Cintra  was 
signed.     There  is  an  unpretending  quinta,  once  the  humble 


56  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

possession  of  the  famous  Joao  de  Castro.     There  is  the 
Cork  Convent,  so  called  from  the  lining  of  cork  wherewith 
the  walls  are  cased  in  this  semi-siibterranean  monastery. 
And  here  I  am  reminded  that  I  must  not  take  leave  of 
Cintra  without  special  mention  of  the  cork  trees,  which 
grow  here  in  greater  profusion  and  to  a  larger  size  than 
I  have  ever  seen  elsewhere.     Moreover,  all  parts  of  the 
tree — trunk,  limbs,  and  branches — are  fringed  with  the 
elegant  maiden-hair  fern,  which  seems  to  get  a  footing  in 
the  rough  bark  and  cling  and  grow  in  the  most  surprising 
manner.     The  general  aspect  of  the  cork  tree  is  very  much 
that  of  the  oak — the  same  fantastic  twist  of  the  branches, 
the  same  rugged  bark,  the  same  expansive  spread,  over- 
shadowing a  large  space  of  ground;  and  with  the  luxuriant 
undergrowth  which  prevails  here,  it  is  one  of  the  most 
picturesque,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  umbrageous  trees  of 
the  forest.     Next  to  the  cork,  the  olive  is  the  most  conspi- 
cuous tree  at  Cintra,  and  it  is  preserved  and  tended  with 
considerable  care  ;  and,  under  the  favourable  conditions  of 
sufficient  heat  and  an  ample  supply  of  water  to  the  roots, 
it  attains  a  size  as  well  as  a  vigour  which  cannot  be  sur- 
passed.    English  travellers  are  apt  to  decry  the  olive  as  of 
a  dull,  dusty  colour,  and  with  no  pretensions  to  beauty; 
but  I  have  long  learned  to  see  infinite  attractions  in  this 
singular  tree  ;  and  those  who  have  lived  in  sultry  weather 
near  an  olive-yard  know  what  a  grateful  shade  from  a  glar- 
ing sun  these  distorted  trees  offer,  and  how  pleasantly  their 
silvery  leaves  shimmer  in  the  lightest  breeze,  and  rustle 
and  murmur  with  a  soothing,  gentle  whisper, very  conducive 
to  repose. 

Both  the  cork  and  olive,  as  well  as  the  chestnut,  abound 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  Portugal,  but 
nowhere  do  they  reach  a  greater  degree  of  perfection  than 
at  Cintra,  which  is  essentially  the  home  of  these  southern 
trees,  and  where  soil  and  climate  combine  to  supply  the 


CIXTRA.  57 

conditions  required.  For  the  same  reason,  the  gardens 
and  shrubberies  here  are  so  flourishing',  for  the  scorchinfj 
rays  of  the  sun  are  tempered  by  the  cool  breezes,  and 
copious  springs  burst  from  the  mountain  side,  and  trickle 
down  the  hills  in  every  gully  ;  and  so  camellias  and  many 
other  kindred  shrubs,  which  cannot  exist  in  the  scorching 
climate  of  Lisbon,  thrive  here  with  a  luxuriance  that 
astonishes  the  Northern  traveller.  And  herein,  indeed, 
consists  the  real  charm  of  Cintra,  the  profusion  and  mag- 
nificence of  its  vegetation,  which  produces  plenty  of  cool 
shade  and  a  delightful  retreat,  which  can  only  be  duly  ap- 
preciated by  those  who  have  been  parched,  and  fried,  and 
powdered  by  the  intolerable  summer  heat,  and  glare,  and 
dust  of  Lisbon. 

During  the  latter  end  of  April,  which  we  spent  in  these 
mountains,  the  sun  was  by  no  means  overpowering  ;  indeed, 
though  the  days  were  hot  enough,  the  nights  were  almost 
chilly ;  and  as  I  came  out  to  Portugal  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  gaining  a  good  store  of  caloric,  I  was  not  sorry  to 
find  myself  on  the  1st  of  May  on  my  way  back  to  Lisbon, 
on  the  top  of  an  omnibus  or  diligence,  when  we  had  a  most 
amusing  journey,  and  on  as  splendid  a  morning  as  one 
could  desire.  For,  to  our  great  satisfaction,  a  large  fair 
was  held  midway  between  Cintra  and  Lisbon ;  and  the 
consequence  was,  that  the  road  was  thronged  by  country 
people,  all  in  holiday  attire.  It  is  true,  there  was  no 
Jack-in-the-green,  such  as  one  may  see  on  May-day  in 
England ;  but  the  costumes  of  many  of  these  good  folks 
were  strange  and  picturesque  enough.  Their  variety,  too, 
was  charming ;  and  the  airs  and  graces  adopted  by  those 
most  elaborately  dressed  added  much  to  the  quaintness  of 
the  scene.  Ever3^body  was  on  horseback,  if  that  term  may 
be  applied  generically  to  those  who  bestrode  mules  and 
donkeys  as  well,  for  by  far  the  larger  number  was  mounted 
on  these  inferior  animals;  and  though  droves  of  cattle, 


68  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX   PORTUGAL. 

cows  and  calves  and  bullocks,  horses,  mules,  and  donkeys, 
blocked  up  the  road  at  frequent  intervals,  these  were 
almost  universally  consigned  to  the  care  of  the  drudges, 
the  women  and  the  boys ;  while  their  lords  and  masters 
flourished  on  in  front  on  elaborately  worked  saddles,  the 
trappings  and  cloths  and  bridles  of  their  animals  as 
gorgeous  and  gay  as  their  own  many-coloured  garments. 
But  when  we  stopped  at  the  half-way  station,  to  bait  our 
horses,  after  precisely  the  same  form  as  that  adopted  by 
our  driver  before,  including  the  liberal  libation  of  wine 
over  the  back  and  loins  of  each  horse,  in  order  to  give  them 
courage  and  strength,  it  was  grand  to  see  one  and  another 
of  these  fair-going  dandies  gallop  up  to  the  door  of  the 
inn,  tie  his  richly-caparisoned  mule  to  an  iron  ring,  after 
the  genuine  fashion  of  a  Spanish  bait,  and  then  strut  in 
and  out  of  the  door  of  the  hostelry,  and  swagger  and  com- 
port himself  with  the  most  ridiculous  pretensions  ;  and  all 
))ecause  his  velvet  hat  was  peaked  and  adorned  with  a 
feather,  his  bright  blue  jacket  was  frogged  and  braided  and 
garnished  with  silver  buttons,  his  boots  were  adorned  with 
tassels,  his  saddle-cloth  was  scarlet,  and  his  large,  flat, 
wooden  stirrups  studded  with  silver  nails.  It  was  amidst 
crowds  of  such  gaily-dressed  farmers  and  dealers,  and 
amidst  a  string  of  carts  and  carriages  of  marvellous  shape 
and  colour;  and,  above  all,  amidst  a  general  holiday  look, 
and  real  joUity  and  merriment  conspicuous  in  the  faces  of 
all,  as  if  they  were  out  for  a  day's  pleasure,  and  meant  to 
enjoy  it,  that  we  drove  back  to  the  capital,  which  we  found 
in  a  glowing  heat,  with  the  thermometer  at  86°  in  the 
shade,  notwithstanding  a  gentle  breeze,  which  blew  almost 
daily  up  the  river  from  the  sea. 


59 


CHAPTER  Vr. 

EVORA    AND    SETUBAL. 

One  of  the  Diost  interesting  excursions  which  we  made 
during  our  tour  in  Portugal  was  to  the  ancient  city  of 
Evora.  This  is  the  capital  of  the  large  province  of  Alem- 
tejo,  and  is  distant  from  Lisbon  some  seventy  miles;  it 
was  also  the  most  southern,  and  with  one  exception,  the 
most  eastern  point  which  we  reached.  Now,  no  part  of 
Portugal  is  thickly  populated,  at  all  events,  in  the  English 
sense  of  the  word ;  nay,  I  may  even  go  so  far  as  to  say  that 
Portugal  is  one  of  the  most  thinly  inhabited  countries  of 
Europe  ;  and  I  quote  the  author  of  the  '  Prize  Essay'  for  the 
assertion  that  '  Dame  Nature  farms  one  half  the  countr}^ 
and  the  other  half  is  but  imperfectly  cultivated;'  *  but  at 
all  events,  by  very  far  the  least  populous  of  all  the  six 
provinces  into  which  the  kingdom  is  divided,  and  the 
least  interfered  with  by  man,  is  this  said  district  of  Alem- 
tejo.  Partly  perhaps  on  this  account,  and  partly  from  the 
vast  uninhabited  heath  or  desert  which  separates  it  from 
Lisbon,  both  the  city  of  Evora  itself  and  the  country 
which  we  had  to  traverse  to  reach  it,  were  more  charmingly 
Portuguese,  and  more  unsophisticated,  and  less  altered  by 
recent  contact  with  other  nations,  than  any  other  portions 
of  the  land  which  we  visited.  And  yet  Evora  is  now  con- 
nected by  railway  with  the  capital,  or  at  least  with  Barreiro, 

*  Price  Eissai/  on  Portugal.    By  John  James  Forrester.    Loudon,  1854. 


60  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN    PORTUGAL. 

which  lies  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Tagus ;  but  then 
it  must  be  owned  that  one  train  per  day,  which  is  at 
present  found  to  be  amply  sufficient  for  the  requirements 
of  the  people,  does  not  imply  a  very  numerous  or  very 
bustling  population ;  indeed,  the  only  marvel  to  everyone 
who  has  traversed  this  line  is,  not  why  more  trains  are  not 
added,  but  how  this  single  diurnal  train  can  possibly  pay 
through  so  sparsely  peopled  and  so  unproductive  a  district ; 
even  when  we  take  into  account  the  very  level  nature  of 
the  ground,  and  the  extremely  low  figure  at  which  any 
quantity  of  land  might  be  purchased  by  an  enterprising 
company.  However,  our  business  was  not  to  speculate  on 
the  small  dividends  of  this  railway,  whose  proposers  and 
directors  must  have  been  men  of  marvellous  spirit  and 
enterprise,  but  to  make  use  of  it  for  our  excursion,  which 
we  did  with  great  satisfaction  during  the  few  days  of  our 
trip  to  Evora  and  Setubal. 

Accordingly,  at  a  very  early  hour  in  the  morning  we 
were  astir,  and  had  breakfasted,  and  had  reached  the 
eastern  suburb  of  Lisbon,  and  by  6.30  a.m.  were  on  board 
the  river  steamer,  which  was  to  convey  us  across  the  broad 
belt  of  the  Tagus,  which  here  swells  out  into  an  imposing 
lake,  irreverently  styled  by  British  sailors  '  Jackass  Bay.' 
There  is  certainly  nothing  hereabouts  suggestive  of  the 
boiling  of  a  pent-up  river  through  a  narrow  rent  or  gorge 
or  chasm  {tajo\  from  which  many  have  derived  the  name  of 
Tagus,  and  such  as  indeed  it  appears  as  it  flows  by  Toledo  ; 
neither  could  the  most  imaginative  mind  of  modern  days, 
with  any  truth,  describe  it  as  the  poets  of  old  loved  to 
delineate  its  excellences,  as  rolling  its  transparent  waters 
over  the  golden  sands  with  which  its  bed  was  declared  to 
be  paved.  Either  we  live  in  more  degenerate  days,  when 
the  river  has  deteriorated  in  purity,  or  those  writers  of 
ancient  days  embellished  their  subject  without  scruple, 
and  drew  largely  on  the  credulity  and  ignorance  of  their 


EVORA.  G\ 

readers.  At  all  events,  it  was  tlironnli  water  more  than 
usually  mucUl}',  spread  out  into  a  large  lake  or  basin,  that 
we  made  our  way  to  the  opposite  shore,  and  a  good  half- 
liour  had  elapsed  ere  our  steamer  reached  the  pier  at  Bar- 
reiro,  and  then  we  had  to  trudge  a  (juarter  of  a  mile  to 
the  railway  station,  which  w^ould  be  annoying  enough  to 
those  laden  with  baggage  or  during  a  heavy  shower.  Here 
we  were  met  by  the  English  director  of  the  traffic,  Mr. 
Fenn,  who  had  most  kindly  prepared  for  us  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  Dr.  Manoel  Villosa,  the  librarian  at  Evora, 
and  who  placed  us  in  special  charge  of  the  conductor  of 
the  train,  and  show^ed  us  every  attention.  We  were  for- 
tunate also  in  having  as  our  companion  Mr.  Mackenna,  the 
chief  of  the  locomotive  department,  who  was  most  obliging 
and  useful,  and  subsequently  acted  as  our  guide  and  inter- 
preter at  Evora. 

We  had  scarcely  left  the  station  at  Barreiro  before  the 
country  assumed  an  uncultivated  aspect ;  the  soil  appeared 
to  be  altogether  sand ;  sand  and  forest,  sand  and  heath, 
sand  and  rough  grass;  these  were  the  ingredients  of  our 
landscape,  diversified,  however,  by  the  most  brilliant  wild 
flowers  I  had  ever  seen  ;  the  railway  banks  were  quite 
covered  with  mesembryanthemums  of  red  and  yellow  and 
brown  hues,  and  a  very  great  variety  of  most  beautiful 
plants  literally  carpeted  the  fields  and  wastes  ;  then  cactus 
and  gigantic  aloes  formed  impenetrable  hedges  wherever 
cultivation  had  been  attempted,  and  occasional  patches  of 
wheat,  and  beans,  and  potatoes,  and  peas,  were  to  be  seen 
at  intervals  on  either  side  of  the  line.  These,  however, 
were  but  mere  morsels  rescued  from  the  forest  and  heath, 
which,  though  succumbing  to  cultivation  in  the  immediate 
track  of  the  railway,  asserted  their  independence  farther 
inland,  where  they  luxuriated  in  their  primitive  wildness. 
Thus  we  passed  over  the  first  ten  miles,  making  a  show  of 
stopping  at  two  intervening  stations,  where,  however,  none 


62  A   SPRING   TOUR    IX   PORTUGAL. 

left  lis  or  joined  us,  and  where  the  station-master  and  single 
porter  seemed    to   be  the  only  inhabitants;  and  as  our 
engine    puffed    through    that  uninhabited  region,   I  was 
forcibly  reminded  of  the  famous  steamboat  expedition  of 
Martin  Chuzzlewit  and   Mark   Tapley  to   the  back  wood 
settlement  of  Eden,  so  graphically  and  cleverly  described 
by  Mr.   Dickens.      Then  we   reached   Pinbal  Novo,  the 
junction  for  Setubal,  where   our  train  divided   into  two 
portions,  and  we  were  left  to  pursue  our  course  to  Evora,  a 
very  curtailed  and  somewhat  mean  fragment  of  what  was 
at  starting  a  very  respectable  train.      And  now  for  the 
next   twenty   or   twenty-five   miles  we   traversed  a  true 
Portuguese  heath,and  if  one  rode  through  the  whole  country 
a  better  sample  could  nowhere  be  found.     It  would  re- 
quire the  pen  of  a  Stanley  to  describe  it  accurately,  and  to 
do  justice  to  so  singular  and  so  beautiful  a  scene.     It  was 
indeed  the  acme  of  all  that  was  wild  in  nature  and  yet 
brilliant  in  colour.     Far  as  the  eye  could  reach  on  either 
side,  through  winding  valleys  and  over  undulating  hills, 
for  leagues  upon  leagues,  all  was  waste  and  barren,  save 
that  the  whole  country  was  thickly  covered  with  aromatic 
bushes  and  shrubs  and  plants  of  various  kinds.      There 
were   literally   miles    upon    miles    of    juniper,    lavender, 
myrtle,  laurel,  rosemary  and  broom ;  miles  upon  miles  of 
heaths  of  every  species ;    of   the  fragrant  thyme ;  of  the 
beautiful  cisti  of  various  colours,  the  yellow,   the  pink, 
the  white,  and  the  purple  ;  of  the  handsome  hibiscus,  and 
many  another  flower  which  I  could  not  identify.     But  the 
result  was,  that  the  eye  was  almost  dazzled  with  the  bril- 
liant patches  of  purple,  and  red,  and  blue,  and  yellow, 
which  completely  carpeted  the  ground.     It  was  a  scene 
over  which  a  botanist  would  have  gone  wild  with  excite- 
ment, and  I  heartily  wished  I  had  been  a  painter,  and 
could  have  accurately  represented  that  gorgeous  picture  in 
water  colours  or  in  oil.     For  many  consecutive  miles  not 


EVORA.  63 

a  tree  was   visiblo,  not  a  house,  not  a  man,  not  a  boast, 
rarely  even  a  bird;   but  the;  smell  of  nromatic  shrubs  per- 
vaded   the    atmosphere,    and    tlie    'silence    of    solitude* 
reigned    supreme    in    these   deserted    wastes.       Then    we 
would  come  to   more   wooded   districts,   where   the  trees 
were  naturally  clumped  as  in  the  Australian  bush,  or  as 
they  are    planted    in    some    large  park  at  home.      First 
umbrella-headed   pines   diversified   the   landscape;    then 
forests  of  cork  trees,  and  lastly  oroves  of  olives  ;  and  so  we 
reached  the  station  of  Vendas  Novas,  a  mere  wooden  shed, 
though  the  principal  place   in  this  wild  region ;    and   a 
hamlet  of  a  dozen  houses  was  no  unimportant  village  in 
these  unfrequented  parts.     Moreover,  here  is  collected  the 
merchandise  of  the  district  for  exportation  to  the  capital. 
Here,  too,  we  met  and  passed  the  single  '  up  train  '  to  Lis- 
bon, as  we  should  say  ;  the  '  Coinboyo  descendente,''  as  it  is 
more  correctly  styled  here.     And  now  we  leave  this  tiny 
centre  of  civilization,  and  steam  forth  again  into  the  wild 
uncultivated  heath,  stretching  out  in  uncontrolled  freedom 
over  hill  and  dale ;  where  the  magnificent  hil)iscus  covers 
whole  leagues  of  land  with  its  splendid  white  blossoms ; 
and  the  ground  is  rent  with  many  a  deep  and  meandering 
watercourse,  true  nullahs  of  the  south,  which  the  heavy 
rains,  so  frequent,  and  so  copious  in  these  latitudes,  eat 
out  for  themselves  in  the  sandy  soil,  but  which  are  now 
completely  dry,  save  here  and  there  beneath  some  over- 
hanging bush,  where  the  water  stands  in  a  dark  pool,  and 
where  beast  and  bird  resort  to  quench  their  thirst.     Then 
we  came  to  Casa  Branca,  a  hamlet  which,  so  far  as  we  were 
enabled  to  judge,  consisted  of  two  houses,  but  nevertheless, 
a  very  respectable  hamlet  for  this  district ;  moreover,  it  is  a 
junction,  for  our  line  bifurcates  here,  one  branch  running 
southward  to  Beja,  the  other  eastwards  to  Evora.     Here 
we  changed  carriages,  and  after  another  hour's  journey 
through  a  district  not  quite  so  wild  and  uncultivated  as 


64         A  SPRIXG  TOUR  IN  PORTUGAL. 

that  we  had  just  traversed,  reached  our  destination  at  mid- 
day, or  rather  I  should  say,  we  reached  the  railway  station 
of  Evora,  which  lies  in  the  plain  below  the  town  nearly  a 
mile  from  the  heart  of  the  city,  and  from  which,  in  this 
unsophisticated  district,  the  traveller  must  make  his  way 
with  his  baggage  as  he  best  can,  for  neither  omnibus,  cart, 
or  carriage,  have  hitherto  found  custom  enough  to  attract 
them  to  await  the  arrival  of  the  one  train  from  the 
capital. 

Let  it  not,  however,  for  one  moment  be  imagined  from 
this  circumstance  that  Evora  is  a  place  of  little  impor- 
tance, for  such  would  be  a  most  erroneous  conclusion ; 
and  the  use  of  wheeled  carriages,  at  no  time  known  to 
any  extent  in  the  Peninsula,  is  only  now  beginning  to  be 
recognised  as  a  necessity  in  more  fashionable  localities  ; 
whereas  a  simple  and  primitive  people  are  still  contented 
with  the  horses,  mules,  and  donkeys  which  their  ancestors 
employed.  Indeed,  Evora  was  once  the  capital  of  Por- 
tuo-al,  and  standinor  on  a  hill,  as  is  the  case  with  all  the 
larger  cities  in  this  country,  has  a  very  imposing  appear- 
ance ;  there  is,  too,  a  great  air  of  antiquity  about  it,  and  a 
remarkable  quietness  and  even  dullness,  such  as  is  wont  to 
hover  round  our  own  cathedral  cities  in  England ;  and  it 
was  through  narrow  streets  almost  desested,  and  by  largos 
and  praQCts  completely  empty  and  grass-grown,  that  we 
walked  to  our  humble  hostelry,  the  best  hotel  indeed  in 
the  city,  but  of  most  impretending  and,  perhaps  I  should 
add,  unprepossessing  exterior,  which  bore  over  its  doorway 
the  lengthy  title '  Hospedaria  Eborense  vulgo  Taberquina,' 
but  which  in  reality  was  known  as  '  Hospedaria  Taberquina,' 
or  *  Taberquinasinn,'  for  such  was  the  name  of  our  well- 
meaning  and  obliging  landlord. 

We  had  the  advantage  of  our  kind  friend  Mr.  Mac- 
kenna's  guidance  in  our  examination  of  Evora,  and  as  he 
was  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  city,  and  had  passed  a 


EVORA.  65 

considerable  time  here,  most  valn;il)le  to  ns  was  the  infor- 
mation he  gave.  As  Evora  is  an  arcliiepiscopal  see,  the 
cathedral  was  natnrally  the  first  oljject  of  attraction,  and 
hither  we  bent  our  steps  through  the  narrow,  silent,  tor- 
tuous streets:  the  exterior  presents  a  remarkable  appear- 
ance from  the  many  lanthorns  wliich  rise  from  the  tower, 
as  well  as  from  the  strongly-barred  and  heavily-grated 
windows,  which  remind  one  of  troublous  times,  of  which 
indeed  this  city  has  experienced  its  full  share ;  and  the 
result  was  that  this  House  of  Prayer  bore  a  strange  re- 
semblance to  a  castle  or  fort,  and  doubtless  would  on  oc- 
casion, before  the  use  of  gunpowder  was  known,  stand  a 
siege;  and  shelter  for  a  time  the  ecclesiastics  against  the 
turbulent  populace,  who  were  notorious  for  their  frequent 
insurrections  for  one  and  another  cause  ; 

Half  Church  of  God,  half  castle  'gainst  the  Moor. 

The  interior  is  striking,  and  on  the  whole  pleasing ;  the 
nave  is  lofty,  the  aisles  narrow,  and  the  proportions  are 
good;  but  what  attracts  immediate  attention  is  the  peculiar 
colour  of  the  stonework  of  which  nave,  aisles,  and  pillars 
are  built.  The  material  is  a  hard  stone  of  extremely  dark 
hue,  and  a  broad  band  of  white  cement  is  conspicuous 
between  every  course.  Now  undoubtedly  this  principle 
is,  on  the  face  of  it,  heartily  to  be  condemned,  but  in  this 
particular  instance  I  am  bound  to  confess  that  the  result 
appeared  in  my  judgment  satisfactory.  Perhaps  this  may 
have  arisen  from  the  relief  which  the  light-coloured  bands 
gave  in  a  somewhat  dark  church,  but  scantily  furnished 
with  windows,  as  is  universally  the  case  in  southern 
climates;  and  w^here,  but  for  such  relief,  the  peculiar  hue 
of  the  stone  would  have  necessarily  imparted  a  gloomy 
aspect.  At  all  events,  the  nave,  aisles,  and  transepts  of 
Evora  Cathedral  possess  a  peculiar  and  not  unpleasing 
character ;  and,  moreover,  leave  upon  the  mind  an  im- 

F 


66  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

pression  of  solemnity  and  even  of  imposing  grandeur,  all 
of  which  is  in  no  way  marred  by  the  incongruity  of  the 
furniture  of  side  chapels,  which  so  generally  occupy  Eoman 
Catholic  churches,  and  where  tawdry  ornament  and  gaudy 
tinsel  so  often  offend  the  eye  of  the  man  of  taste.  But  if 
the  rest  of  the  building  depends  more  on  its  admirable 
proportions,  its  considerable  height,  and  its  general  archi- 
tectural features  for  its  claims  to  our  notice,  the  choir  may 
well  challenge  a  critical  inspection  for  the  rich  decorations 
with  which  it  is  provided.  It  is  literally  lined  and  roofed 
with  polished  marbles  of  great  variety,  many  of  which  are 
of  no  little  rarity  as  well  as  exquisite  beauty ;  this  is  more 
especially  the  case  with  regard  to  the  columns  of  marble 
at  the  east  end,  and  the  marble  figures  which  form  a 
spirited  group  admirably  executed  by  no  ordinary  sculptor. 
And  even  the  picture  over  the  high  altar,  which  has  been 
so  unfortunate  as  to  attract  adverse  criticism  from  certain 
connoisseurs,  appeared  to  me  of  very  great  merit;  but 
here  I  would  speak  with  difiidence  becoming  one  who  is 
venturing  on  dangerous  ground,  and  who  does  not  feel 
equal  to  run  a  tilt  with  fastidious  art  critics.  In  short, 
the  general  impression  with  which  I  left  the  building 
amounted  to  this,  that  it  was  a  cathedral  of  no  ordinary 
interest ;  and  that  while  making  no  great  pretensions  to 
merit,  either  as  regards  the  architecture  of  the  building  or 
its  decorations,  it  combined  a  harmony  of  detail,  an  ele- 
gance and  a  finish,  and  in  the  choir  a  richness  of  material 
and  a  display  of  artistic  skill,  which  might  be  searched  for 
in  vain  in  many  more  renowned  churches. 

Hard  by  the  cathedral,  upon  which  indeed  it  abuts, 
stands  the  palace  of  the  Archbishop,  and  into  it  I  was  con- 
ducted by  a  verger  through  a  side  door  from  the  cathedral 
itself;  my  object  being  to  see  the  library  of  his  Eminence 
the  Cardinal  Archbishop,  of  whose  varied  treasures  I  had 
heard  glowing  reports,  and  for  which  I  was  armed  with  a 


EVORA.  r.7 

letter  of  introduction  from  jNIr.  Fenn.  Unfortunately  Dr. 
Mauoel  Villosa  was  absent  from  Evora,  but  I  foimd  two 
sub-librarians,  busily  employed  in  making'  a  catalogue  of 
tlie  books;  and  as  they  most  kindly  left  their  occupation 
and  conducted  me  round  the  library,  pointing  out  every- 
thing worthy  of  notice,  and  bringing  out  all  the  treasures 
one  by  one  for  my  examination — as,  moreover,  one  of  them 
possessed  some  knowledge  of  French,  I  had  no  cause  to 
regret  the  absence  of  the  chief  librarian  ;  and  certainly 
nothing  could  be  more  courteous  and  civil  than  my  two 
attendants,  who  grudged  neither  time  nor  trouble  in  my 
behalf,  but  for  above  an  hour  devoted  themselves  to  gTa- 
tifying  my  curiosity  by  exhibiting  the  valuables  they  had 
in  charge.  The  pictures,  of  which  there  is  a  large  collec- 
tion, are,  with  very  few  exceptions,  but  wretched  daubs, 
and  though  many  have  been  attributed  to  the  Portuguese 
painter  of  chief  renown,  I  might  almost  say  the  only  Por- 
tuguese painter  of  any  renown.  Gran  Vasco,  my  conductors 
assured  me  that  the  library  did  not  possess  a  single  speci- 
men by  that  artist;  to  which  they  laughingly  added  that 
every  picture  in  Portugal  was  generally  attributed  to 
Gran  Va,sco,  though  in  reality  very  few  of  his  paintings 
exist.  One  treasure  alone  they  considered  a  gem,  and 
even  that  they  hesitated  to  designate  a  Guercino ;  but  it 
is  undoubtedly  a  very  beautiful  picture,  and  quite  in  the 
style  of  that  master :  the  subject  represents  our  blessed 
Lord  bearing  the  Cross.  Of  the  rest,  portraits  form  by 
far  the  majority  :  portraits  of  kings  and  princes  of  Por- 
tugal ;  portraits  of  Archbishops  of  Evora ;  portraits  of 
saints  and  of  monks  of  every  order  and  in  every  habit ; 
and  all  of  true  Portuguese  type  of  feature  and  face. 
Amongst  others,  one  looked  with  interest  on  the  portrait 
of  the  famous  Pombal,  than  whom  no  man  has  ever  been 
more  execrated  on  the  one  side  and  extolled  on  the  other ; 

F  2 


68  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

the  powerful  minister,  who,  however   unscrupulous   and 
cruel  in  the  means  he  employed  to  efifect  his  object,  as  his 
enemies  bitterly  assert,  at  all  events  by  his  decisive  energy 
and  active  measures  worked  such  reforms  in  the  middle  of 
the  last  century,  and,  as  his  admirers  triumphantly  declare, 
by  his  own  unassisted  courage  and  consummate  prudence 
saved  the  country  from  anarchy  and  destruction.    Another 
picture  singled  out  for  my  particular  observation  was  the 
well-known  face  of  our  Charles  I.,  though  my  conductor 
was  impressed  with  the  conviction,  of  which  I  found  it 
difficult  to   disabuse  his  mind,   that  this  portrait  repre- 
sented '  Charles  III.  d'Angleterre.'     As  regards  the  books, 
they  number  30,500  volumes,  exclusive  of  manuscripts  ; 
and  are  (as  might  be  supposed)  almost  entirely  confined 
to  theological  works,  inasmuch  as  here  are  congregated 
several   of  the  libraries   of  the  suppressed  convents.     A 
great  many  Bibles  of  very  early  dates  were  successively 
handed  down  for  my  examination,  and  I  have  little  doubt 
that,  as  I  was  assured,  the  shelves  contained  many  valu- 
able and  scarce  works  on  the  history  of  the  country ;  but 
abstruse  speculations  of  churchmen  and  the  minute  points 
of  doctrine  on  which  the   Schoolmen  loved  to  contend, 
seemed  to   comprise  the   great  bulk  of  the  heavy  tomes 
which  lined  the  walls   on  either  hand.     However,  both 
pictures  and  books  were   apparently  held   cheap  by  my 
conductors  in  comparison  with  treasures  of  another  kind, 
which  were  carefully  produced  from  a  cabinet  at  the  ex- 
treme end  of  the  room.     Here  I  was  desired  to  be  seated, 
and  then  one  by  one  these  valuables  were  taken  from  the 
cloths  which  enwrapped  them,   and  exposed  for  my  ad- 
miration.    I  need  not  linger  over  these,  which  formed  the 
ordinary  sample  of  the  objects  usually  collected  in  such 
places  ;  as  for  example,  a  triptych  of  Limoges  work ;  several 
beautifully    carved     ivories;    some    exquisitely    painted 
miniatures,  and  other  highly-prized  objects  of  art ;  but  I 


EVORA.  09 

pass  on  to  what  really  was  of  very  great  interest,  and 
which  is  seldom  shown  to  strangers,  the  large  '  Flag  of  the 
Holy  Inquisition,'  which  was  uncovered  with  peculiar  care, 
and  unfolded  and  spread  on  the  table  for  my  inspection  : 
it  is  about  twelve  feet  in  length  and  eight  in  breadth,  and 
is  composed  of  crimson  silk  of  great  richness  and  thick- 
ness, and  in  the  centre  the  arms  of  the  Inquisition  are 
worked  in  gold,  surrounded  with  the  very  expressive  motto 
'  Exsurge,  Domine,  causam  Tuam  judica.'  This  was  evi- 
dently regarded  with  great  reverence  as  a  memento  of 
days  when  the  Church  was  all-powerful,  and  the  sub- 
librarian openly  lamented  that  those  days  were  gone  by. 
Doubtless  that  banner  had  witnessed  many  a  cruel  death, 
and  had  floated  over  the  procession  at  many  an  auto  cle  fe 
but  amidst  the  enormities  of  which  the  Holy  Inquisition 
was  undoubtedly  guilty,  it  was  the  cause  of  one  glorious 
effect,  which  remains  to  this  day,  that  dissenters  from  the 
Church  have  never  gained  a  footing  in  either  Spain  or 
Portugal ;  so  that,  while  I  could  scarcely  repress  a  shudder 
as  I  thouo'ht  of  the  fearful  tortures  and  the  wretched  vie- 
tims  of  which  it  reminded  me,  and  felt  thankful  that  such 
a  tyrannical  court  of  enquiry  had  never  penetrated  our 
more  favoured  country,  I  could  not  but  admire  the  una- 
nimity in  the  faith  to  which  in  the  Peninsula  it  has  given 
rise,  an  unanimity  from  which  we  at  home  are  apparently 
so  distant ;  but  which,  if  only  it  could  be  attained,  would 
be  the  greatest  blessing  religion  in  England  could  know. 
There  is,  moreover,  this  to  be  said  with  regard  to  the 
Inquisition  in  the  Peninsula,  that  though  nothing  can 
excuse  or  palliate  the  injustice,  the  guilt,  the  cruelties,  and 
the  judicial  murders  it  caused,  and  the  monstrous  abuses 
to  which  it  gave  rise,  its  original  intention,  however  ill- 
founded  and  unlikely  to  succeed,  was  merciful,  as  con- 
ducive to  the  salvation  of  souls ;  and  as  such,  in  an  age  of 
bigotry  was  accepted  and  fostered  by  some  of  the  most 


70  A   SPRING   TOUR    IN   TORTUGAL. 

humane  and  pious  prelates  and  sovereigns  the  world  has 
ever  known,  amongst  whom  I  need  but  mention  the 
saintly  Cardinal  Ximenes  and  the  gentle  and  accom- 
plished Queen  Isabella  of  Spain,  than  whom  I  know 
no  brighter  example  of  consistent  piety,  wisdom,  and 
courage ;  in  short,  no  more  perfect  character,  when  con- 
sidered in  every  aspect,  throughout  the  whole  range  of 
secular  history. 

And  now  my  conductors  passed  on  to  a  small  cabinet 
of  antiquities  and  foreign  curiosities — Egyptian,  Indian, 
Chinese,  South-American,  &c. — the  latter  of  no  particular 
merit;  but  my  attention  was  at  once  attracted  to  eight 
or  nine  stone  celts,  of  large  size  and  of  unmistakable 
antiquity,  some  of  which  were  beautifully  shaped  and 
partially  polished,  and  all  of  which,  I  was  assured,  had 
been  found  within  the  stone  temples  and  other  Druidical 
remains,  of  which  (said  my  informant)  Portugal  is  full. 
Then  he  showed  me  a  bronze  celt  of  exactly  similar  shape, 
but  flatter  and  of  course  thinner,  and  then  what  he  desig- 
nated a  bronze  sword  of  Celtic  origin,  but  of  somewhat 
later  date  than  the  stone  implements.  These  were  all  dug 
up  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Evora,  and  are  but  samples  of 
what  the  unexplored  country  contains ;  for  when  we  take 
into  consideration  the  enormous  tracts  of  waste  land,  as 
compared  with  those  portions  which  are  under  cultivation, 
we  shall  readily  understand  that  the  days  of  the  exploring 
archaeologist  aie  not  yet  come,  but  that  at  some  future 
period  there  will  be  a  rich  harvest  of  antiquities  to  be  ex- 
humed, when  the  all-exposing  ploughshare  shall  penetrate 
those  wild  solitudes,  which  now  are  so  seldom  trodden 
even  by  the  shepherd's  foot. 

Taking  a  veiy  cordial  leave  of  my  kind  friends  at  the 
library,  and  thanking  them,  as  I  did  very  heartily,  for  their 
most  obliging  civilities,  and  amidst  a  shower  of  compli- 
ments and  expressions  of  mutual  esteem,  as  is  the  custom 


EVORA.  71 

in  tlie  Peninsula,  I  now  descended  the  stairs  of  tlie  Arclii- 
episcopal  Palace,  and  soui^^lit  out  the  Roman  remains,  of 
which  tlie  city  is  full,  and  for  which  it  is  said  to  be  re- 
nowned above  all  other  places  in  the  kingdom.     At  a  very 
short  distance  from   the  cathedral  stands   the  celebrated 
temple  of  Diana,  upon  which  the  most  excessive  praise  has 
been  bestowed.     It  is   undoubtedly  an  elegant  building, 
and  tolerably  perfect :  the  fluted  columns  and  their  well- 
worked  capitals  are  certainly  admirable,  and  they  are  now 
connected  by  curtain  walls  of  masonry,  which  will  doubtless 
tend  to  their  preservation ;  but,  however  good  a  specimen 
of  genuine  Roman  work,  this  temple  has  no  pretensions 
to    such    extraordinary  excellence,  and   does  not  in  any 
degree    deserve    the    extravagant   praise  wdiich   has  been 
lavished  upon  it :  indeed,  I  will  venture  to  remark,  that 
the  habit  indulged  in  by  so  many  travellers  of  magnifying 
the  merits  of  the  objects  they  describe  is  not  only  repre- 
hensible, as  exaggeration  under  all  circumstances  must  be, 
but  also  tends  to  general  disappointment,  and  consequently 
a  feeling  of  indignation  against  those  who  have  raised  expec- 
tation to  so  high  a  pitch  and  upon  so  slender  a  foundation. 
The  temple  of  Diana  possesses,  however,  one  excellence, 
viz.,  a  most  commanding  position,  and  the  view  from  the 
terrace  hard  by  must  not  be  passed  over ;  for  not  only 
does  the  eye  wander  over  the  wide-spreading  uncultivated 
heath,  stretching  away  to  the  horizon,  and  glowing  with  a 
purple  hue,  but,  looking  out  towards  the  east  and  north- 
east, one  can  see  almost  to  the  confines  of  Portugal  and 
towards  Elvas  and  Eadajoz,  names  which  cause  a  thrill  of 
admiration  and  triumph  to  every  true-born  Briton,  as  he 
thinks  of  the  heroic  deeds  of  his  countrymen  before  those 
almost  impregnable  fortifications. 

There  are  many  other  morsels  of  Roman  work,  of  more 
or  less  excellence,  in  various  parts  of  the  city,  and  con- 
spicuous amongst  them  is  the  famous  aqueduct,  which  to 


7-2  A   SPRIXG   TOUR   IX   PORTUGAL. 

the  present  day  conducts  water  to  the  thirsty  city  from  a 
distance  of  seven  miles.  Outside  the  walls  this  aqueduct 
forms  a  very  marked  feature  in  the  landscape,  as  in  many 
parts  it  stands  high  upon  arches,  and  so  stretches  over 
the  valleys  and  from  hill  to  hill. 

And  now  that  I  had  seen  the  chief  attractions  of  Evora, 
including  various  fragments  of  Eoman  work  and  several 
old-fashioned  churches,  I  was  free  to  start  off  with  my  gun 
for  a  long  walk  into  that  wild  heath  which  surrounded  it, 
and  through  which  I  had  resolved  to  wander  from  the  first 
moment  of  approaching  the  city.  I  was  very  soon  beyond 
the  walls  and  the  fields  and  gardens  which  encircle  them, 
and  within  an  hour  was  threading  my  way  through  the 
thick  bushes  and  scrub  and  amidst  the  broken  ground  and 
innumerable  watercourses  with  which  the  heath  is  beset. 
Now,  there  is  a  cl  arm  in  every  wilderness  in  my  eyes, 
which  it  is  impossible  to  express  in  words :  whether  it  be 
in  an  African  desert,  an  Alpine  snow  field,  a  Swedish 
forest,  a  Norwegian  fjeld,  or  an  English  down,  it  is  in- 
describably sweet  to  stand  face  to  face  with  nature,  and  to 
see  no  trace  of  man  on  any  side.  So  it  was  in  this  Portu- 
guese heath :  the  ground  was  by  no  means  level,  nor  was 
it  smooth  and  easy  walking;  indeed,  it  was  astonishing 
how  many  deep  dips  and  rapid  rises  one  had  to  scramble 
over  in  apparently  a  level  plain ;  then  one  had  to  thread  a 
tortuous  course  amidst  the  bushes,  many  of  them  armed 
with  very  formidable  thorns.  The  soil  was  everywhere 
sandy,  but  in  some  parts  rocky  as  well.  Bees  and  flies 
buzzed  and  hovered  over  every  bush;  caterpillars  of  strange 
form  and  gigantic  size,  as  well  as  of  gay  colour,  crawled  on 
the  ground;  and  of  birds,  larks  of  two  species,  buntings 
and  goldfinches  and  stonechats,  were  abundant,  while  the 
pretty  yellow  Serin  finches  flitted  by  in  little  flocks,  and 
gave  me  a  better  opportunity  than  I  had  ever  had  before 
of  watching  the  movements  and  flight  of  these  brilliant 


EVORA.  73 

denizens  of  Soutliern  Europe.  And  so  I  rambled  on  for 
hours  through  the  many-coloured  heath,  admiring  the  gay 
flowers  which  bloomed  in  such  profusion ;  and  the  sim  was 
sinking  very  low  towards  the  west  before  I  could  tear 
myself  away  from  those  enchanting  solitudes  redolent  of 
heath  and  aromatic  shrubs,  the  very  Elysian  fields  of  a 
naturalist's  dream. 

We  took  leave  of  our  humble  hostelry  at  a  very  early 
hour  in  the  mornino-,  and  we  shall  always  remember  the 
'Hospedaria  Taberquina'  as  our  first  experience  of  a  genuine 
unsophisticated  Portuguese  inn,  where  we  were  the  source 
of  unbounded  astonishment  to  all  the  inhabitants,  and 
where  the  dishes  at  our  meals  were  unmistakably  Portu- 
guese, though  that  by  no  means  implies  that  they  were 
appreciated  by  English  taste.  Then  we  hurried  through 
the  deserted  streets,  out  of  the  gates  of  Evora,  and  ran 
down  the  hill  to  the  railway  station,  urged  on  to  such 
exertion  by  the  frantic  ringing  of  the  station  bell,  and  the 
recollection  that  to  miss  the  early  morning  train  implies 
of  necessity  to  be  detained  till  the  next  day.  However,  we 
were  in  ample  time,  and  this  was  but  the  national  habit  in 
conductors  of  public  carriages  as  well  as  station-masters, 
as  we  afterwards  experienced  on  more  than  one  occasion, 
to  obtain  punctuality  in  their  passengers,  if  possible,  by 
practising  every  ruse  and  stratagem  in  their  power  to  decoy 
them  into  the  belief  of  an  early  start. 

We  had  the  same  pleasant  journey  back  through  the 
wild  heaths  and  plains ;  again  changed  carriages  at  Casa 
Branca,  where  we  joined  the  train  from  Beja  ;  again  stop- 
ped for  ten  minutes  at  Vendas  Novas,  where  we  passed  the 
doivn  train ;  but  when  we  reached  Pinhal  Novo,  the  junc- 
tion for  Setubal,  we  left  the  main  line,  and  throughout  the 
ten  miles  which  intervened  before  that  city  was  reached, 
w^e  passed  through  a  country  of  great  beauty,  running 
under  the  castle  and  hill  of  Palmella,  and  entering  Setu- 


74  A   SPKING   TOUR   IN   POETUGAL. 

bal  amidst  such  quintas  and  gardens  and  orange  groves  as 
we  had  not  seen  elsewhere.     This,  however,  was  only  what 
we  expected,  inasmuch  as  all  the  best  oranges  of  Portugal 
are  grown  in  this  locality ;  nay,  so  highly  is  the  fruit  of 
Setubal   esteemed,  that  connoisseurs  are   said   to   make 
expeditions  hither  in  order  to  enjoy  the  full  flavour  of  the 
orange,  which  loses  some  of  its  superlative  excellence  by 
the  short  transport  to  Lisbon.     Probably  this  is  but  an 
unfounded  fancy ;  but,  at  all  events,  Setubal  stands  em- 
bosomed in  orange  groves,  where  the  trees  were  loaded 
with  magnificent  fruit,  and  of  its  very  excellent  flavour 
w^e  took  care  to  qualify  ourselves  as  experienced  judges. 
As  reo-ards  the  town  of  Setubal,  I  must  declare  it  to  be 
the  very  acme  of  all  that  is  dullest,  ugliest,  most  desolate, 
and  uninteresting.     We  wandered  through  it  in  every  di- 
rection, but  there  was  nothing  to  admire  or  to  interest ; 
the  squares  were  grass-grown,  the  streets  deserted.     Even 
after  Evora,  it  seemed  a  city  of  the  dead.     And  then  we 
came  down  to  the  sea-shore,  and  here  a  little  life  was  stir- 
ring ;  for  quite  within  the  harbour  a  shoal  of  porpoises 
was   gambolling,   attracted   doubtless   by  the   small    fry 
thrown  overboard  by  the  fishing  boats  ;  and  within  a  few 
3^ards  of  the  beach  two  fishing  smacks  were  moored,  which 
had  just  arrived  with  their  last  night's  haul.     So  here  we 
sat,  looking  over  the  bay,  and  admiring  the  surrounding 
hills,  while  we  watched  the  expressive  action,  the  loud 
talking,  and  the  violent  gestures  with  which  the  barter 
for  fish  was  carried  on  between  the  dealers  on  shore  and 
the  fishermen  in  the  boats,  until  at  length,  basket  on  head, 
men  and  boys  waded  through  the  shallow  water  to  the 
vessel's  side,  and  bore  away  their  purchase  in  triumph. 
We  found  the  town  so  intolerably  dull  and  uninteresting, 
and  the  harbour  and  bay  so  much  more  to  our  taste,  that 
here  we  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  time  we  had  devoted 
to  Setubal ;  and  then  we  took  train,  and  once  more  by 


SETUBAL.  75 

Pinhal  Novo  to  Barreiro,  whence  we  crossed  the  broad  bay 
of  the  Tagus  in  something  more  than  an  ordinary  gale  of 
Avind,  and  our  little  steamer  had  hard  work  to  make  head 
against  the  big  waves  ere  she  landed  us  once  more  in  now 
familiar  Lisbon. 


76  A   SPRING   TOUR    IN   PORTUGAL. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ALCOBAgA. 

We  left  Lisbon  with  regret :  not  only  on  account  of  our 
very  pleasant  sojourn  there,  and  the  great  kindness  we 
had  met  from  many  friends  whose  acquaintance  we  had 
made,  and  the  extreme  courtesy  and  general  readiness  to 
oblige  which  seem  to  be  distinguishing  traits  of  Portu- 
guese character  amongst  all  classes  ;  but  also  because  we 
had  contracted  a  real  liking  for  the  beautiful  city,  its 
streets,  its  gardens,  its  squares,  and  its  suburbs  ;  and  we 
were  sorry  to  bid  adieu  to  the  *^  golden  Tagus,'  whose 
waters,  at  all  events,  sparkled  daily  in  the  golden  sun- 
shine before  our  windows,  if  its  sands  are  not  now  covered 
with  gold,  as  in  the  days  when  Ovid  sang,*  and  whose 
name,  if  not  derived,  as  suggested  above,  from  the  tajo  or 
chasm  in  the  granite  mountains  through  which  it  boils 
beneath  Toledo,  and  in  its  earlier  course,  may  be,  as  Dean 
Stanley  tells  us,  the  same  as  Dagon,  the  fish  god  of  the 
Philistines,!  and  so  may  record  the  renown  it  has  enjoyed 
for  so  many  ages  for  the  excellence  and  profusion  of  the 
finny  tribes  with  which  its  waters  abound. 

However,  our  route  now  lay  northwards  towards  Oporto ; 
but,  as  we  desired  to  see  something  of  the  intervening 
country,  and  more  especially  to  visit  the  famous  monas- 
teries of  Alcoba9a  and  Batalha,   we  proposed  to  deviate 

*  Metamorphosis,  ii.  v.  2ol. 

t  Lectures  on  the  Jewish  Church,  vol.  i.  p.  361. 


ALCOBAgA.  77 

from  the  direct  line  at  a  sliort  distance  from  the  capital, 
and  leaving  the  railway  which  now  connects  the  two  largest 
cities  in  the  kingdom,  to  make  our  way  by  road,  and  by  a 
somewhat  circuitous  route  through  Cereal  and  Caldas  de 
Rainha. 

Now,  in  all  southern  countries,  the  universal  practice  is 
to  travel  by  night  ;  and  this  custom,  which  is  intelligible 
enough  in  the  hot  weather,  when  a  railway  carriage  be- 
comes like  an  oven  under  the  fierce  rays  of  a  midday  sun, 
is  so  engrained  in  the  habits  of  the  southerners,  that  all 
the  arrangements  for  the  starting  of  public  carriages, 
whether  by  rail  or  road,  are  made  upon  this  principle 
for  all  seasons  of  the  year ;  so  that,  even  if  the  railway 
journey  might  be  contrived  by  a  morning  train,  the  dili- 
gence, or  omnibus,  or  sociable,  which  begins  its  journey 
from  any  station  to  some  distant  town,  is  certain  to  start 
at  night,  and  he  who  would  take  advantage  of  such  con- 
venient and  inexpensive  conveyance  must  perforce  accom- 
modate himself  to  the  national  custom,  and  plan  his  jour- ' 
ney  accordingly.  At  the  same  time,  as  such  a  practice  is 
altogether  fatal  to  the  purpose  of  the  tourist,  who  desires 
to  see  something  of  the  country  through  which  he  jour- 
neys, he  will  generally  find  himself  debarred  by  this 
unfortunate  arrangement  from  taking  advantage  of  the 
public  carriages,  of  which  otherwise  he  would  gladly 
make  use. 

However,  as  our  proposed  journey  was  a  long  one,  and 
would  occupy  some  eighteen  hours  (for  there  was  nothing 
of  special  interest  to  detain  us  till  we  reached  Alcobapa) ; 
as,  moreover,  a  full  moon,  shining  in  the  clearest  of  skies, 
promised  to  light  up  the  landscape  for  our  advantage,  we 
made  arrangements  to  start  by  the  latest  train  ;  and,  just 
as  the  sun  was  setting  on  a  beautiful  evening  in  May,  we 
took  leave  of  Lisbon,  and,  after  something  more  than  an 
hour's  journey,  were  landed  on  the  platform  of  the  deso- 


78  A   SPRING   TOUE   IN   PORTUGAL. 

late  station  of  Carregado,  where  we  fondly  expected  to  find 
a  so-called  diligence,  but  in  reality  a  small  sociable,  start- 
ing for  Alcoba9a.  Now,  our  knowledge  of  the  Portuguese 
tongue  might  be  accurately  described  as  infinitesimal,  and 
I  must  confess  that  we  felt  somewhat  at  a  loss,  and  stared 
at  one  another  in  rather  blank  dismay,  when,  on  looking 
around  us  in  all  directions,  we  could  see  no  sign  of  a  car- 
riao-e  of  any  kind.  So  here  we  were,  benighted  travellers 
indeed,  cast  aw^ay  by  the  train  at  a  deserted  station  in 
apparently  an  uninhabited  district,  with  but  very  feeble 
powers  of  making  ourselves  understood,  and  at  nine 
o'clock  at  night.  Then,  if  ever,  we  felt  ourselves  to  be 
'lone,  lorn  wanderers,'  as  the  ever  famous  Mrs.  Gum- 
midge  would  say,  fairly  stranded  on  a  foreign  shore,  and 
no  means  of  advance  or  retreat  discernible.  However, 
'  there  is  a  remedy  for  everything  under  the  sun  but 
death,'  says  Sancho  Panza,  and  'fortune  always  leaves 
some  door  open  in  misfortune  to  admit  a  remedy,'  and  '  a 
good  heart  breaks  bad  luck.'  So  we  philosophically  con- 
soled ourselves  with  these  pithy  maxims  of  the  Peninsula, 
and  began  to  search  for  any  escape  which  might  offer 
itself  from  this  dilemma.  Accordingly,  while  F.  remained 
to  guard  the  luggage  and  interrogate  the  station-master,  I 
started  off  down  the  moonlit  road  in  search  of  some  hos- 
pedaria  or  estcdagem  where  we  might  procure  either  beds 
or  a  carriage.  Within  less  than  an  hour  I  was  fortunate 
enough  to  find  a  roadside  inn,  which,  though  uninviting 
enough,  and  not  for  a  moment  to  be  thought  of  for  night- 
quarters,  was  able  to  furnish  a  dilapidated  but  roomy  old 
chariot,  and  a  pair  of  sturdy  black  mules  ;  for  which, 
after  an  immense  amount  of  bargaining,  conducted  more 
by  dumb  show  and  unintelligible  monosyllables  than  by 
argument  and  reason,  we  concluded  our  arrangement : 
and  so  behold  us,  at  10  o'clock  at  night,  beginning  our 
fifty-mile  drive  to  Alcobapa.     The  moon  was  so  brilliant 


ALC0BA9A.  79 

that  we  could  not  regret  our  niglit  journey,  though  our 
route  lay  through  a  district  of  great  natural  beauty,  and 
through  valleys  and  over  hills  in  part  highly  cultivated, 
and  in  part  abandoned  to  wild  flowers,  rocks,  and  shrubs. 
And  so  we  travelled  on,  seldom  much  beyond  a  foot's  pace, 
for  which  we  roundly  upbraided  our  driver,  but  which 
subsequent  experience  taught  us  was  the  general  speed  of 
Portuguese  coaches  ;  up  and  down  a  succession  of  hills, 
and  seldom  on  level  ground ;  till  at  length,  at  half-past 
3  in  the  morning,  we  reached  the  village  of  Cereal,  where 
the  mules  were  to  be  rested  for  two  hours :  durino- 
which  time  we  slept  soundly  in  our  carriage,  and  were 
glad  enough  to  do  so,  as  the  rough  stony  roads  we  had 
traversed  had  altogether  prevented  sleep  during  our  pro- 
gress from  Carreo^ado. 

The  villages  which  we  passed  were  of  a  primitive  order, 
and  the  cottages  were  generally  composed  of  the  material 
denominated  coh,  or  a  mixture  of  straw  and  mud ;  and  the 
glimpses  of  Portuguese  peasant  life  which  we  caught  from 
time  to  time,  caused  us  involuntarily  to  exclaim — 

0  duree  tellus  Lusitaniae  ! 

but  the  glorious  sun  spread  its  golden  mantle  over  their 
wretched  dwellings,  and  lit  up  their  dingy  hovels,  and 
ennobled  their  poor  abodes,  and  the  people  looked  cheer- 
ful, contented,  and  happy.  Moreover,  the  country  was 
charming,  and  the  admiration  of  Childe  Harold  was  con- 
tinually before  our  minds — 

It  is  a  goodly  sight  to  see 
What  Heaven  hath  done  for  this  delicious  land ! 
"What  fruits  of  fragrance  blush  on  every  tree  ! 
What  goodly  prospects  o'er  the  hills  expand  ! 

From  Cereal  to  Caldas  de  Rainha,  there  was  no  great 
attraction  in  the  scenery,  except  that  the  country  seemed 
more  wooded,  and,  if  possible,  more  hilly.     Very  long 


80  A   SPRIXG   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

and  tiresome  were  those  endless  mountains,  up  which  we 
crawled  so  deliberately,  and  down  which  we  descended 
scarcely  more  rapidly ;  and  we  were  heartily  glad  when  at 
9.30  A.M.  we  entered  Caldas,  and  drove  up  to  the  clean 
but  unpretending  estalagem  of  Jose  Paulo,  of  deserved 
renown  in  the  Handbook,  where  we  halted  for  breakfast. 

Caldas  de  Rainha,  or  '  The  Queen's  Hot  Baths,'  contains 
(as  its  name  Calidas  implies)  one  of  the  many  highly 
esteemed  hot  mineral  springs  and  baths  for  which  Portugal 
is  remarkable  ;  and  in  which  indeed  that  country  abounds, 
in  comparison  with  its  extent,  more  than  any  other  portion 
of  Europe,  though  beyond  the  limits  of  the  kingdom  they 
are  wholly  unknown.  Hither  come  the  rheumatic,  the 
gouty,  the  dyspeptic,  and  if  one  may  credit  half  the 
assurances  we  heard  regarding  the  efficacy  of  these 
waters,  then  without  doubt  it  is  strange  that  their  value 
should  be  so  overlooked  by  the  medical  world  beyond  the 
Peninsula ;  and  at  all  events,  it  would  be  worth  while  for 
some  whose  limbs  are  stiffened  by  exposure  in  our  catch- 
cold  climate  to  make  farther  enquiry  at  least,  if  not  a 
trial  of  these  baths  ;  which  I  have  repeatedly  heard  pro- 
nounced infallible  (!)  in  rheumatic  affections  ;  where  one 
single  bath  is  declared  to  give  relief,  and  where  five  or  six 
baths  are  said  to  be  a  certain  cure  in  ordinary  cases,  but 
a  course  of  six  weeks  no  less  positive  in  the  most  in- 
veterate attacks.  There  is  an  admirable  hospital  built 
here  for  the  use  of  the  poorer  patients ;  but  indeed  I  may 
say  that  generally  throughout  Portugal  the  care  bestowed 
upon  the  needy  and  the  sufferers  of  all  kinds  struck  me 
as  being  exceedingly  great,  aud  the  charitable  provisions 
against  distress  as  most  highly  praiseworthy. 

Our  driver  left  his  carriage  and  mules  at  Caldas,  and 
we  proceeded  in  another  equipage  of  the  same  generic 
character  as  the  last,  a  long  and  very  hilly  stage  to 
Alcoba^a.     The  country  hereabouts  was  extremely  pretty, 


ALCOBAgA.  81 

very  well  wooded,  and  in  many  parts  liigbly  fertile.  The 
road  was  admirably  constructed,  though  not  always  kept 
in  perfect  repair;  and  we  wound  round  the  hills,  and 
occasionally  resorted  to  zigzacjs,  after  true  Alpine  fashion, 
in  descending  the  steep  side  of  the  mountain  which 
separated  us  from  the  green  and  fruitfid  valley  in  which 
Alcobaya  lay :  indeed,  the  latter  portion  of  our  route  was 
through  a  succession  of  orchards  and  fruit  trees,  and  amid 
such  a  profusion  of  big  chestnut  trees  and  enormous  olives 
as  we  had  not  seen  since  leaving  Cintra.  This  was  no 
more  than  might  have  been  expected,  for  founders  of 
monasteries  generally  selected  the  most  eligible  spots  for 
their  religious  houses,  and  certainly  the  approach  to 
Alcobapa  betokened  the  good  judgment  with  which  the 
site  of  that  vast  abbey  was  chosen ;  for  I  do  not  know 
when  I  have  seen  a  more  rich  and  luxuriant  and  smilino- 
scene  than  the  beautiful  valley  by  which  we  entered  the 
little  town  :  towering  above  which,  and  conspicuous  on  all 
sides  from  the  surrounding  hills,  stood  the  great  Cister- 
cian monastery,  which  at  one  time  contained  a  thousand 
monks,  and  was  notorious  as  the  largest  and  probably  the 
most  wealthy  religious  house  in  the  world. 

We  found  tolerable  quarters  at  the  unpretending  little 
inn  close  by ;  and  here  by  the  greatest  good  fortune  we 
chanced  to  meet  a  gentleman,  who  not  only  'could  talk 
English  fluently,  but  most  kindly  put  himself  at  our 
disposal,  and  accompanied  us  afterwards  in  our  inspection 
of  the  monastery ;  and  not  content  with  this,  drove  over 
to  Batalha,  when  we  had  finished  our  stay  at  Alcobapa, 
and  spent  the  greater  portion  of  a  day  in  lionising  us  over 
that  magnificent  structure.  To  him,  indeed,  we  are  in- 
debted in  great  measure  for  the  very  complete  and  satis- 
factory examination  which  we  made  of  these  two  most 
interesting  buildings,  and  in  recording  the  name  of  our 
most  obliging  and  courteous  friend,  Senhor  Manoel  Grimes 

a 


82  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

Ferreira  da  Costa,  I  mention  one  who  was  not  only  of 
inestimable  service  to  us,  but  who  is  as  polished  and 
well-informed  a  Portuguese  gentleman  as  we  met  with 
throughout  our  tour. 

Under  his  guidance,  then,  we  sallied  forth  to  see  the 
great  monastery  of  Alcobapa,  for  the  details  of  which  I 
must  refer  my  readers  to  the  Handbook,  where  a  very  full 
and  accurate  description  will  be  found.    To  ourselves  it  was 
of  exceeding  interest :  in  the  first  place,  it  was  the  largest 
and  most  splendid  monastery  in  Christendom,  containing 
none  but  monks  of  noble,  or,  at  all  events,  gentle  birth  ;* 
who  were  very  seldom  to  be  seen  on  foot,  but  rode  abroad 
on  excellent  mules. f      Tlien  it  was  governed  by  an  abbot- 
general,  who  was  elected  amongst  the  brethren  for  three 
years,  enjoyed  episcopal  honours,  and  was  also  chief  of  the 
whole  of  the  members  of  the  Bernardine  Order  residing  in 
Portugal.^     It  had  indeed  been  suppressed  a  few  years 
back,  in  common  with  all  other  religious  houses  in  Por- 
tugal; and  previous  to  its  suppression  it  had  been  bar- 
barously consigned  to  the  flames  by  Massena  in  the  retreat 
of  the  French  from  Portugal ;  but  though  the  conflagra- 
tion lasted  twenty-one  days,  and  consumed  the  greater 
portion  of  the  cloisters  and  cells  of  the  monastery,  yet  the 
principal  buildings  escaped,  and  they  remain  to  this  hour 
just  as  they  stood  when  peopled  with  monks,  and  so  they 
offer  an  admirable  sample  of  what  an  abbey  was  in  the 
olden  time.     Already,  however,   neglect  is  beginning  to 
work  its  never-failing  results,  and  as  at  the  departure  of 
the  monks  there  were  none  left  to  execute  repairs,  these 
magnificent  buildings  are  gradually  beginning  to  fall  into 
decay ;  and  doubtless,  ere  long,  heaps  of  ruins  and  crumb- 

♦  Historical,  Military,  and  Picturesqiie  Observations  on  Tortugal.  By 
Colonel  Landmann.  London,  1818.  Vol.  ii.  p.  235.  Portugal  and  Gallicia. 
By  Lord  Carnarvon.     Page  20. 

t  Landmann,  ii.  236.  \  Ibid.  ii.  237. 


ALCOBAgA.  83 

ling  walls,  and  ivy-grown  arclies  will  alone  remain  to 
attest  the  position  of  one  of  the  proudest  monasteries  of 
Europe.  And  so  looking  onwards  to  the  future,  and  the 
destruction  which  every  year  is  sure  to  entail  ;  still  more, 
looking  back  to  the  past,  and  the  crowds  of  holy  l)rethren 
who  once  peopled  its  courts,  we  strolled  into  every  corner, 
and  examined  every  nook,  and  passed  on  from  church  to 
library,  and  kitchen,  and  refectory,  and  through  cloisters 
and  corridors  of  interminable  length ;  deserted  now,  and 
from  their  very  vastness  looking  doubly  desolate  and 
forlorn,  but  speaking  volumes  by  the  solidity  of  their 
structure  for  the  strength  and  endurance  which  monastic 
buildings  usually  affect,  but  which  here  appear  to  be 
carried  to  an  extreme  I  have  not  seen  elsewhere ;  for  some 
of  the  outer  walls,  which  I  measured,  were  no  less  than 
ten  feet  in  thickness,  and  doubtless  the  monastery,  if 
need  were,  could  have  stood  a  siege  in  its  palmy  days, 
defended  by  the  stout  arms  of  a  thousand  monks,  who 
would  fight  lustily  for  their  home,  their  possessions,  and 
their  Order. 

The  ground  plan  of  this  vast  pile  of  buildings  may  be 
roughly  described  as  an  irregular  square,  measuring  in 
round  numbers  some  700  feet  on  either  face;  but  it  is 
again  divided  by  the  church  and  other  buildings  into  four 
smaller  squares,  each  planted  with  orange  trees  and  sur- 
rounded with  galleries  and  cloisters.*  I  have  already  said 
that  the  principal  buildings  bear  no  traces  of  the  fire  by 
which  the  bulk  of  the  abbey  was  consumed :  these  are 
comprised  in  the  church,  the  library,  the  kitchen,  the  re- 
fectory, and  the  hospedarium,  or  strangers'  wing,  and  to 
each  of  these  in  due  order  we  turned  our  attention. 

We  first  visited  the  church,  which  stands  in  ^he  centre 
of  the  Jong  western  face  of  the  monastery,  and  which  is 

*  Landmann's  Observations  on  Portugal,  vol.  ii.  235. 
g2 


84  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   TORTUGAL. 

approached  by  an  imposing  flight  of  broad  steps  which 
lead  up  to  the  west  door.  Its  architecture  is  generally 
designated  *  modern  Xorman  Grothic,'  if  that  term  may 
suggest  any  definite  idea  to  my  reader's  mind.  More  aptly 
it  is  styled  by  Fergusson  not  unlike  the  Cistercian  abbey 
of  Pontigny  in  style,  and  is  characterised  by  that  author  as 
at  once  'simple  and  grand,  and  as  belonging  to  one  of  the 
most  splendid  monasteries  in  the  world.'  *  Externally  the 
church  has  a  lofty  and  noble  aspect,  towering  up  as  it 
should  above  the  secular  buildings  with  which  it  is  sur- 
rounded, but  the  west  front  appeared  to  me  massive  and 
heavy.  On  entering  we  were  much  struck  with  the  great 
height  of  the  nave,  and  doubtless  it  is  exceedingly  lofty ; 
but  the  many  large  pillars  of  excessive  dimensions  which 
support  the  vaulted  roof,  and  the  very  narrow  arches  they 
form,  and  the  narrow  nave  and  still  narrower  side  aisles, 
enhance  the  appearance  of  height  in  a  great  degree.  The 
side  chapels  and  altars  bear  traces  of  more  elaborate 
decoration  in  carving,  paintiDg,  and  gilding  than  are 
usually  to  be  met  with  in  Portugal ;  but  the  great  objects 
of  attraction  are  the  richly-carved  but  now  much-muti- 
lated monuments  of  Dom  Pedro  the  Cruel  and  the  far- 
famed  Donna  Ignez  de  Castro :  these  splendid  tombs  lie  in 
the  south  transept,  and  are  examined  with  deep  interest  by 
the  visitor,  not  only  for  their  really  beautiful  workmanship 
which  is  much  to  be  admired,  but  far  more  from  the  very 
romantic  history  which  appertains  to  that  deeply-attached 
but  most  unfortunate  couple,  of  whom  one  hears  so  much 
and  sees  so  many  pictures,  and  for  which  I  again  refer  to 
the  Handbook  (page  111).  From  the  church  we  went  to 
the  gardens,  now  a  simple  meadow,  but  wherein  the  re- 
mains of  statues  and  obelisks,  broken  flights  of  wide  steps, 
and  well-carved  stone  balustrades  mark  how  daintily  the 

*  Illustrated  Handbook  of  Architecture,  p.  836. 


ALCOBAgA.  85 

walks  and  terraces  were  laid  out  and  to  what  a  distance 
they  extended.  Hard  by  stands  a  small  chapel,  rich  in 
carving  and  gilding,  and  surrounded  by  a  cemetery  wherein 
the  servants  of  the  convent  were  buried,  for  the  monks 
themselves  were  interred  within  the  church. 

And  now  we  re-entered  the  monastery  on  the  south  side 
and  ascended  to  the  library,  which  is  one  of  the  finest 
rooms  I  ever  saw.  It  is  of  immense  size,  lofty,  and  with  a 
wide  gallery  running  all  round ;  with  a  marble  floor,  an 
elaborate  ceiling,  and  three  roofs,  one  above  another,  in 
order  to  exclude  all  possibility  of  damp  from  rain.  Here 
too  the  walls  were  of  enormous  thickness,  the  windows  large 
and  admirably  contrived  for  light,  but  well-fitting,  and 
provided  with  ample  shutters;  and  all  to  ensure  a  dry 
atmosphere  for  the  books,  and  at  the  same  time  an  even 
temperature  for  those  who  used  them.  Here  indeed  was 
an  inviting  reading-room  for  the  studious  monks !  on  the 
sunny  side  of  the  monastery,  and  looking  out  on  the  beau- 
tiful gardens  and  do^\Ta  the  green  valley,  we  may  imagine 
as  quiet  and  peaceful  retirement  as  the  most  fastidious 
student  could  desire.  The  walls  were  now  empty,  and 
only  the  shelves  remained  to  mark  where  the  treasures  had 
been ;  but  there  was  a  time  when  few  monasteries  could 
boast  so  large  a  catalogue  of  books  and  manuscripts,  and 
none  could  show  so  large  and  well-proportioned  a  room 
wherein  their  collections  were  contained. 

From  this  provision  for  ample  supplies  of  food  for  the 
mind  let  us  now  turn  to  the  place  whence  daily  issued  the 
enormous  supplies  of  food  for  the  body,  which  even  holy 
brethren  needed;  and  perhaps  the  kitchen  struck  us  as  the 
most  remarkable  portion  of  the  monastery,  for  it  appealed 
to  our  senses  in  unmistakable  language,  and  no  words 
were  needed  to  tell  on  what  a  colossal  scale  the  preparation 
of  monastic  dinners  was  carried  on  there.  We  are  told  by 
the  statistical  Murphy,  that  it  measures  one  hundred  feet  in 


86  A   SPEING   TOUR   I^   PORTUGAL. 

length,  twenty-two  in  breadth,  and  sixty-three  in  height;* 
and  in  the  midst  of  this  great  hall,  placed,  not  near  the 
wall,  but  where  it  is  accessible  on  every  side,  stands  the 
huge  fireplace,  twenty-eight  feet  long  by  eleven  broad  ;  the 
chimney  of  which  forms  a  pyramid  or  cone,  and  is  sup- 
ported on  eight  massive  iron  columns ;  and  one  could  not 
but  think  that  the  fires  which  would  fill  that  hearth  must 
have  scorched  the  cooks  who  stood  near  it.  Of  similar 
proportion  and  of  similar  solidity  were  the  immense  ovens, 
Avhich  were  built  on  one  side;  then  there  was  the  old 
cbopping-block,  of  extraordinary  thickness,  and  bearing  in 
its  hacked  surface  undoubted  evidence  of  the  cleavers  of 
monastic  cooks.  Then  again  there  were  two  massive  stone 
tables,  on  which  the  meat  was  laid  preparatory  to  roasting, 
each  of  a  single  slab  some  twelve  feet  in  length  by  eight  in 
breadth,  and  above  a  foot  in  solid  thickness.  On  the 
opposite  side  of  the  kitchen,  and  occupying  its  whole 
length,  was  a  succession  of  large  tanks  or  reservoirs,  each 
provided  with  its  own  fountain ;  and,  more  striking  than 
all,  there  was  positively  a  clear  and  rapid  stream,  or,  as 
our  Portuguese  companion  described  it,  a  river,  running 
right  through  the  kitchen,  in  at  one  end  and  out  at  the 
other ;  and  which,  by  being  simply  dammed  back  at  the 
exit,  would  soon  overflow,  and  thus  wash  the  whole  floor. 
Here  indeed  were  lordly  preparations  for  a  vast  banquet, 
but  daily  to  feed  a  thousand  hungry  monks  required  both 
space  and  appliances  of  gigantic  dimensions;  and  the 
extreme  solidity  and  vastness  of  everything  which  had 
impressed  us  throughout  the  building  were  especially 
observable  in  the  cooking  department. 

Beyond  the  kitchen  lay  the  buttery,  and  immediately 
beyond  that  the  refectory,  but  of  this  last  we  could  see 
but  little  beyond  the  noble  size  of  the  room ;  for  if  other 

*  Travels  in  Portugal  in  1789.     London,  1795.     Page  93. 


ALC0BA9A.  87 

portions  of  the  monastery  are  left  untouched  this  has 
indeed  undergone  a  transformation  which  would  have 
astonished  and  perhaps  horrified  the  good  monks  not  a 
little  could  they  see  the  desecration  ;  for  it  is  now  occupied 
as  a  small  theatre,  and  the  interior  fittings  completely 
block  up  and  hide  its  proportions. 

Other  courts  outside  the  main  building  contained  the 
ofifices  and  the  stables,  all  on  a  very  large  scale ;  and  I 
have  said  nothing  of  the  many  long  corridors  and  quad- 
rangles, which,  indeed,  comprise  no  small  portion  of  the 
existing  monastery,  though  they  have  in  great  part  been 
consumed  in  the  fire.  Moreover,  there  are  farms  and 
outbuildings  of  every  description  dotted  about  in  various 
positions  in  the  landscape,  and  all  connected  with  the 
great  Cistercian  house — the  centre  of  the  district,  which 
for  many  miles  round  employed  the  labour  of  the  people, 
and  supported  those  who  required  help. 

Perhaps  we  are  scarcely  in  a  position  to  appreciate  the 
tremendous  blow  which  the  suppression  of  such  a  monas- 
tery as  this  must  have  dealt  on  the  poorer  classes  of  the 
extensive  circle  to  which  the  influence  of  that  great  com- 
munity would  have  reached.  We  can  scarcely  realise  the 
amount  of  dependence  upon  it  for  their  daily  bread  which 
crowds  of  the  more  indigent  habitually  and  openly  ac- 
knowledged. Such  a  dependence  had  grown  with  their 
growth,  and  become  engrained  in  their  convictions  as  a 
second  nature ;  and  in  the  too  common  event  of  sickness 
or  trouble  or  want,  the  thoughts  of  the  poor  would  at  once 
turn  to  the  monastery  for  succour,  which  was  seldom  re- 
fused. Then  they  were  the  best  and  most  enlightened 
landlords  of  the  period,  most  considerate  for  their  tenants, 
most  ready  to  expend  capital  on  improvements  :  foremost, 
too,  in  all  works  of  public  utility,  they  were  the  road- 
makers,  the  bridge-builders  of  their  time.  Then  they 
were  the  only  schoolmasters  of  their  age ;  to  them  alone 


88  A   SPEING   TOUE    IX   PORTUGAL. 

was  due  the  education,  so  far  as  it  went,  of  the  children 
all  around  them.  Who,  again,  in  those  days  of  general 
ignorance  had  such  practical  wisdom,  as  well  as  such 
scholarship  and  learning,  and  therefore  could  give  such 
good  advice,  as  the  monks  ?  And  so,  in  a  well-conducted 
monastery  such  as  Alcobafa  is  said  to  have  been,  they  were 
looked  up  to,  and  deservedly  esteemed  by  the  whole  coun- 
try-side, as  the  great  benefactors  of  the  district ;  and  the 
abbey  was  the  point  cVappui  on  which  all  classes  leaned, 
and  to  which  all  eyes  turned,  when  they  needed  assistance. 
I  give  no  opinion  as  to  the  advantage  or  disadvantage  of 
such  institutions  in  the  present  day :  perhaps  the  spirit 
of  the  nineteenth  century  is  hardly  calculated  for  their 
success,  and  possibly  the  grave  objections  which  are  urged 
against  their  revival  more  than  counterbalance  the  bene- 
fits they  would  still  confer.  But,  be  this  as  it  may,  I  must 
contend  that  the  amount  of  good  they  have  effected  in 
past  times  is  incalculable.  Unquestionably  there  were 
occasional  instances,  as  in  every  community  on  earth,  of 
corruption  and  disorder;  and  doubtless  every  authentic 
case  against  a  religious  body  was  made  the  most  of,  as  at 
this  day,  by  the  irreligious  and  worldly.  Still,  no  unpre- 
judiced enquirer  into  mediaeval  times  can  deny  that,  as  a 
body,  they  were  anything  but  the  lazy,  idle,  sensual  drones 
which  a  puritan  and  uncharitable  age  has  portrayed ;  and 
even  we  at  this  present  day  owe  a  large  debt  of  gratitude 
to  the  monks  for  the  preservation  and  advancement  of 
much  that  we  enjoy,  and  for  the  enlightenment  and 
civilization,  may  I  not  sa}'-,  of  the  religious  faith  and  the 
morality  of  our  times. 

At  present  a  small  corner  of  the  extreme  north-west 
wing  of  Alcobaya  is  occupied  by  a  small  band  of  thirty 
soldiers.  This  was  once  the  hospedarium,  to  which  the 
guest  was  always  received  with  welcome,  and  from  which 
none  were  turned  away.     Here,  too,   are   certain  rooms 


ALC0BA9A.  89 

fitted  up  as  prisons,  to  which,  amon<>;st  eight  or  nine  com- 
moner felons,  several  noblemen  have  just  l)een  consigned, 
to  await  their  trial  for  the  foul  murder  of  a  rich  baron, 
whose  possessions  were  the  envy  of  the  assassins ;  and 
foremost  among  these  was  the  brother  of  the  murdered 
man.  A  strong  guard  of  soldiers  encompassed  this  prison 
day  and  night,  and  beneath  its  windows,  looking  towards 
the  street,  a  double  guard  was  always  patrolling,  as  from 
the  rank  and  position  of  the  prisoners  awaiting  their  trial 
an  attempt  at  rescue  was  apprehended. 

Certain  other  portions  of  the  building  are  more  worthily 
employed  in  preserving  the  mimicipal  archives  and  docu- 
ments connected  with  the  province ;  but  otherwise  the 
great  monastery  is  deserted  and  empty, — a  noble  house 
without  a  tenant,  a  promising  shell  without  a  kernel,  a 
fair  rind  without  but  rottenness  and  decay  within,  a 
magnificent  casket  with  no  contents, — a  glorious  shrine, 
but  unoccupied,  hollow  and  barren. 


90  A   SPEIXG   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 


CHAPTEK  VIII. 

BATALHA. 

The  bed-room  which  I  occupied  in  the  little  humble  esta- 
lagem  of  Alcoba^a  was  not  by  any  means  over-luxurious. 
It  measured  just  seven  feet  by  nine;  it  had  no  window 
whatever,  but  a  large  square  opening  above  the  door 
admitted  such  fresh  air  as  the  passage  outside  could  com- 
mand, but  at  mid-day  it  was  perfectly  dark.  It  was  a 
mere  cupboard  of  a  room,  and  would  have  been  heartily 
despised  by  the  most  self-denying  monk  in  the  monastery: 
moreover,  the  bed  never  pretended  to  be  more  than  a 
mere  mattrass  of  straw,  and  the  pillow  was  a  wisp  of  straw 
in  a  calico  covering,  so  that  if  I  chanced  to  move  ever  so 
little,  the  crackling  beneath  my  head  was  quite  startling 
and  even  electrifying,  from  its  novelty.  However,  it  was 
all  beautifully  clean,  and,  thanks  to  the  jolting  I  had  ex- 
perienced through  the  previous  night,  I  slept  soundly  till 
daylight.  Partly  perhaps  from  the  cell-like  aspect  of  the 
room,  but  doubtless  much  more  from  the  examination  of 
the  various  parts  of  the  monastery  with  which  we  had 
been  so  much  interested  the  previous  day,  I  dreamt  that 
I  was  on  a  visit  to  the  Abbot  of  Alcobapa  and  his  thousand 
monks,  with  whom  I  was  peopling  the  monastery  all  night 
long.  Now  we  were  wandering  in  the  spacious  gardens, 
where  the  cowled  and  tonsured  brethren  were  sauntering 
two  and  two,  according  to  the  habit  of  their  Order ;  now 
we  were  in  the  library,  watching  the  labours  of  those  inde- 


BATALHA.  91 

fatigable  copyists,  as  they  were  busily  employed  in  repro- 
ducing, with  marvellous  quickness  and  dexterity,  an  exact 
facsimile  of  one  of  their  precious  manuscripts,  or  artisti- 
cally painting  in  brilliant  colours  and  gold  the  quaint 
desiirn  Avhich  formed  some  initial  letter.  Anon  we  were 
standing  in  the  great  church,  admiring  the  reverence  and 
devotion  of  that  large  body  of  worshippers,  all  clad  in  the 
same  dark  robes,  all  moving  simultaneously  as  if  actuated 
by  one  impulse,  all  singing  the  responses  in  a  chorus  of 
deep  hoarse  voices.  Or  again,  we  were  passing  through 
the  long  corridors,  no  longer  deserted,  but  well  filled  with 
the  sombre  figures  of  the  monks ;  or  we  were  partaking 
of  a  frugal  meal  in  the  refectory,  where  all  voices  were 
hushed  save  that  of  the  reader,  who  was  chanting  out  a 
chapter  of  the  Vulgate  in  a  high  key.  And  again,  in  my 
dream  I  was  visiting  the  kitchen,  and  beholding  those 
huge  appliances  for  cooking  which  had  so  astonished  us 
the  previous  day,  now  in  full  use.  And  it  was  not  only 
for  one  single  night  that  such  visions  of  the  good  fathers 
haunted  my  slumbers,  but  so  impressed  had  I  been  with 
this  very  spacious  and  very  perfect  monastery,  and  of  such 
absorbing  interest  were  the  habits  and  the  daily  life  of  its 
occupants,  vividly  brought  before  my  mind  on  the  spot, 
that  for  several  days  and  nights,  whether  awake  or  dream- 
ing, I  could  think  of  little  else  but  the  great  abbey  and 
the  monks  as  they  were  at  their  most  flourishing  period. 
Indeed,  there  was  something  singularly  touching  and  sad 
in  the  recollection  of  their  past  grandeur,  the  undoubted 
good  they  effected  in  their  district,  their  noble  aims  and 
intentions,  and  their  present  total  abolition,  wnile  all  their 
vast  buildings  remain.  Never  before  had  I  felt  such  a 
sympathy  for  the  brethren,  and  yet  I  had  been  their  guest 
on  several  occasions.  I  had  often  encountered  them  in 
former  years  in  Germany,  Switzerland,  and  Italy :  I  had 
become  familiar  with  all  the  principal  branches — grey. 


92  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX    PORTUGAL. 

black,  and  white;  Franciscans,  Dominicans,  and  Carme- 
lites :  and  I  had  observed  the  Eastern  fathers  as  well, 
Grreek  and  Syrian  and  Coptic.  But  the  great  empty  shell 
at  Alcobaga  spoke  of  high  aspirations  come  to  an  end,  of 
lives  devoted  to  Grod  passed  away  ;  and  all  the  reflections 
connected  with  this  great  abbey,  as  perfect  as  human 
design  and  skill  could  effect,  were  of  a  melancholy  nature, 
for  they  spoke  only  of  the  past,  without  any  reference  to 
the  present  or  the  future. 

It  was  in  the  very  midst  of  these  memories,  and  while 
indulging  in  this  dreamy  retrospect  and  resuscitation  of 
da3^s  long  ago  passed  away,  that  we  drove  away  in  a  char- 
a-banc  with  a  pair  of  raw-boned  mules  to  the  rival  Do- 
minican monastery  of  Batalha.  Our  route  lay  for  nearly 
a  league  up  a  succession  of  steep  hills,  from  which  we  en- 
joj'^ed  an  admirable  bird's-eye  view  of  the  great  monastery 
we  had  left,  towering  above  the  town  of  Alcobar'a.  Then 
we  passed  through  the  long  straggling  street  of  Aljubar- 
rota,  renowned  for  the  famous  battle  fought  in  that  neigh- 
bourhood and  to  which  it  accordingly  supplied  a  name, 
and  which  is  still  proudly  referred  to  by  the  Portuguese 
as  one  of  the  greatest  victories  which  their  arms  have  ever 
gained :  moreover,  their  opponents  acknowledge  their  de- 
feat to  have  been  overwhelming,  the  flower  of  the  Castilian 
nobility  to  have  been  slain,  and  the  King  of  Castile  to 
have  worn  mourning  to  the  day  of  his  death  in  commemo- 
ration of  the  disaster."^  Thence  we  drove  over  pine-clad 
hills  and  through  perfect  forests  of  olives,  til],  on  winding 
down  the  mountain  side  into  the  valley  below,  we  suddenly 
found  ourselves  drawing  near  to  the  incomparable  flower 
of  all  monastic  buildings  at  Batalha,  a  single  glance  at 
whose  elegant  fabric  was  enough  to  show  to  what  a  height 
of  perfection  its  elaborate  details  of  decoration  had  been 

*  Prescott's  Ilisto7'y  of  the  Bcign  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  vol.  i.  p.  220. 


BATALIIA.  93 

carried,  and  withal  what  a  cliarniing-  and  graceful  collec- 
tion of  buildings  was  offered  to  our  admiration. 

Now,  Batallia  is  indisputably,  so  far  as  architecture  is 
concerned,  by  very  far  the  first  ecclesiastical  structure  in 
Portugal :  nay  more,  it  has  no  rival  which  can  compete 
with  it  for  a  single  moment ;  it  is  something  more  than 
facile  pri}iceps  amidst  its  brethren  of  Belem,  Alcobapa, 
and  Mafra.  And  yet  to  the  ordinary  English  ecclesiologist 
it  is  scarcely  known  even  by  name,  whilst  among  British 
travellers  in  Portugal,  and  still  less  amongst  the  educated 
inhabitants  of  the  country,  you  can  scarcely  find  one  in  a 
hundred  who  has  thouoflit  it  worth  the  fatig^ue  and  trouble 
to  deviate  but  a  short  day's  journey  from  the  direct  line 
which  connects  the  southern  and  northern  capitals  of 
Lisbon  and  Oporto,  in  order  to  see  this  beautiful  monastery, 
built  in  so  peculiar  a  style,  but  so  rich  and  striking  in  its 
exquisite  details. 

It  is  singular  that  it  should  be  so  overlooked,  because  of 
the  few  travellers  who  have  visited  it  scarcely  any  have 
refrained  from  proclaiming  loudly  their  unqualified  admi- 
ration of  this  lovely  gem  ;  though  it  would  seem  that  their 
several  assertions  have  met  with  little  credence  or  have 
excited  but  little  curiosity,  for  Batalha  is  still  a  name 
almost  unknown  beyond  the  limits  of  the  district  in  which 
it  stands.  So  long  ago  as  1795  the  architect.  Murphy, 
published  a  folio  volume  of  plans  and  elevations  of  these 
buildings,  to  which  he  laudably  devoted  much  time  and 
pains  on  the  spot.  They  are  certainly  by  no  means  accu- 
rate, but  they  are  sufficiently  attractive,  one  would  have 
supposed,  to  provoke  enquiry;  but  I  have  been  unable  to 
discover  any  other  engraving  or  picture  of  this  remarkable 
monastery,*  with  the  exception  of  a  ground-plan  of  the 

*  Since  writing  the  above,  I  have  seen  at  the  Kensington  Museum  a  very 
handsome  volume  of  twenty  large  photographs  of  this  monastery,  by  the 
late  Mr,  Thurston  Thompson,  published  about  a  year  ago  by  the  Arundel 


94  A   SPRING  TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

church,  given  in  the  single  page  which  alone  treats  of 
Batalha,   in   Mr.   Fergusson's    *  Illustrated   Handbook  of 
Architecture:'  and  even  this  ground-plan  is  copied  from 
Murphy's  book.     Of  descriptions  indeed  there  are  several, 
the  most  accurate  and  exhaustive  of  which  is  the  admirable 
account  given  in  the  Handbook,  to  which  I  beg  to  refer 
my  readers  for  more  detailed  information  than  I  can  give. 
We  spent  several  days  at  Batalha,  whilst  F.  made  quite 
a  large  series  of  photographs  of  the  church,  the  cloisters, 
the  Founder's  Chapel,  the  Capella  wiperfetta,  and  many 
other  lovely  morsels  which  demanded  the  attention  of  the 
camera,  so  that  we  had  ample  time  for  examining  this 
wondrous  work  of  art.     Moreover,  we  made  our  grand  tour 
of  inspection  under  peculiarly  favourable  circumstances, 
for  on  the  day  of  our  arrival  our  excellent  friend,  Senhor 
Manoel  Grimes  Ferreira  da  Costa,  drove  over  from  Alco- 
baya  with  two  companions  and  acted  as  our  interpreter, 
and  pointed  out  to  us  everything  worthy  of  observation ; 
and  with  him  and  his  friends  we  rambled  over  every  por- 
tion of  the  buildings,  even  to  the  roof  of  the  cloisters  and 
church  and  to  the  top  of  the  spire.     Nor  were  we  left  to 
our  own  unaided  investigations  when  our  most  kind  guides 
had  driven  back  to  Alcoba^a,  for  hard  by  the  estalagem 
where  we  lodged  dwelt  the  architect  or  engineer  in  charge 
of  the  restoration  (for  here,  too,  the  liberal,  large-hearted, 
enthusiastic  Dom  Fernando,  the  father  of  the  king,  is 
carrying  on  the  work  of  restoration  so  far  as  his  limited 
resources  will  allow) ;  and  whenever  we  required  advice,  or 
became  hopelessly  entangled  in  the  labyrinths  of  the  Por- 
tuguese tongue,  this  excellent  Paladin,  well  versed  in  the 
French  language,  was  summoned  by  mine   host  to  the 
rescue,  and  well  and  promptly  did  he  obey  the  summons 
and  deliver  us  from  our  slough  of  despond.  Thus  we  could 

Society.     To  this  I  would  refer  my  readers  for  admirable  details  of  this 
very  elaborate  building. 


BATALHA.  95 

congratulate  ourselves  that  we  bad  left  nothing  unseen  in 
our  examination  of  the  monastery,  and  we  rambled  at 
pleasure  in  and  out  among  the  buildings,  and  up  and 
down  from  floor  to  roof,  imdeterred  by  official,  whether 
sexton,  verger,  or  lay  brother. 

Compared  with  Alcobafa,  Batalha  is  but  a  diminutive 
monastery,  as  in  lieu  of  the  thousand  monks  which  the 
former  could  accommodate,  this  was  provided  for  little 
more  than  forty  brethren,  officials  and  laymen  connected 
with  the  religious  house  included.  Then,  again,  it  was 
comparatively  poor,  for  its  revenues  produced  but  2,000L 
per  annum,  while  Alcoba9a  in  its  palmiest  days  possessed 
landed  property  which  alone  yielded  an  anjiual  income  of 
30,000L*  It  was  founded  by  Joao  I.,  in  commemoration 
of  the  victory  which  he  obtained  over  the  Castilians  in 
1385  at  the  battle  of  Aljubarrota,  to  which  I  alluded 
above ;  and  also  as  a  thank-offering  in  accordance  with  a 
solemn  vow  he  had  made  during  the  heat  of  the  fight ;  and 
it  is  the  last  resting-place  of  himself  and  of  his  English 
wife.  Donna  Philippa,  of  Lancaster.  The  style  of  archi- 
tecture is  described  as  'modern  Norman  Grothic,  with  an 
occasional  dash  of  Arabian  intermixed,'  and  this  blendinor 
of  arabesque  with  Gothic,  Mohammedan,  and  Christian 
architecture  seems  quite  peculiar  to  Portugal.  It  reminds 
us  of  the  firm  grasp  with  which  the  Moors  contrived  to 
hold  their  own  during  several  centuries  in  this  kingdom; 
and  even  when  they  were  at  length  and  with  difficulty  ex- 
pelled, it  shows  what  an  impress  the  artistic  taste  of  those 
refined  and  skilful  workmen  left  in  the  country  of  their 
sojourn.  But  indeed  throughout  the  Peninsula  we  en- 
counter at  every  turn  memorials  of  these  pioneers  in  art, 
and  whatever  remains  of  ancient  work  seemed  remarkable 
for  the  grace  and  elegance  and  finish  of  design,  they  were 
sure  to  be  traced  to  the  hands  of  the  Arabs.    Nor  need  we 

*  Landmann's  Observations  on  Portugal,  vol.  ii.  p.  236. 


96  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

in  England  sneer  at  this,  for  we  too  are  not  uninfluenced 
in  several  respects  by  their  early  civilization :  for  example, 
even  now,  despise  them  as  we  may,  we  copy  their  ancient 
inimitable  scroll  work ;  we  make  use  of  the  numerals  which 
they  have  long  since  discarded  as  obsolete ;  we  adopt  their 
expressions  in  the  most  skilful  of  all  games  when,  however 
ignorant  of  its  meaning,  we  exclaim  at  chess  ^check-mate,' 
which  is  no  other  than  Sheikh-mat,  'the  king  is  dead;' 
and  other  instances  might  be  adduced  of  our  unacknow- 
ledged adoption  of  what  has  been  introduced  into  Europe 
by  that  polished  and  clever  race,  the  Arabic,  or  Saracenic, 
or  Moorish  nation. 

The  material  of  which  the  monastery  is  built  is  gene- 
rally said  to  be  '  marble,  similar  to  that  of  Carrara,'  but  it 
is  in  reality  a  peculiarly  close-grained  limestone,  of  pure 
and  dazzling  whiteness  when  first  extracted  from  the 
quarry,  but  which  has  become  mellowed  by  time  and 
weather  into  the  richest  yellow  and  brown  hues,  im- 
parting a  singularly  warm  and  pleasing  effect.  I  will  not 
attempt  to  describe  the  various  portions  which  comprise 
this  famous  pile  of  buildings :  I  will  not  even  touch  upon 
many  of  its  more  salient  points,  to  which  I  have  already 
referred  elsewhere:  but  I  desire  to  direct  attention  to  a 
few  details,  which  attracted  my  own  admiration,  and  which 
may  be  of  similar  interest  to  others. 

Our  first  gaze  is  naturally  directed  to  the  church,  which, 
in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  monastery,  struck  me  as 
of  very  ample  dimensions.  Its  form  and  arrangement 
seemed  peculiar,  though  Fergusson  tells  us  the  plan  is 
that  of  an  Italian  basilica,  viz.,  a  three-aisled  nave  termi- 
nated by  a  transept  with  five  chapels  occupying  the  entire 
eastern  end,  I  would  submit,  however,  that  it  does  possess 
a  choir,  though  a  very  short  one,  and  which  indeed  is 
little  more  than  an  apse  or  recess  from  the  transept  wall, 
flanked  by  other  chapels   almost  rivalling  the  choir  in 


BATALHA.  97 

lenjT^th.  What  struck  us  most  on  enterin^:^  was  its  lofti- 
ness, the  narrowness  of  its  aisles,  the  grand  simplicity,  and 
solidity  of  tlie  whole  ;  moreover,  there  were  no  side  chapels 
and  no  tawdry  ornaments  to  detract  from  the  general 
effect,  and  the  proportions  were  admirably  preserved. 

The  great  western  doorway  deserves  particular  notice. 
It  is  approached  by  a  broad  flight  of  steps,  which  lead 
down  to  the  church  from  the  higher  ground  above ;  and  as 
the  art  of  draining  has  been  altogether  neglected  here,  or 
the  drains  have  become  choked,  in  the  not  very  unusual 
event  of  a  thunderstorm  and  during  heavy  rain  a  goodly 
stream  rushes  down  the  steps,  and  reinforced  by  copious 
additions  which  pour  from  the  roofs  above,  flows  unre- 
strained into  the  body  of  the  church,  which  it  very  soon 
inundates  to  the  depth  of  two  feet*  However,  dry  weather 
prevailed  previous  to  and  during  our  visit,  so  that  we 
could  examine  the  magnificent  western  portal  at  our 
leisure,  without  the  necessity  of  wading  knee-deep  into  a 
bath.  And  indeed  the  exterior  of  the  great  western  door- 
way deserves  careful  and  close  inspection,  so  exquisitely 
finished  are  the  several  series  of  figures  in  alto  relievo 
which  adorn  the  deeply-carved  mouldings  with  which  it  is 
beset;  each  figure  (and  there  are  in  all  no  less  than  a 
hundred)  standing  on  its  own  light,  ornamented  pedestal, 
beneath  a  canopy  of  most  delicate  workmanship.  In  the 
centre,  above  the  door,  the  blessed  Saviour  is  represented, 
attended  by  the  twelve  Apostles  and  presiding  over  the 
Court  of  Heaven ;  and  the  saints  which  comprise  that 
celestial  court  are  ranged  in  order,  in  seven  rows  on  either 
hand.  To  the  four  Evangelists  is  given  the  post  of  honour, 
next  to  the  Redeemer ;  and  then  in  due  course  stand  the 
arch-angels,  the  angels,  the  confessors,  the  kings,  the  mar- 
tyrs, and,  lastly,  the  virgins ;  in  an  order  of  precedence  we 
should  scarcely  have  expected  amidst  a  nation  so  keenly 
appreciative  of  etiquette  in  rank.     High  above   all  the 

H 


98         A  SPRING  TOUR  IN  PORTUGAL. 

subject  includes  the  coronation  of  the  Virgin  by  the 
Eternal  Father.  I  feel  utterly  at  a  loss  in  attempting  to 
describe  the  delicacy  of  carving,  the  admirable  finish,  the 
amazing  perfection,  which  this  sculpture  shows.  There  is 
nothing  rough  and  coarse  and  intended  for  effect  at  a  dis- 
tance, but  every  face  is  a  portrait,  every  feature  is  a  study, 
every  profile  is  an  embodiment  of  bliss. 

But  I  must  not  exhaust  all  my  vocabulary  of  terms  of 
praise  in  describing  the  western  doorway,  or  how  shall  I 
fare  when  I  arrive  at  the  eastern  extremity,  the  famous 
capella  hnperfetta,  the  acknowledged  gem  of  the  whole 
pile  of  buildings  ?  Moreover,  there  are  other  and  very 
exquisite  points  to  be  touched  upon  midway. 

At  the  south-western  corner  of  the  south  aisle  stands 
the  founder's  chapel,  a  building  itself  of  no  ordinary  size 
and  of  great  architectural  merit ;  and  in  the  very  centre 
of  this  splendid  mausoleum,  and  raised  on  high,  are 
the  colossal  tombs  of  Dom  Joao  I.  and  his  wife,  Donna 
Philippa  of  England,  and  round  the  walls  stand  the  tombs 
of  their  four  children.  Everything  here  speaks  of  mag- 
nificence, careful  and  costly  preparation,  and  the  royal 
will  carried  out  to  the  very  letter;  and  surely  no  better 
resting-place  could  be  desired  by  the  most  puissant  poten- 
tate than  that  which  the  founder  of  Batalha  has  here  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  for  himself,  his  queen,  and  family ;  for 
be  it  observed,  that  it  is  one  thing,  even  for  the  most 
mighty  prince,  to  prepare  his  sepulchre  whilst  alive,  and 
quite  another  to  occupy  it  when  dead :  the  latter  a  result 
which  history  tells  us  has  been  very  often  denied  even  to 
the  most  powerful  monarchs,  and  of  which  some  of  the 
most  famous  tombs  in  the  world  are  a  standing  evidence 
to  this  day.  We  could  not  repress  a  momentary  feeling 
of  pride  which  involuntarily  arose  in  our  breasts,  when  we 
saw  the  leopards  of  England  quartered  with  Portugal 
upon  the  tomb  of  Philippa,  and  were  reminded  thereby 
what  an  influence  our  countrywoman  undoubtedly  exer- 


BATALIIA.  S9 

cised  in  the  founding  of  this  glorious  monastery.  All 
honour  to  both  the  noble  founders  for  the  princely  design, 
right  royally  carried  out  to  completion  ! 

The  great  cloisters,  examined  separately  and  apart  from 
the  adjoining  buildings,  present  perhaps  as  attractive  and 
pleasing  a  view  as  any  to  be  found  herein :  indeed,  they 
can  scarcely  be  too  highly  extolled ;  in  general  architec- 
tural design  resembling  those  at  Belem,  they  are  both 
very  much  larger  and  far  more  elaborately  carved.  Every 
arch  is  filled  with  tracery  of  the  richest  description,  and 
the  restoration  of  those  parts  which  have  fallen  into  decay 
has  been  accomplished  with  a  care  and  a  finish  which 
leaves  nothing  to  desire,  and  which  redounds  to  the  credit 
and  to  the  taste  of  the  munificent  Dom  Fernando.  The 
tracery  of  scarcely  two  arches  is  alike,  and  the  fertility  of 
invention  of  pattern  and  the  elaborate  execution  of  an 
intricate  design  equally  strike  one  with  astonishment.  At 
one  corner  of  this  cloister  stands  a  fountain  of  remarkable 
elegance,  and  this  is  perhaps  the  most  favourable  point  for 
grasping  in  one  coup  d'oail  the  most  telling  picture  of  this 
fairy-like  scene. 

The  little  cloisters  demand  no  special  comment,  and  I 
pass  on  to  the  chapter-house — a  square  room,  with  stone- 
vaulted  roof,  of  such  large  dimensions  as  to  impress  us 
with  astonishment  how  it  could  be  thus  spanned  by  a 
heavy  stone  roof.  By  such  rough  measurement  as  I  was 
able  to  accomplish,  I  found  the  diameter  of  the  room  to  be 
about  ninety-eight  feet;  but  if  this  is  not  quite  accurate, 
at  all  events  it  is  nearer  the  true  figure  than  that  of 
Colonel  Landmann,*  who,  though  he  S23eaks  of  it  as  a 
masterpiece  of  architecture,  calls  it  a  square  of  sixty-four 
feet ;  but,  in  truth,  it  is  an  enormous  breadth  to  be  thus 
vaulted  over  with  stone  without  the  support  of  a  central 
column,  as  is  the  more  general  form  we  adopt  iu  chapter- 
*   Observations  on  Portugal,  vol.  ii.  p.  239. 


100  A   SPRING    TOUR    IN   RORTUGAL. 

houses  at  home.  Moreover,  that  it  is  a  bond  fide  vault, 
and  neither  upheld,  nor  supported,  nor  assisted  by  any  un- 
seen contrivance,  we  are  enabled  to  assert,  inasmuch  as 
we  mounted  above  it  and  there  beheld  the  rough  stones, 
the  construction,  and  the  great  key-stone  of  this  enormous 
roof.  There,  too,  we  beheld  an  outer  gabled  roof  pro- 
jected over  it,  though  nowhere  impinging  upon  it,  formed 
in  three  steep  ridges  and  covered  with  tiles,  and  effectually 
protecting  it  from  the  weather. 

We  spent  above  an  hour  in  wandering  over  the  various 
roofs  of  this  pile  of  buildings,  picking  our  way  over  the 
great  tiles  laid  in  cement,  and  reminded  at  every  step  of 
the  stone  roof  of  iVIilan  Cathedral,  though  this  was  rough 
and  rugged  walking,  whereas  the  Italian  duomo  is  covered 
with  smooth  slabs ;  and  we  could  not  but  admire  the  good 
taste  and  judgment  of  the  restorers,  who  had  begun  their 
praiseworthy  efforts  by  repairing  all  the  dilapidations  in 
the  roof  and  excluding  the  rain,  thus  rendering  the  fabric 
weather-tight  before  they  began  the  more  interesting  and 
telling  work  of  renewing  the  decayed  mouldings,  the  in- 
tricate tracery,  and  the  exquisite  sculpture  of  the  interior. 
Then  we  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  spire,  and  looked  down 
upon  the  monastery  below  as  on  a  large  ground-plan, 
and  took  in  the  relative  positions  of  the  several  portions, 
and  comprehended  the  general  arrangement  of  the  whole. 
Hence  too  we  had  an  admirable  view  of  the  pretty  country 
around,  hilly  and  well  wooded,  and  withal  well  watered 
and  productive,  as  the  precincts  of  a  religious  house  are 
almost  invariably  found  to  be. 

And  now  it  only  remained  to  visit  the  capella  imperfetta, 
a  mere  unfinished  fragment,  a  sample  of  a  noble  design 
never  completed,  but  nevertheless,  without  dispute,  the 
gem  of  the  whole  building.  So  we  descended  from  the 
roof  and  made  our  way  to  the  east  end  of  the  church, 
where  this  marvellous  jewel  holds  the  position  which  in 
our  cathedrals  is  generally  occupied  by  the  Lady  Chapel. 


BATALHA.  101 

It  is  of  later  date  than  the  rest  of  the  building,  havin^^ 
been  intended  as  an  addition,  and  to  serve  as  a  mausoleum 
for  himself  and  others  of  the  Portuguese  kings,  by  Dom 
Manoel,  who  lived  one  hundred  years  after  Dom  Joao  I.  In 
form  it  is  an  octagon,  and  each  of  its  eight  sides  was  de- 
signed as  a  chapel  and  a  royal  tomb.  Nothing  can  exceed 
the  elaborate  ornamentation,  the  deeply  carved  moulding, 
the  lavish  profusion  of  sculpture  with  which  every  arch 
and  w^indow  is  adorned.  It  is  a  perfect  study  of  the  ex- 
tent to  which  decoration  can  be  carried,  when  an  architect 
of  correct  taste  has  carte  blanche,  and  funds  are  forth- 
coming, as  was  the  rare  case  in  Portugal  when  Dom  Manoel 
sat  upon  the  throne  ;  and  the  East  just  opened  out  by  Yasco 
de  Grama,  and  the  West  just  discovered  by  Columbus,  were 
already  pouring  their  wealth  into  the  treasuries,  and  ex- 
citing most  romantic  expectations  in  the  two  nations 
which  inhabited  the  Peninsula.  But  the  work  of  thitj 
gorgeous  chapel,  so  nobly  designed,  so  auspiciously  begun, 
and  already  more  than  half  completed,  w^as  suddenly  ar- 
rested by  the  untimely  death  of  the  architect ;  and  when  a 
successor  was  found  to  carry  on  the  building,  so  incongruous 
were  his  designs,  and  so  inharmonious  his  plans,  that  Dom 
Manoel,  with  the  good  taste  he  evidently  possessed,  put  a 
sudden  stop  to  the  work,  until  a  more  worthy  architect 
could  be  found  ;  and  the  result  was,  that  it  has  remained 
to  this  day  as  its  first  designer  left  it,  and  is  still  the  capella 
imperfetta,  the  lovely  fragment,  so  exquisite  that  none 
have  ventured  the  attempt  to  finish  it ;  and  so  it  has  been 
for  three  centuries  and  a  half,  and  so  it  is  now.  There  are 
still  to  be  seen  the  recessed  chapels,  each  a  marvel  of 
decorative  art;  the  stone  tracery  of  the  windows,  of  won- 
drous elegance  and  finish  ;  even  the  great  buttresses  more 
highly  adorned  than  ever  buttress  was  before  ;  and  nothing 
finished.  A  sudden  spell  arrested  the  mason's  chisel  as 
complete  as  in  the  fabled  palace,  where  for  a  hundred 
summers   everything  slept,  and  thought  and  time  were 


102  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX    rORTUGAL. 

arrested  ;  and  carrying'  on  the  metaphor,  we  may  hail  Dom 
Fernando  as  the  disenchanting  spirit  who  shall  awaken 
those  long  dormant  beauties,  and  continue  the  work. 

Here  all  things  in  tlioir  place  remain 

As  all  were  order'J  ages  since  ; 
Come  Caro  and  Pleasure,  Hope  and  Pain, 

And  bring  the  fated  fairy  Prince.* 

I  had  ample  time,  during  our  stay  at  Batalha,  to  wander, 
gun  in  hand, through  the  vastpine  forestswhich  stretchaway, 
over  hill  and  dale,  for  many  a  league.     Now  a  Portuguese 
forest  answers  in  many  respects  to  an  African  desert :  it 
contains  the  very  essence  of  solitude  ;  silence  reigns  there 
supreme,  and  the  ground  is  usually  sandy.     In  parts  there 
is  an  undergrowth  of  fern,  heath,  shrubs,  and  a  profusion 
of  flowers ;  but  for  wide  districts,  the  pine  trees  are  the 
sole  vegetation  which  the  hungry  soil  can  yield.  Few  birds 
are  to  be  found,  except  on  the  outskirts ;  the  insect  world 
seems  banished  from  its   recesses  ;    an    occasional    lizard 
might  be  seen  darting  across  a  patch  of  sunshine,  where  a 
gap  overhead  admitted  some  straggling  rays  of  light  :  but, 
beyond  these,  not  a  living  creature  disturbed  the  universal 
stillness ;    even  the  wind  was  hushed,  and  not  a  breath 
of  air  whispered  in  the  tree  tops.     At  intervals  I  came 
out  upon   a  patch  of  cultivation,  of  considerable  extent, 
where  the  timber  had  been  cleared  for  the  purpose,  and 
where  a  greater  depth  of  soil  promised  compensation  for 
the  labour  :  but  even  here  no  outlying  cottages  were  to  be 
found ;  the  wide  forest  shut  in  on  every  side  these  little 
oases  in  the  desert,    and  I  was  reminded  of  the   back- 
woods of  America,  where  the  pioneers  of  civilization  open 
out  the  nucleus  of  future  farms  by  diminutive  clearings 
of  the  mighty  forest,  to  be  subsequently  enlarged  and  ex- 
tended till  the  whole  district  is  reclaimed. 

*  Tennyson's  Day  Dream,  vol.  ii.  p.  156. 


103 


CHAPTER  IX. 

COIMBRA. 

Our  mules  had  enjoyed  a  good  rest  at  Batalha,  and  were 
ready  for  a  day's  journey  to  Ponnbal,  where  we  were  to 
join  the  Lisbon  and  Oporto  railroad  on  our  way  to  Coimbra. 
Accordingly,  we  made  a  very  early  start  one  fine  morning  ; 
and,  with  many  a  backward  glance  at  the  magnificent  abbey, 
as  we  wound  up  the  hill,  and  imtil  we  were  shut  in  by  the 
forest,  we  began  as  singularly  wild  a  drive,  and  through  as 
deserted  and  uncultivated  a  country  as  one  may  often  see. 
Sand  and  forest,  sand  and  heath,  were  the  prevailing  ele- 
ments of  the  landscape,  though  the  valleys  we  crossed  and 
those  we  looked  down  upon  from  {he  hills  we  traversed 
were  in  many  places  verdant  enough  with  corn,  and  highly 
productive  in  olive  and  fruit  trees.  Our  first  stage  was  to 
Leiria,  a  quaint  old-fashioned  town,  to  which  we  descended 
by  a  long  hill,  and  which  nestles  beneath  a  fine  old  ruined 
Moorish  castle,  perched  on  a  rock  above,  in  as  commanding 
a  position,  and  of  as  picturesque  form  as  the  well-known 
castles  overhanging  the  Rhine,  the  Moselle,  or  the  Danube. 
Here  the  mules  were  to  rest  for  a  couple  of  hours,  so  that 
we  had  ample  time  to  exhaust  the  lions  of  Leiria.  Indeed, 
when  we  had  wandered  through  its  narrow  streets,  visited 
the  Se  velha  or  old  cathedral,  ^vhich  deserves  no  special 
notice,  but  which  we  found  furnished  with  the  very  best  of 
adornment,  to  wit,  a  large  sprinkling  of  worshippers  en- 
gaged in  private  prayer ;  w^hen  we  had  sauntered  by  the 


104  A   SPRING   TOUE   IX   PORTUGAL. 

banks  of  the  transparent  Lis,  and  eaten  the  magnificent 
oranges  we  had  purchased  in  the  market,  we  should  have 
been  at  a  loss  how  to  fill  up  the  remainder  of  our  stay  but 
for  the  fortunate  circumstance  that,  on  emerging  on  the 
praya,  we  discovered  that  a  cattle  fair  was  just  about  to  be 
held  there ;  and  now  we  had  ample  employment  in  watch- 
ing the  arrival  of  the  peasants  in  holiday  costume  with 
their  yokes  of  oxen  for  sale,  which  rapidly  poured  into  the 
wide  expanse  of  the  prafa  from  all  sides.  The  oxen  were 
universally  of  diminutive  size,  and  generally  mouse-coloured 
with  dark  muzzles.  They  always  came  in  pairs,  wearing 
the  yoke  which  united  them  in  their  daily  labour,  and  their 
drivers  were  sometimes  young  boys  and  sometimes  old  men, 
or  in  other  cases  young  girls,  and  occasionally  old  women ; 
but  all  were  evidently  bent  on  merry-making,  and  by  their 
smiling  looks  and  gay  demeanour,  as  well  as  by  their  holiday 
clothes,  showed  unmistakably  that  they  shared  in  the  feel- 
ing so  universally  entertained  by  our  good  country  folk  in 
merry  England,  regarding  the  fun  and  general  jollity  of  a 
fair.  Then  the  buyers  and  sellers  and  lookers-on  began 
to  arrive,  some  on  sleek  mules,  some  on  raw-boned  horses, 
many  on  foot,  but  by  far  the  majority  on  donkeys,  which 
shuffled  into  the  pra9a  in  swarms,  and  of  v/hich  we  met  a 
continued  stream  still  jogging  on  towards  the  town  for  a 
good  league  or  more  as  we  journeyed  away  from  Leiria. 
This  was  all  interesting  enough,  and  a  fair  is  the  very 
rendezvous  of  costume  such  as  the  stranger  desires  to  see  ; 
but  besides  this,  we  were  so  fortunate  as  to  witness  more 
than  one  Portuguese  deal  or  barter,  when  the  assurance  of 
the  superlative  excellence  of  his  goods  on  the  part  of  the 
vendor,  the  depreciation  of  the  same  on  the  part  of  the 
buyer,  the  excitement,  the  expressive  action,  the  incredu- 
lity, the  indignation,  and  finally  the  bid  from  the  buyer, 
the  refusal  from  the  seller,  and  their  subsequent  agree- 
ment, were  worthy  of  such  transactions  in  the  East,  the 


COIMBRA.  105 

true  home  of  the  bargain,  and  in  which  all  Orientals  are 
finished  adepts. 

The  drive  from  Leiria  to  Pombal  was  through  a  country 
still  wilder  and  more  desolate  than  that  we  had  hitherto 
crossed.  The  forest  stretched  away  to  the  horizon  on 
either  hand;  the  sand  was  more  continuous  and  unpro- 
ductive ;  the  hills  were  more  barren  and  bleak ;  and  the 
few  villages  we  passed  at  long  intervals  were  but  wretched 
hamlets,  formed  of  mud  houses  of  unprepossessing  ex- 
terior, and  where  the  struggle  for  existence  must  have 
appeared  so  hopeless  to  the  forlorn  inhabitants — if,  at  least, 
they  had  become  converts  to  the  Darwinian  theory — that 
they  must  have  given  up  the  attempt  in  despair.  Let  us 
hope,  however,  that  they  did  not  hold  with  those  terrible 
views :  and,  indeed,  I  must  do  the  Portuguese  peasant  the 
justice  to  say,  that  he  is  not  one  easily  depressed  ;  but, 
under  apparently  the  most  adverse  outward  circumstances, 
bears  himself  with  a  freedom  from  care  and  a  hilarity  that 
would  have  drawn  down  the  approbation  of  the  renowned 
Mark  Tapley. 

At  length  we  reached  the  straggling  town  of  Pombal, 
also  crowned  with  a  ruined  castle,  but  otherwise  of  no 
pretensions  architecturally ;  though  the  name  has  derived 
great  notoriety  from  the  title  which  the  town  bestowed  on 
the  famous  Marquis  who  was  born  there,  and  who  during 
the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  played  so  conspi- 
cuous a  part  in  his  country's  annals  as  statesman,  re- 
former, and  absolute  minister.  I  have  already  said  that 
great  difference  of  opinion  exists  with  respect  to  the 
merits  of  this  powerful  nobleman ;  and  it  can  scarcely  be 
denied  that  his  means  were  oftentimes  unjustifiable,  and 
his  actions  unscrupulous  and  unjust  towards  individuals: 
but  it  is  equally  certain,  that  the  results  of  his  energetic 
measures  were,  that  the  commerce  of  the  country  was 
restored,  the  finauces  were  re-organised,  the  frontiers  were 


106  A   SPRIXG    TOUR   IX   PORTUGAL. 

fortified,  manufactories  were  established,  education  was 
promoted,  the  Jesuits  were  expelled,  autos  de  fe  were 
suppressed,  the  Inquisition  was  restrained ;  and,  in  one 
word,  Portugal  shook  off  the  stagnation  and  apathy  which 
were  beginning  to  overpower  her,  and  arose  invigorated 
and  refreshed.  And  this  happy  change  was  mainly  due 
to  the  vioforous  administration  of  her  gjreat  statesman,  the 
celebrated  Marquis  of  Pombal. 

Vie  dismissed  our  carriage  at  Pombal,  and  took  the 
train  to  Coimbra,  an  hour's  journey  by  express  through  a 
dull,  uninteresting  country ;  and  then  suddenly,  as  we 
emerged  from  the  hills  into  a  broad  valley,  the  University 
of  Portugal  was  disclosed  to  view,  covering  the  steep  face 
of  the  clitf  on  which  it  is  built,  and  stretching  along  the 
northern  bank  of  the  river  Mondego,  and  rising  from  the 
water's  edge  in  terraces  to  the  very  summit,  which  is 
worthily  crowned  by  the  buildings  of  the  University.  It 
was  a  fair  scene  to  look  upon,  and  as  it  shared  to  the  full 
in  the  peculiarity  of  all  the  larger  Portuguese  cities  of 
being  built  on  the  face  of  a  precipice,  one  could  take  in 
the  whole  of  the  houses  at  a  single  glance,  like  so  many 
martins'  nests,  clinging  in  successive  tiers  to  the  hill-side ; 
and  the  first  glimpse  from  the  railway  gave  a  general  idea 
of  the  aspect  of  this  famous  old  city,  long  celebrated  as  the 
Athens  of  Portugal : — 

From  Helicon  the  Muses  wing  their  way, 
Mondego's  flow'ry  banks  invite  their  stay ; 
Now  Coimhra  shines,  Minerva's  proud  abode  ; 
And,  fired  with  joy,  Parnassus'  blooming  god 
Beholds  another  dear-loved  Athens  rise, 
And  spread  her  laurels  in  indulgent  skies.* 


*  Camoens'  Lnsiad,  book  iii.  Translated  by  Miekle.  This  famous 
poem,  the  chief  work  of  Portugal's  most  admired  poet,  entitled  Os  Lusiadas, 
is  altogether  in  praise  of  the  Lusitauian  people.  But  the  Portuguese  nation 
cultivated  poetry,  and  particularly  romances,  quite  as  early  and  quite  as 


COIMBKA.  107 

So  sang  the  poet;  but,  be  tliat  as  it  may,  we  matter-of- 
fact  prosaic  travellers  had  no  leisure  yet  for  such  soaring 
fancies ;  for  the  railway  station  lies  at  the  distance  of  a 
mile  from  the  town,  and  we  were  conveyed  to  the  city  in 
the  most  rattling  of  'busses,  and  driven  round  the  lower 
streets,  before  we  were  finally  deposited  at  the  door  of  the 
Hotel  de  Mondego,  or  (as  it  is  more  usually  called,  after 
the  name  of  its  proprietor)  Hotel  Lopez,  here  pronounced 
Lops.  Taking  into  consideration  the  charges  made  and 
the  accommodation  provided,  this  hotel  is  certainly  the 
very  best  and  cheapest  I  ever  entered  in  any  country.  We 
were  admirably  lodged  in  the  cleanest  and  airiest  of  bed- 
rooms, overlooking  the  gentl3'-flowing  Mondego  ;  amply 
served  at  dinner,  where  the  viands  were  good  and  the 
wine  excellent ;  and  provided  at  breakfast  with  all  we 
could  desire;  and  for  the  day's  board  and  lodging,  in- 
cluding lights  and  service,  and  every  item  wherewith  land- 
lords are  apt  to  swell  the  sum-total  of  bills,  one  thousand 
reis,  or  four  shillings  and  sixpence,  each,  was  the  sum 
charged.  Now,  I  have  had  some  experience  of  inexpen- 
sive accommodation  at  hostelries,  as,  for  example,  in 
unfrequented  parts  of  Grermany,  where  a  thaler  per  day 
covered  every  charge ;  in  mountain  pensions  in  Switzer- 
land, at  four  francs  per  diem ;  and,  above  all,  in  Norway, 
in  the  good  old  days,  when  no  steamers  ran  from  England, 
and  few  Englishmen  had  penetrated  its  fjelds,  and  half-a- 
crown  was  the  utmost  that  the  most  extravagant  spend- 
thrift could  disburse  in  a  single  day.  Still,  in  all  these 
cases,  the  lodging  was  rough,  and  the  fare  was  rougher  ; 
moreover,  the  prices  were  accommodated  to  remote  dis- 
tricts, uninfluenced  by  the  vicinity  of  large  towns  or 
markets.  But  here  we  were  in  the  third  city  of  Portugal, 
a  flourishing  town  and  a  University,  containing  about  one 

eagerly  as  their  Castilian  neighbours.     See  lldWam's  Literature  of  Europe, 
vol.  i.  p.  '238,  and  vol.  ii.  p.  205. 


108  A    SmiXG   TOUR    IX   PORTUGAL. 

thousand  students;  and  the  most  fastidious  could  desire 
no  better  entertainment  than  that  provided  by  mine  host 
Lopez,  while  the  charges  were  so  infinitesimally  small. 
Let  me  commend  this  little  statement  to  the  notice  of 
hotel-keepers  in  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  and  let  them 
compare  their  demands  with  the  figures  I  have  given 
above,  and  mark  the  contrast,  and  learn  a  lesson  they 
sorely  need  from  the  moderation  of  their  brother  landlord 
at  the  University  of  Coimbra. 

We  set  to  work  systematically  to  explore  the  city  and 
university. 

Here  castle  walls  in  warlike  grandeur  lour, 
Here  cities  swell,  and  lofty  temples  tower  ; 
In  wealth  and  grandeur  each  with  other  vies. 
When,  old  and  loved,  the  parent-monarch  dies.* 

There  are  two  principal  streets,  containing  the  best  shops, 
which  run  parallel  to  one  another  and  the  river ;  but  the 
most  frequented  and  fashionable  lounge  appeared  to  be  on 
a  terrace  overhanging  the  Mondego  ;  and  here  there  was 
always  a  busy  scene,  from  the  arrival  and  departure  of 
the  picturesque,  white-sailed  fishing-boats,  wdiich  set  their 
two  sails  like  large  wings,  one  on  either  side,  and  floated 
away  up  the  stream,  or  furled  them  when  they  came  to 
anchor,  like  great  birds  alighting  on  the  shore.  Here, 
too,  there  was  a  continuous  line  of  women  fetching  water 
from  the  river,  which  they  bore  away  in  huge  jars  on 
their  heads,  precisely  after  the  manner  of  the  women  of 
Egypt. 

But  that  which  was  of  paramount  interest  to  us  at 
Coimbra,  and  naturally  attracted  our  attention  from  the 
first,  was  the  University  and  its  scholars.  We  had  en- 
countered our  first  specimens  of  these  latter  at  the  rail- 
way station ;  we  now  saw  them  thronging  the  streets  and 

*  Camocns'  Licsiad,  book  iii.  King  Diuiz  is  the  monarch  alluded  to, 
who  founded  the  University  of  Coimbra. 


COIMiJRA.  109 

tlie  river  bauk,  and  indeed  tlie  whole  city  was  full  of 
them.  As  a  bod}^  they  certainly  bore  a  very  creditable 
appearance,  had  a  gentlemanly  look,  and  were  very  well 
behaved;  but  they  struck  me  as  generally  of  slight  form 
and  diminutive  stature.  Very  dark  hair  and  dark  com- 
plexions prevail,  as  one  might  expect  in  so  southern  a 
clime.  ^loreover,  a  considerable  proportion  of  them  are 
Brazilians.  The  academical  dress  consists  of  black  trow- 
sers  and  a  long  black  coat,  single-breasted,  buttoned 
closely  down  the  front,  and  strongly  resembling  a  priest's 
cassock  ;  over  this  they  wear  a  long  black  gown,  like  a 
Roman  toga,  the  right  end  of  which  they  catch  up  and 
throw  over  the  left  shoulder,  and  thus  envelop  the  throat 
and  mouth,  just  as  the  Spaniard  does  with  his  cloak,  and 
as  none  but  a  native  of  the  Peninsula  can  do.  As  a 
general  rule,  they  wear  nothing  on  the  head — indeed,  I 
should  say  that  ninety-nine  out  of  every  hundred  were 
bare-headed — but  here  and  there  one  might  be  seen  with 
a  black  rjorro,  as  it  is  called,  closely  resembling  a  fisher- 
man's cap,  or  old-fashioned  night-cap,  and  anything  but 
becoming.  This  University  costume  is  so  far  compulsory 
that  they  cannot  appear  at  lecture  if  they  deviate  in  ever 
so  slight  a  degree  from  the  prescribed  colour  and  cut,  and 
the  result  is,  that  they  wear  no  other,  and  never  lay  aside 
their  academical  dress,  as  is  so  generally  the  fashion  with 
undergraduates  at  Oxford  and  Cambridge.  The  regular 
University  course  extends  through  five  years,  but,  inclu- 
ding the  preliminary  and  the  subsequent  additions,  no 
less  than  seven  years  are  occupied  in  the  student's  full 
career,  before  he  can  take  his  degree.  This  will,  doubt- 
less, appear  to  some  an  unnecessarily  protracted  period  of 
study;  but  when  it  is  considered  that  the  public  school 
system,  which  is  of  such  unspeakable  value  with  us,  is 
unknown  in  Portugal,  and  that  the  University  must  sup- 
ply its  place,  in  addition  to  its  own  more  advanced  re- 


210  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN    PORTUGAL. 

(juirements,  the  time  allotted  for  imparting  knowledge 
will  not  be  thought  too  great.  I  may  add,  that  Coimbra 
enjoys  a  great  reputation,  as  well  for  the  learning  as  for 
the  painstaking  of  its  professors ;  and  it  is  said  that  the 
standard  of  attainment  aimed  at  and  reached  by  many  of 
its  graduates  will  bear  favourable  comparison  with  that  of 
any  other  University  in  Europe.  To  prove  this  assertion 
would  of  course  be  exceedingly  difficult ;  but  it  is,  at  all 
events,  not  to  be  denied  that  the  system  pursued  here  is 
highly  creditable  to  all  concerned,  and  is  crowned  with 
most  satisfactory  results. 

On  climbing  the  hill  to  its  summit,  and  entering  the 
quadrangle,  which  comprises  the  greater  part  of  the  Uni- 
versity buildings,  we  encountered  several  professors  as 
well  as  large  bodies  of  students  just  returning  from 
lectures;  and  nothing  could  exceed  the  kindness  and 
civility  wdth  w^hich  we  were  directed  to  the  various  points 
of  interest,  and  invited  to  enter  the  several  public  rooms, 
and  see  for  ourselves  the  arrangements  and  appliances  in 
use.  First  we  entered  the  Observatory,  and  w^ere  most 
courteously  shown  all  the  instruments  with  which  it  is 
supplied,  and  which,  by  the  way,  we  noticed  w^ere  almost 
entirely  procured  from  London  and  Paris ;  as  well  as  the 
Observatory  library,  which  also  in  great  part  consists  of 
English  publications  from  Greenwich  and  elsewhere.  Then 
taking  leave  of  the  professor,  who  had  in  the  most  obliging 
manner  pointed  out  what  was  principally  worthy  of  ob- 
servation, we  crossed  the  quadrangle,  and  entered  the 
great  library,  a  magnificent  room,  w^ell  proportioned,  well 
filled  with  books,  and  furnished  with  the  galleries  requisite 
for  reaching  the  upper  shelves;  and  which  also  contained 
some  twenty  closets  for  quiet  study,  reminding  us  of  our 
own  Bodleian  at  Oxford.  We  -were  told  that  the  number 
of  books  amounted  to  60,000  volumes,  a  figure  very  much 
below  that  which  is  generally  attributed  to  this  library. 


COIMBRA.  Ill 

Then  we  visited  the  great  hall  where  degrees  are  conferred, 
and  our  cicerones  bade  us  observe  the  jKjrtraits  of  tlie 
Kings  of  Portugal,  which  adorned  the  upper  walls  of  the 
building  in  an  unbroken  chain,  and  very  kindly  pointed 
out  for  our  edification  the  more  prominent  and  distinguislied 
amongst  them.  We  did  not  ascend  the  great  clock  tower, 
which  occupies  the  highest  point  on  this  elevated  spot, 
but  contented  ourselves  with  admiring  the  magnificent 
view  from  the  terrace  in  front  of  the  University;  and 
surely  no  one  could  desire  a  more  commanding  position, 
whence  to  take  in  at  a  single  glance  the  city,  the  river, 
and  the  plain  at  our  feet. 

On  leaving  the  University  proper,  and  making  our  way 
to  its  museum  of  natural  history,  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to 
ask  the  direction  of  a  student,  who  not  only  chanced  to  be 
a  perfect  master  of  the  English  language,  but,  evidently 
delighted  at  the  opportunity  of  a  conversation  with  En- 
glishmen, volunteered  to  accompany  us  ;  and  subsequently, 
after  a  short  absence  in  order  to  make  his  excuses  for 
non-attendance  at  lecture,  returned  to  us  and  remained 
with  us  above  an  hour,  lionising  us  over  the  buildings  and 
giving  us  a  great  deal  of  information  regarding  the  Uni- 
versity. He  was  a  most  pleasing  specimen  of  an  educated 
young  Portuguese,  and  he  volunteered  to  visit  us  in  En- 
gland, an  offer  to  which  we  very  cordially  assented,  and 
sincerely  hope  he  will  some  day  fulfil.  He  rejoiced  in  the 
name  of  '  Francesco  do  Valle  Coetla  Calvas,'  which  he 
wrote  in  my  pocket-book,  and  desired  me  by  no  means  to 
forget.  It  was  instructive  as  well  as  amusing  to  see  how 
cordially  he  despised  freshmen,  and  how  he  prided  himself 
on  his  position  as  a  student  of  nearly  five  years'  standing ; 
indeed,  he  naively  remarked  to  us,  that  had  he  been  of 
junior  rank,  he  should  not  have  dared  to  encounter  the 
mockery  of  his  companions  by  thus  joining  himself  to 
foreigners;    but  as  he  was  among  the  seniors,  he  could 


112  A   SPRING   TOUE   IX   PORTUGAL. 

please  himself,  and  none  would  dare  to  '  make  mock '  at 
him. 

I  had  heard  that  the  museum  of  natural  history  was  of 
superlative  excellence;  indeed  Murphy*  describes  it  as 
*  inferior  to  few  in  Europe ; '  so  that  my  expectations  were 
raised  to  a  high  pitch  ;  but  when  I  came  to  examine  the 
zoological  department  I  was  woefully  disappointed.  There 
is  doubtless  a  large  collection  of  mammalia,  birds,  and 
reptiles,  but  it  is  a  collection  ranging  over  the  whole 
world,  and  rich  in  no  single  class ;  not  even  in  the  pro- 
ductions of  the  Brazils  and  Azores,  for  which  Portugal 
has  of  course' had  superior  facilities.  And  then  the  speci- 
mens generally  were  so  miserably  set  up  as  to  be  mere 
deformities  and  ghosts  of  the  animals  they  represented. 
Of  birds  there  were  very  few  deserving  of  notice,  and  for 
the  rarer  European  species,  which  one  might  expect  in 
this  southern  corner  of  the  Continent,  I  looked  in  vain  for 
any  examples ;  indeed,  Aquila  Bonelli,  and  Porphyrio 
veterum,  were  the  only  real  Portuguese  rarities  which 
the  museum  contained ;  and  there  was  not  even  a  single 
specimen  of  Otis  tarda,  Cyanopica  Gooki,  and  Turnix 
campestris;  none  of  which  are  by  any  means  rare  in 
this  country.  Passing  on  to  other  rooms,  there  is  un- 
doubtedly an  excellent  series  of  geological  specimens,  and 
the  museum  is  rich  in  mineralogy,  and  still  more  so 
in  conchology.  Moreover,  there  is  evidently  an  active 
spirit  of  research,  and  a  determination  to  increase  the  col- 
lections, kindled  amongst  the  directors,  fostered  probably 
in  no  slight  degree  by  emulation  of  the  rapid  strides  in 
advance  which  the  museum  of  the  capital  is  making  every 
day,  under  the  active  superintendence  of  Professor  Barbosa 
du  Bocage.  Then,  the  building  furnished  by  the  University 
is  all  that  collectors  could  desire,  and  ample  space  is  pro- 
vided for  the  several  departments ;  so  that,  in  all  likeli- 

*   Travels  i7i  Portugal  in  1789. 


COIMBRA.  ir? 

hood  the  museum  of  Coimbra  will  he  in  a  short  time  very 
considerably  increased  ;  and  with  the  advance  of  scientific 
taste,  we  may  hope  that  most  of  the  wretched  and  grotesque 
deformities  which  at  present  represent  the  various  branches 
of  the  animal  kingdom  will  be  abolished,  and  more  correct 
specimens  be  substituted  in  their  stead.  For  certainly, 
from  the  present  examples  the  student  in  natural  history 
could  carry  away  nothing  but  erroneous  notions ;  and  as 
to  anatomical  structure,  that  must  have  been  wholly 
ignored,  and  lost  sight  of  by  those  who  arranged  the  col- 
lection as  it  now  stands. 

From  the  museum  we  descended  the  hill,  by  a  suc- 
cession of  staircases,  to  the  church  and  convent  of  Santa 
Cruz,  which  ecclesiologically  stands  at  the  head  of  the 
churches  of  Coimbra.  It  is  indeed  a  quaint  old  build- 
ing, rebuilt  by  the  French  in  flamboyant  style,  with  an 
imposing  front;  and  internally  is  remarkable,  not  only 
for  two  superb  royal  tombs,  for  which  see  the  Hand- 
book; but  also  for  the  strange  arrangement  of  a  deep 
gallery  at  the  west  end,  which  contains  the  coro  alto, 
and  which,  though  in  reality  of  considerable  dimensions, 
and  fitted  with  admirably  carved  stalls,  lecterns,  and 
other  furniture  for  service,  involuntarily  reminds  one  of 
the  old-fashioned  western  galleries,  which  we  have  been 
at  so  much  pains  to  abolish  from  our  churches  at  home. 
Some  of  the  carved  wood  was  very  antique,  very  quaint 
and  expressive,  and  had  originally  been  gilt.  But  our 
guide  was  eager  to  hurry  us  on  to  what  he  evidently  con- 
sidered more  attractive  treasures  ;  and  leading  the  way 
to  the  sacrarium,  triumphantly  handed  for  our  inspection 
case  after  case  containing  an  infinity  of  relics  ;  the  tooth 
of  one  saint,  a  small  bone  or  portion  of  bone  of  another, 
and  all  labelled,  like  so  many  specimens  of  rare  fossils. 
One  small  glazed  frame,  measuring  a  foot  square,  must 
have  contained  relics  of  fifty  saints,  all  in  separate  com- 

I 


114  A   SPRING    TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

partments,  and  the  whole  surrounded  with  jewels  of  real 
intrinsic  value.  As  soon  as,  without  shocking  the  reve- 
rential feelings  of  the  custodian,  we  could  withdraw  him 
from  this  exhibition  over  which  he  evidently  loved  to 
linger,  but  which,  to  say  the  truth,  was  of  no  great  interest 
in  our  eyes,  we  visited  the  chapter-house  and  then  the 
cloisters;  the  latter  very  fine,  and  of  the  same  general 
character,  though  by  no  means  so  beautiful,  nt)r  in  any 
respect  so  highly  decorated,  as  those  at  Belem.  In  the 
midst  stood  a  handsome  fountain,  and  another  at  one 
corner ;  and  this  arrangement,  which  we  had  also  noticed 
both  at  Belem  and  at  Batalha,  denotes  intention  and  a 
uniforai  plan,  the  meaning  and  use  of  which  we  did  not 
comprehend,  and  were  wholly  unable  to  discover.  To  this 
convent  the  unfortunate  Princess  Joanna,  the  unsuccessful 
rival  to  the  famous  Isabella  for  the  crown  of  Castile,  re- 
tired in  1476,  when,  weary  of  the  selfish  schemes  and 
miserable  plots  of  which  she  was  either  the  tool  or  the 
victim,  she  resigned  all  worldly  ambitions  and  devoted 
herself  to  a  religious  life ;  and  that,  too,  at  a  period  when 
the  court  at  Lisl)on  was  celebrated  above  every  other  court 
in  Christendom  for  its  gorgeous  magnificence,  its  luxury, 
and  splendour ;  and  so  great  a  reputation  did  she  gain  for 
sanctity,  that  she  was  ever  after  known  in  Portuguese 
annals  as  '  the  excellent  lady.'  * 

Then  we  visited  Sevelha  (the  old  cathedral),  which  may 
shortly  be  described  as  a  fortified  church,  and  which,  with 
its  strong  thick  massive  walls  and  solid  sturdy  buttresses, 
not  only  looks  as  if  it  could  sta.nd  a  siege,  but  with  its 
handsome  though  dilapidated  western  doorway  and  window 
above,  looks  as  if  it  had  stood  a  siege,  and  that  too  a  severe 
one.  Indeed  this  quaint  old  church,  which  has  several 
architectural  peculiarities,  fully  detailed  in  the  Handbook, 

*    Prescotl's  Ferdinand  (i7id  liuhdla,  vol.  ii.  p.  309. 


COIMBRA.  115 

has  witnessed  many  a  stormy  scene,  as  well  as  many  an 
important  event  in  the  annals  of  Portugal ;  for  hither 
in  troublous  times  repaired  more  than  one  sovereign,  in- 
cluding the  famous  Cid,  when,  for  a  short  period,  Coimbra 
enjoyed  the  proud  position  of  capital  of  the  newly  erected 
kiny^dom  of  Portuo^al. 

Of  the  new  cathedral,  which  we  also  visited,  I  need  say 
nothing,  beyond  recording  the  fact,  that  when  we  entered 
a  service  was  being  admirably  sung  by  a  full  choir  of  six- 
teen men  and  boys,  but  not  a  single  worshipper  was  present : 
so  that  England  is  not  the  only  country  in  P]urope  where 
scanty  congregations  attend  the  daily  service  in  cathedrals. 
It  came  on  to  rain  heavily,  as  we  wandered  about  Coimbra, 
and  we  took  refuge  during  a  storm  in  the  covered  fruit 
market.     Here  we  found  the  usual  fruit  and  vegetables 
displayed,  such  as  we  had  seen  at  Lisbon,  and  huge  piles 
of  the  finest  oranges,  which   were   to  be   bought  for  the 
veriest  trifle,  and  which  from  their  profusion  seemed  to  be 
a  drug  in  the  market,. but  a  very  sweet  and  pleasant  drug, 
though  the  supply  was  certainly  greater  than  the  demand  ; 
and  that  notwithstanding  the  pertinacity  with   which  all 
classes  attack  this  delicious  fruit,  morning,  noon,  and  night. 
I  would  here  observe,  for  the  information  of  my  readers, 
that  though  oranges  begin  to  change  colour  in  October, 
and  are  then  picked  for  exportation,  and  left  to  ripen  in 
the    chests  wherein   they  are  packed,   the   rind  becomes 
tough,  and  they  lose  their  freshness  during  the  voyage, 
and.  are  by  no  means  the  same  delicate  juicy  fruit  as  those 
which  hang  on  the  trees,  mellowing  in  the  sun,  till  the 
spring.     Indeed,  in  Portugal  they  are  seldom  considered 
eatable  before  March,  while  they  continue  to  improve  in 
flavour  till  May,  and   even  June.     The  heaviest  oranges 
are  invariably  the  best,  and  connoisseurs   always   select 
their  fruit  by  weighing  them  in  the  hand,  without  mucij 
reference  to  their  colour,  shape,  or  appearance.     This  I 

1  2 


IIG  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX    PORTUGAL. 

had  learnt  many  years  since  at  Barcelona,  where  oranges 
of  the  finest  flavour  I  ever  tasted,  but  mean-lookiDg  in  the 
extreme,  had  been  selected  for  me  by  a  good-natured  fruit 
seller,  to  whose  choice  I  at  first  loudly  demurred,  but 
afterwards  wisely  (though  not,  I  am  ashamed  to  say,  with- 
out suspicions  of  being  deceived)  assented. 

In  the  market  of  Coimbra  we  first  fell  in  with  a  small 
yellow,  oblong  fruit,  in  shape  like  a  plum,  but  in  general 
appearance,  and  especially  at  the  top,  like  an  apple.  They 
grew  in  pairs,  two  upon  one  stalk,  and  in  the  middle  of 
the  fruit  were  generally  two,  but  sometimes  three  round 
stones,  resembling  chestnuts:  perhaps  I  should  rather 
describe  them  as  gigantic  pips  than  stones;  for  though 
hard,  they  had  no  kernel.  The  market  women  called 
themx  '  nesperas,^  but  we  subsequently  learned  that  they 
were  the  Japanese  or  Chinese  apples :  we  found  them 
pleasant  to  the  taste,  and  very  refreshing. 

It  would  be  unpardonable  did  I  omit  to  mention,  that 
immediately  opposite  our  windows  in  the  Hotel  Lopez, 
and  across  the  Mondego  which  flowed  below,  we  looked 
out  upon  the  convent  of  Santa  Clara,  famous  for  the 
Fonte  dos  Amoves ;  and  farther  on  stood  the  Qitinta  das 
Lagrimas,  both  so  notorious  for  the  touching  and  most 
romantic  story  of  the  Infante  Dom  Pedro,  and  his  ill- 
starred  bride  Ignez  de  Castro  ;  whose  monuments  we  had 
seen  at  Alcobafa,  and  for  the  particulars  of  whose  romantic 
histories,  their  mutual  love,  her  barbarous  murder,  and 
his  implacable  revenge,  I  will  refer  those  who  can  master 
Portuguese  to  the  '  Lusiad '  of  Camoes,  and  those  who 
cannot,  to  the  excellent  '  Handbook  for  Portugal.' 


117 


CHAPTER  X. 

OPORTO. 

I  LOOK  BACK  upon  oiir  visit  to  the  University  at  Coimbra 
with  great  pleasure,  and  I  was  quite  sorry  to  bid  adieu  to 
the  Oxford  of  Portugal.  Perhaps,  however,  I  am  scarcely 
correct  in  that  last  expression,  for  Coimbra  is  rather  the 
amalgamation  and  concentration  of  Oxford,  Lincoln's  Inn, 
and  Edinburgh  combined,  inasmuch  as  divinity,  law,  and 
physic  are  not  only  nominally  represented  by  their  several 
professors,  but  all  those  faculties  are  carried  out  here  to 
the  end.  There  is  a  certain  quietness  and  repose  about 
the  city,  well  becoming  the  haunts  of  learning;  and  there 
was  a  peculiar  but  unmistakable  air  of  earnestness  and 
application  observable  in  the  general  demeanour  of  the 
students,  w^hich  spoke  for  itself,  and  made  it  evident  (as 
indeed  we  had  previously  been  given  to  understand),  that 
this  was  no  resort  of  mere  men  of  fashion,  who  came  for 
companionship  and  societ}^,  but  that  the  business  of  learn- 
ing and  mastering  the  faculties  to  which  they  severally 
applied  themselves  was  the  paramount  object  with,  at  all 
events,  the  majority  of  the  members  of  this  University. 
At  the  same  time,  there  was  no  appearance  of  priggishness 
and  pedantry,  into  which  such  universal  application  might 
easily  degenerate,  but  we  came  away  from  Coimbra  with 
a  very  high  opinion  of  the  manly,  gentlemanly  bearing, 
and  kind  and  courteous  and  straightforward  demeanour  of 
the  young  men  we  had  seen  there.     I  do  not  know  that  I 


118  A    SPRIXG    TOUR    IN    PORTUGAL. 

can  say  so  much  in  a  general  way  with  regard  to  the  Uni- 
versities of  Germany,  Italy,  France,  or  Spain. 

The  journey  by  rail  from  Coimbra  to  Oporto  occupied 
three  hours  by  express  train,  and  in  that  short  distance 
we  passed  through  as  diversified  a  country  as  could  well 
be  imagined.  P'irst,  through  tlie  interminable  pine  forests, 
then  through  rich  and  highly  cultivated  valleys;  now 
through  a  large  extent  of  swamp,  in  part  inundated,  in 
part  drained  to  meadows  of  emerald  green,  or  planted  as 
rice  grounds,  as  flat  as  Holland,  and  intersected  by  in- 
numerable narrow  but  deep  dikes,  up  which  diminutive 
white-sailed  boats  made  their  way,  and  had  all  the  appear- 
ance from  a  short  distance  of  sailing  on  dry  land.  Then 
we  reached  the  foot  of  mountains,  which  stretched  away 
on  the  east  to  the  horizon,  and  assumed  quite  grand  pro- 
portions ;  and  now  we  emerged  on  the  sea-shore,  with  the 
broad  Atlantic  on  the  west,  and  on  all  sides  sand,  and 
nothing  but  sand,  pure  and  simple,  to  be  seen.  This  was 
towards  the  end  of  our  journey,  and  soon  we  came  to  the 
terminus  at  Villa  Nova  de  G-aia,  high  up  on  the  southern 
bank  of  the  Douro,  on  the  opposite  side  of  which  we  took 
in  at  a  glance  the  imposing  town  of  Oporto,  its  houses 
towering  one  above  another,  up  the  steep  hills  on  which  it 
is  built,  precisely  as  we  had  seen  them  at  Lisbon  and 
Coimbra. 

The  Portuguese  custom-house  is  assuredly  no  pretence, 
and  when  baggage  has  to  undergo  examination,  it  is 
most  rigidly  and  scrupulously  searched,  though  not  with- 
out extreme  politeness  on  the  part  of  the  officials.  This 
was  the  case  at  the  terminus  of  the  railway,  before  we 
were  allowed  to  take  our  luggage  into  Oporto:  but  the 
suspicions,  or  rather  I  would  say,  the  curiosity  of  the 
officers  having  been  satisfied,  w^e  entered  the  very  roughest 
of  carriages,  and  then  over  the  worst  of  roads,  and  with  a 
jolt  that  nearly  dislocated  our  bones,  we  descended  the 


OrORTO.  119 

111  11  at  a  furious  pace,  crossed  tlie  suspension  bridc^e  slowly 
under  wholesome  dread  of  peniilty,  and  rattled  through 
the  narrowest  of  streets,  with  tall  houses  nearly  meeting 
overhead,  till  we  pulled  up  at  the  hotel,  universally  known 
as  Hotel  Mary  Castro,  after  the  name  of  the  excellent 
Lmdlady,  who  has  presided  over  it  for  many  years,  and  is 
an  Englishwoman  by  birth  ;  and  though  the  hotel  un- 
doubtedly is  distinguished  by  a  regular  name,  I  am  quite 
unable  to  record  it,  having  never  heard  it  otherwise 
desicrnated  than  as  the  Hotel  Castro.  Our  rooms  looked 
out  upon  the  Douro,  which  is  a  river  of  good  size  and 
depth,  and  considerable  velocity :  and  though  the  entrance 
to  our  hotel  was  in  the  darkest  and  dingiest  and  dirtiest  of 
streets,  and  aroused  unfavourable  prejudices  in  the  newly 
arrived  traveller,  we  found  the  accommodation  very  satis- 
factory in  every  respect,  and  the  Hotel  Castro  became  our 
head-quarters,  both  during  our  stay  in  Oporto  and  whilst 
we  made  excursions  in  the  neighbourhood. 

We  reached  the  northern  capital  of  Portugal  on  Satur- 
day evening,  and  scarcely  had  ensconced  ourselves  in  our 
rooms,  before  we  were  startled  by  the  firing  of  guns,  the 
rapid  discharge  of  rockets,  and  a  constant  succession  of 
fireworks  on  the  river.  It  did  not,  however,  portend  a 
second  sack  of  Oporto,  the  fearful  particulars  of  which, 
during  the  Peninsular  War,  by  Soult  and  his  lieutenants 
(the  cruel  Loison  and  the  cowardly  Foy),  we  had  just  been 
reading.  Nor  was  it  the  beginning  of  a  second  siege,  such 
as  that  memorable  one  it  experienced  in  1832  and  1833, 
when  Dom  Miouel  sat  down  before  the  town  to  which  Dom 
Pedro  had  retired  with  his  brave  little  army,  and  besieged 
it  without  success;  of  which  startling  event  in  the  lives  of 
peaceful  citizens  we  heard  many  interesting  particulars 
from  those  who  shared  in  the  danger  and  the  glory.  The 
noise  of  gunpowder  now,  however,  which  saluted  us  on  our 
arrival  was  but  the  harmless  amusement  of  a  gentle  people, 


120  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX   PORTUGAL. 

who  rejoice  in  these  pyrotechnics,  and  who  indulged  their 
fancy  almost  every  evening  during  our  stay  in  the  city. 
Xor  was  it  only  on  the  river  and  at  night  that  fireworks 
were  in  vogue  :  in  broad  daylight,  when  the  effect  was 
altogether  lost,  rockets  were  frequently  sent  off.  This  was 
especially  the  case  on  the  morning  following  our  arrival, 
which  was  Sunday.  We  were  surprised  to  find  several 
streets  decked  with  innumerable  banners,  the  w^indows 
hung  with  bright  draperies  and  flags  and  carpets,  and  soon 
a  band  was  heard  in  the  distance,  and  the  head  of  a  pro- 
cession came  into  view.  The  road  was  lined  on  either  side 
with  spectators,  who,  however,  did  not  seem  very  intent  on 
the  scene,  inasmuch  as  such  displays  are  of  frequent  occur- 
rence in  Oporto  ;  but  to  our  unaccustomed  eyes,  this  was 
the  strangest  and  most  fantastic  religious  procession  we  had 
ever  seen.  First  came  the  cross-bearer,  with  his  atten- 
dants, all  dressed  in  white ;  then  a  great  number  of  men 
dressed  in  red  silk  cloaks,  each  carrying  a  large  candle, 
and  forming  two  lines,  leaving  a  wide  lane  in  the  middle. 
Within  this  walked  a  little  girl,  dressed  in  the  most  extra- 
ordinary garments  which  (out  of  a  pantomime)  one  could 
conceive ;  then  at  wide  intervals  apart,  another  child,  and 
then  another  and  another,  to  the  number  of  ten  or  twelve. 
To  describe  the  dresses  of  these  little  girls  accurately  is 
far  beyond  my  power  :  but  I  may  say  generally  that  the 
very  gayest  coloured  silks,  profusely  trimmed  Avith  lace, 
were  the  chief  materials,  and  that  by  means  of  some  stiff 
substance  attached  to  the  Avaist,  the  dresses  turned  out- 
Avards  and  upwards  in  points ;  AA'hile  Avings  were  attached 
to  their  shoulders,  and  they  Avere  literally  loaded  Avith  the 
largest-sized  specimens  of  cheap  jeAvellery  :  huge  ear-rings 
depended  from  their  ears,  vast  necklaces  encircled  their 
throats,  bracelets  clasped  their  wrists,  and  their  fiucrers 
Avere  literally  covered  Avith  the  multitude  of  rings  they 
wore.    Then  each  little  girl  bore  in  her  hand  some  symbol 


OPORTO.  121 

or  device  :  thus,  one  carried  a  dove,  another  a  cross,  a 
third  a  chalice,  a  fourth  a  crown,  a  fifth  a  plate  of  flowers, 
nnother  ears  of  corn.  They  varied  in  age  from  about  five 
years  old  to  ten,  and  we  could  scarcely  forbear  a  smile, 
which  would  have  been  wholly  out  of  place  in  that  solemn 
scene,  when  we  were  told  that  these  gorgeously  attired 
children  represented  angels.  For,  indeed,  the  yellow,  red, 
and  blue  dresses,  their  peculiar  shape,  arranged  for  the 
most  startling  effect,  the  wings,  the  head-dresses,  and 
above  all,  the  prodigious  display  of  colossal  jewellery,  did 
seem  a  most  marvellous  method  of  representing  the 
blessed  inhabitants  of  heaven.  The  road  was  strewn  with 
leaves  and  evergreens,  chiefly  branches  of  box;  and  as 
the  procession  passed  through  many  streets,  some  of  the 
smaller  children  were  evidently  tired,  and  could  scarcely 
support  the  finery  they  had  to  carry,  or  lift  their  tiny  feet 
over  the  incommoding  branches,  so  that,  from  time  to  time, 
one  and  another  was  obliged  to  be  helped  along  by  the 
men  in  scarlet  silk  cloaks  who  lined  the  path.  And  now 
came  the  real  essence  of  the  procession,  of  which  the 
children  had  been  but  the  advanced  guard.  This  was  no 
other  than  the  Host,  borne  by  priests  beneath  a  gorgeous 
canopy,  and  as  it  came  within  sight,  those  passing  even  in 
distant  streets  uncovered  their  heads,  and  those  near  knelt 
upon  the  pavement.  A  whole  regiment  of  soldiers  fol- 
lowed behind,  and  closed  the  procession;  meanwhile  a 
military  band  was  playing  an  inspiriting  tune,  and  at 
various  points,  as  the  cortege  passed,  rockets  were  dis- 
charged, while  the  church  bells  rang  merrily.  I  could 
scarcely  believe  that  the  cause  of  so  novel  a  function  was 
merely  the  procession  of  the  Host  to  the  sick,  which  I  have 
ajrain  and  airain  witnessed  in  other  countries,  attended  with 
comparatively  little  pomp,  but  I  was  assured  that  such  was 
the  case ;  and  it  was  added,  that  Oporto  especially  delights 
in  such  pageants,  which  are  frequently  parading  the  streets, 


1-22  A    SPRTXG    TOUR    IX    PORTUGAL. 

carried  out  in  a  form  and  to  an  extreme  of  scenic  display 
seldom  seen  elsewhere. 

The  cathedral  demands  but  little  notice;  it  stands  on 
high  ground,  and  is  chiefly  conspicuous  for  its  fine  cloisters, 
and  richly-gilt  high  altar.  But,  for  an  interior  literally 
covered  with  gilding,  and  not  without  a  certain  handsome, 
though  somew^hat  heavy  effect,  it  is  worth  the  traveller's 
while  to  visit  the  church  of  San  Francisco ;  and  I  would 
also  advise  him  to  examine  others  of  the  Oporto  churches, 
as  good  samples  of  Portuguese  architecture  and  arrange- 
ment, undisturbed  by  modern  innovation  or  improvement. 

A  walk  through  the  city  from  end  to  end  entails  no 
little  exertion,  and  may  well  be  recommended  as  good 
practice  for  a  member  of  the  Alpine  Club.  You  have  no 
sooner  arrived,  breathless,  at  the  top  of  some  steep  ac- 
clivity, after  hard  climbing,  than  you  find  the  street  you 
are  following  plunges  down  again  into  a  deep  valley,  and 
then  again  you  have  to  scramble  up  another  hill  at  a 
greater  angle  of  inclination  and  to  a  greater  height  than 
before.  Thus  you  persevere,  after  the  famous  example  of 
the  French  monarch,  when 

The  King  of  France,  with  twenty  thousand  men, 
Marched  up  the  hill,  and  then  marched  down  again, — 

and  so  every  pedestrian  in  Oporto  pursues  precisely  this 
plan,  wheresoever  he  directs  his  steps.  Here  and  there  he 
will  come  upon  a  well-planted  lavfjo  or  praga,  generally 
ornamented  with  a  creditable  statue,  such  as  those  of 
Pedro  IV.  and  Pedro  V. ;  and  throughout  his  walk  he  will 
admire  the  general  order  and  cleanliness  of  the  town,  to 
which  the  steepness  of  its  streets,  and  the  frequent  showers 
of  heavy  rain  doubtless  contribute  not  a  little,  as  was  long 
ago  pointed  out  by  the  architect  Murphy.^  When  he  has 
attained  the  highest  point  of  the  city,  he  will  have  reached 

*   Travels  in  Portygal  in  1789-90,  p.  8. 


Ol'OKTO.  ]2;i 

the  foot  of  the  great  Torre  dos  Clerirjos,  which  has  acted 
like  a  ii)a<;uet  to  attract  him  towards  it,  or  as  a  beacon  to 
direct  him  on  his  way ;  for  it  is  conspicuous  from  every 
part  of  the  city,  and  is  not  only  one  of  the  highest  towers 
in  Portugal,  but  crowns  the  topmost  heights  of  Oporto, 
much  as  the  citadel  of  S.  Jorge  does  at  Lisbon,  and  the 
University  buildings  at  Coimbra.  It  must,  however,  be 
acknowledged  that  the  Torre  dos  Glerigos  looks  best  from 
afar ;  for,  graceful  and  elegant  as  it  seems  from  a  distance, 
it  struck  me  as  heavy  on  a  nearer  view. 

The  English  Church  at  Oporto,  though  prohibited  by 
law  to  bear  an  ecclesiastical  appearance  externally,  is  built 
with  as  good  taste,  and  offers  as  good  internal  arrangement 
as  circumstances  allow ;  indeed,  it  is  a  very  creditable 
building,  and  is  well  cared  for,  and  is,  in  all  respects,  a 
marked  improvement  upon  its  fellow  at  Lisbon.  The 
cemetery,  which  surrounds  it,  is  planted  with  a  variety  of 
very  luxuriant  shrubs  of  many  species,  conspicuous  amongst 
which  are  camellias,  which  here  attain  a  height  of  some 
fourteen  feet,  and,  loaded  with  red  and  white  flowers,  at 
once  attracted  our  admiration ;  and,  indeed,  though  w^e 
afterwards  met  with  this  graceful  shrub  in  great  profusion, 
we  nowhere  saw  more  magnificent  specimens  than  in  the 
English  cemetery. 

We  were  again  so  fortunate,  very  early  in  our  stay  at 
Oporto,  as  to  make  acquaintance  with  a  most  kind  Englisli 
resident,  ^Ir.  Wilby,  who  very  courteously  took  us  in  tow, 
and  pointed  out  to  us  many  objects  of  interest,  which,  with- 
out his  guidanro,  w^e  should  probabl}^  have  missed.  Amongst 
these,  none  pleased  me  more  than  the  public  library ;  not 
only  from  its  size  and  completeness,  for  it  contains  110,000 
volumes,  and  occupied  four  sides  of  the  quadrangle  of  an 
old  monasteiy,  but  still  more  for  its  liloeral  rules,  where- 
by everybody,  without  distinction,  without  ticket  of  ad- 
mission, and  without  recommendation  or  introduction,  is 


]24  A    SPKJXG    TOUR    IX    rORTUGAT-. 

invited  to  enter  freely  and  read.  Here,  indeed,  is  an  ex- 
ample worthy  of  imitation, — a  free  institution  of  public 
benefit,  conceived  in  the  spirit  of  true  liberality, — a  library 
which  offers  its  treasures  to  the  humblest  student,  and 
which  is  daily  frequented  by  numbers,  instead  of  hoarding 
its  unread  volumes,  from  which  the  multitude  is  excluded, 
as  is  too  often  the  case  with  our  libraries  at  home.  We 
found  readers  of  all  classes  and  of  all  ages  taking  advan- 
tage of  this  great  boon,  from  the  mechanic  who  had  econo- 
mised time  to  refresh  his  mind  in  this  great  laboratory,  to 
the  schoolboy,  in  academical  costume,  who  w^as  pursuing 
his  studies  in  this  quiet  retreat.  The  librarian  was  so 
good  as  to  conduct  us  round  the  building,  and  point  out 
everything  worthy  of  attention,  and  bring  out  all  the  rarer 
books  in  the  collection,  of  which  there  were  many :  but 
all  these  things  seemed  insignificant  compared  with  the  one 
grand  feature, — that  all  this  large  library  was  accessible  to 
everybody ;  and  we  came  away  deeply  impressed  with  ad- 
miration at  the  unbounded  liberality  of  its  founders  and 
directors.  In  the  ground-floor  of  this  building  we  walked 
through  an  extensive  gallery  of  pictures,  which,  however, 
were  of  no  merit,  and  need  not  arrest  the  traveller's  atten- 
tion for  a  single  moment. 

Mr.  Wilby  also  conducted  us  to  the  new  Crystal  Palace, 
which,  though  of  little  interest  to  us,  as  it  is  a  mere  copy, 
on  a  small  scale,  of  what  may  be  met  with  in  France  and 
England  in  greater  perfection,  is  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Oporto  that  on  which  they  chiefly  pride  themselves,  and 
to  which  they  conduct  strangers  with  no  little  exultation, 
as  a  proof,  which  undoubtedly  it  is,  of  their  advancement 
and  energy.  We  found  it  to  be  a  building  of  considerable 
size,  of  the  uniform  Crystal  Palace  aspect  and  shape,  sur- 
rounded with  a  well-kept  garden,  laid  out  after  the  English 
fashion,  but  stocked  with  flowers  and  shrubs  such  as  the 
English  climate  would  forbid  us  to  attempt  to  rear  in  the 


OPORTO.  125 

open  air.  Combined  with  the  floricultural  exhibition  there 
is  also  a  small  beginning  of  a  Zoological  garden,  in  the 
shape  of  four  or  five  large  cages,  containing  respectively 
eagles,  hawks,  cranes,  and  some  other  birds ;  and  it  is  con- 
fidently hoped  that  in  due  course  this  little  nucleus  may 
develop  into  a  more  regular  collection.  On  entering  the 
building  we  found  that  one  half  was  devoted  to  dramatic 
representations,  and  fitted  up  as  a  theatre ;  the  remainder 
was  occupied  as  a  large  bazaar,  containing  stalls  of  all 
sorts,  after  the  manner  of  our  familiar  emporium  at  Syden- 
ham. There  were  also  added,  at  one  end,  conservatories 
and  hot-houses,  well  filled  with  choice  exotics,  all.  in  ad- 
mirable condition,  and  betokening  the  good  taste  and  judg- 
ment of  the  directors  of  this  spirited  company.  The  build- 
ing crowns  the  summit  of  one  of  the  higher  hills  which 
the  city  occupies;  and  as  the  brilliant  rays  of  the  sun  are 
flashed  back  from  its  glassy  surface,  it  may  well  be  imagined 
what  a  conspicuous  object  it  is  from  afar,  and  how  the  eye 
is  dazzled  on  looking  up  to  it  from  the  streets  below,  or 
from  the  river  which  it  almost  overhangs.  Not  less  does 
it  command  a  magnificent  view  from  the  gardens  which 
surround  it;  and  more  especially  is  this  the  case  on  the 
western  side,  whence  you  have  a  wide  vista  of  the  Atlantic, 
the  course  of  the  Douro  a  short  league  from  the  city  to 
the  sea,  the  harbour  of  Foz  at  the  m.outh  of  the  river,  and, 
above  all,  the  famous  bar,  the  terror  of  all  skippers,  which 
has  often  proved  so  destructive  to  life  and  property ;  for 
which  all  sailors  and  merchants  entertain  the  most  p  'ofonnd 
respect,  amounting  to  awe,  and  over  which,  even  frDm  this 
distance,  we  could  see  the  white  surf  rollincr  dur  nir  the 
livelong  day.  The  bar  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tagus  was  no 
trifling  matter,  and  has  attracted  to  itself  due  attention 
from  pilots,  and  enforced  caution  on  all  who  approi  ch  its 
limits;  but  the  bar  of  the  Douro  is  a  far  more  formidable 
opponent,  and  when   an   adverse  wind    is  blowing     is  a 


126  A   SPRING   TOUR    IN    PORTUGAL. 

source  of  considerable  danger  to  all  who  venture  near, 
and  has  been  the  scene  of  many  fearful  shipwrecks,  and 
the  loss  of  innumerable  human  lives  within  a  very  short 
distance  from  the  shore.  A  good  road  connects  Foz  with 
the  city ;  and,  as  it  is  well  shaded  with  an  avenue  of  lime 
trees,  and  is  the  only  flat  ground  near  Oporto,  and  conse- 
quently the  general  rendezvous  of  those  who  rode  and 
drove ;  as,  moreover,  it  follows  the  bank  of  the  river,  where 
the  constant  arrival  and  departure  of  ships  of  all  sizes 
afforded  ever-varying  objects  of  interest,  it  was  our  fa- 
vourite evening  walk,  and  we  generall}^  found  ourselves 
strolling  along  the  outskirts  of  the  city  in  the  direction  of 
Foz ;  and  in  addition  to  the  other  attractions  which  J  have 
mentioned,  in  these  same  suburbs  we  found  the  most  pic- 
turesque samples  of  old  Portuguese  houses,  though  in 
dilapidated  condition,  which  we  had  met  with  in  the  entire 
country. 

Eeturning  now  to  the  eastern  end  of  Oporto,  and  re- 
crossing  the  river  by  the  suspension  bridge,  over  which 
we  first  entered  the  city,  let  me  conduct  my  readers  to 
another  admirable  point  of  view,  viz.,  the  ruins  of  the 
Serra  convent,  to  which  a  steep  path  conducts  the  pedes- 
trian, ascending  immediately  from  the  bridge.  Here  we 
find  the  monastic  buildings  literally  knocked  to  pieces, 
the  stonework  demolished,  the  iron  window  bars  torn  and 
twisted,  and  the  marks  of  the  cannon  balls  over  the  whole 
face  of  the  convent,  just  as  it  was  left  after  the  Miguelite 
attack  for  so  complete  was  the  demolition  of  this  rich 
and  splendid  monastery,  that  it  was  at  once  abandoned  to 
decay,  and  it  remains  a  monument  of  its  former  magnifi- 
cence, and  the  cruel  vicissitudes  it  has  experienced  in 
troub'ous  times.  From  the  terraces  and  gardens  sur- 
rounding it  we  have  not  only  the  view  down  the  river 
westwards  to  the  sea,  together  with  Foz  and  the  broad 
oceai ,  such  as  we  may  see  from  most  of  the  heights  of 


OPOIITO.  127 

Oporto;  but  hence  we  can  command  a  view,  thoii;)}i 
limited  in  extent,  up  the  river,  where,  shut  in  by  per- 
pendicular cliffs,  and  dark  and  sombre  in  its  shaded 
channel,  the  Douro  offers  a  sample  of  the  wild  and  rocky 
scenery  which  characterises  the  jj^reater  part  of  its  navi- 
gable course,  and  still  more  of  its  infant  stream  high 
up  amidst  the  wild  mountains  beyond  the  Portuguese 
frontier,  and  seldom  visited  by  the  most  enterprising 
traveller.  As  we  looked  upon  it  from  the  Serra  convent, 
and  marked  its  narrow  bed  confined  by  cliffs  on  either 
hand,  we  simultaneously  exclaimed  how  close  a  resem- 
blance it  bore  to  the  Avon  just  below  Bristol,  though  on 
the  banks  of  that  latter  stream  we  might  look  in  vain  for 
the  orange  groves,  the  olive  yards,  and  quintas  which 
surround  the  villas  in  the  suburbs  of  Oporto. 

In  deference  to  common  English  usage,  and  from  a 
natural  repugnance  to  introduce  any  alteration  whicli  may 
seem  pedantic,  in  the  name  of  a  place  which  has  long 
been  so  familiar  to  English  ears  as  Oporto,  I  have  adhered 
to  the  customary  appellation  of  that  city,  as  adopted  by 
my  countrymen  at  home.  I  w^ould  here,  however,  remark 
that  the  name  so  given  is  altogether  arbitrary,  and  has 
arisen  from  a  misconception,  Porto  being  the  true  designa- 
tion of  the  place,  and  the  prefix  of  the  definite  article  0  as 
imauthorised  as  if  we  were  to  insist  on  styling  Portugal  as 
Oportugal,  and  port  wine  as  Oport  wine ;  or  as  if  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Peninsula  were  to  represent  our  Ports- 
mouth as  Theportsmouth.  But  the  English  nation  has 
undoubtedly  a  remarkable  knack  of  altering  the  names  of 
foreign  towns  at  random,  and  especially  where  the  British 
sailor  finds  pronunciation  difficult,  he  cuts  the  Gordian 
knot  without  compunction  by  Anglicising  what  he  con- 
siders a  barbarous  title,  till  he  has  fashioned  it  to  his  taste, 
and  till  he  can  pronounce  it  ore  rotunda  in  downright 
English,  and  without  any  of  those  lispings  and  mincings 


12S  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

for  which  he  heartily  despises  all  foreign  tongues.  Tlie 
original  name  of  the  city  was  Portocale,  Portus  cedes; 
and  as  in  progress  of  time,  when  commerce  increased,  it 
became  the  most  important  place  of  trade  in  the  kingdom, 
it  gave  its  name  to  the  whole  country  of  Lusitania,  under 
Ferdinand  the  Great  in  1064 ;  and  this  name,  with  a  very 
slight  alteration  of  letters,  easily  merged  into  ^  Portugal.' 


129 


CHAPTER  XL 

OPORTO — continued. 

To  PROFESS  to  write  anything  about  Portugal,  and  above 
all  about  Oporto,  and  to  omit  all  mention  of  port  wine, 
would  to  many  of  my  countrymen  appear  very  much  the 
same  as  undertaking  to  represent  the  play  of  '  Hamlet,'  but 
omitting  the  character  of  the  Danish  prince.  I  therefore 
propose  to  devote  a  short  space  to  this  subject,  of  such 
paramount  interest  to  Englishmen  ;  and  I  am  the  more 
induced  to  do  this  because,  from  the  ready  kindness  I  met 
from  merchants  and  others  engaged  in  the  wine  trade  at 
Oporto,  I  learnt  a  great  deal  that  was  new  to  me  regarding 
the  production  of  that  excellent  wine,  and  enjoyed  unusual 
facilities  for  making  myself  acquainted  with  the  process 
employed  in  bringing  it  to  perfection.  Let  me  premise, 
however,  that  I  am  not  sufficiently  versed  in  the  subject  to 
venture  upon  details,  whicli  may  be  gathered  by  the  con- 
noisseur from  more  trustworthy  sources.*  I  will  but  offer 
a  general  outline  of  facts  which  I  gleaned  from  several 
independent  witnesses,  checked  and  corroborated  by  what 
I  saw  with  my  own  eyes. 

Now  it  so  happens  that  during  the  last  few  years,  in  my 
wanderings  through  various  parts  of  Europe,  I  have  acci- 

*  See  especially  an  unpretending  little  volume  whicli  is  full  of  informa- 
tion on  this  subject,  entitled  Prize  Essaf/  on  Portugal.  By  John  James 
Forrester.     London,  1854. 


130  A   SPRING   TOUR    IN   TORTUGAL. 

dentally,  and  quite  nnintentionally,  stumbled  upon  all  the 
wine-ofrowino:  districts  which  are  most  noted.  Thus,  ou 
the  banks  of  the  Rhine  and  its  tributaries,  I  have  watched 
the  process  employed  in  preparing  the  Hocks  and  Moselles 
we  esteem  so  highly  in  England.  In  Italy  I  have  witnessed 
the  vintage  and  the  pressing  out  of  the  grapes  which  result 
in  the  rich,  luscious  wines  for  which  that  classic  land  is 
famous.  In  France  I  have  visited  the  champagne  district 
at  Epernay,  the  Burgundy  district  in  the  Cote  d'Or,  and 
the  claret  district  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Bordeaux ; 
while  in  Spain  I  have  rambled  through  the  Val  de  Penas, 
and,  lastly,  the  native  land  of  Amontillado  and  sherry,  and 
have  experienced  the  perfection  to  which  those  wines  can 
attain,  in  the  famous  Bodega  of  the  Messrs.  Duff  Gordon 
at  Xeres.  To  complete  the  catalogue,  therefore,  it  only 
remained  to  seek  the  home  of  the  port,  the  wine  par 
excellence  of  the  Englishman,  and  which  the  connoisseur 
places  far  above  all  others,  declaring  indeed  that  all  other 
wines  would  be  port  wine  if  they  could. 

Our  kind  friends  at  Lisbon  had  furnished  us  with 
letters  of  introduction  to  the  house  of  Messrs.  Sandeman, 
who  are  (I  believe)  the  largest  port-wine  merchants  in 
Oporto,  and  we  paid  several  visits  to  their  very  extensive 
stores,  or  rather  lodges,  as  the  cool,  dark  sheds  are  termed, 
in  which  the  rows  of  casks  of  the  precious  liquor  are 
deposited.  Moreover,  we  were  in  daily  communication, 
during  our  stay  in  the  northern  capital,  with  some  in- 
telligent Englishmen,  who  were  connected  with  various 
houses  of  business  in  the  wine  trade ;  so  that  we  had  ample 
opportunity  for  satisfying  our  curiosity  on  this  head. 

All  the  wines  which  we  call  port,  without  exception, 
come  from  the  wild,  half-civilized,  little-explored  province 
lying  at  the  north-eastern  extremity  of  Portugal,  called 
Traz-os-]\Tontes.  This  district  is  so  entirely  destitute  of 
roads  and  of  inns,  is  so  rough  and  even  savage,  not  only  in 


OrORTO.  w. 

regard  to  the  natural  aspect  of  the  countr}^  but  also  witli 
reference  to  its  inliabitants,  that  it  has  proved  almost 
inaccessible  to  travellers,  and  has  seldom  been  visited  by 
tlie  most  enthusiastic  tourists.  Here,  amidst  the  most 
ruii^ti^ed  mountains,  and  in  a  country  notorious  for  malaria, 
and  but  very  sparingly  populated,  the  vines  which  produce 
the  celebrated  wine  grow  in  dwarf  bushes  and  in  terraces 
one  above  another,  not  unlike  the  unpicturesque  method 
pursued  on  the  banks  of  the  Ehine  and  Moselle,  and  in 
Central  France.  These  vines  are  tended  and  pruned  with 
the  greatest  care,  and  no  labour  is  spared  in  bringing 
the  fruit  to  perfection.  Then,  when  the  happy  season  of 
vintage  is  come  round,  the  scene  resembles  that  of  our 
hop-gardens  in  Kent  and  Surrey.  The  indefatigable  Gral- 
legos  flock  in  to  take  part  in  the  work,  and  baskets  of  ripe 
grapes  are  carried  to  the  wine-press,  where,  to  the  sound 
of  music,  and  amidst  the  songs  and  shouts  of  the  labourers, 
the  juice  is  trodden  out  by  the  trampling  of  human  feet, 
after  the  method  pursued  from  the  most  ancient  times 
in  all  southern  and  oriental  countries.*  Then  ensues  the 
fermentation,  the  straining  of  the  liquor,  the  refining,  and 
whatever  process  is  employed  before  it  is  put  into  casks : 
and  then  it  is  shipped  on  board  the  wine  boats  and  sent 
on  its  somewhat  perilous  voyage  down  the  Douro  amongst 
the  rapids  and  sand-banks,  and  finally,  (unless  swamped 
and  destroyed  on  the  passage,  as  not  unfrequently  happens,) 
it  is  landed  at  one  of  the  large  '  lodges '  in  Oporto. 

On  presenting  ourselves  at  the  counting-house  of  Messrs. 
Sandeman,  and  handing  in  our  letter  of  introduction,  we 
were  courteously  received  by  the  manager  on  duty,  and 

*  For  an  exhaustive  account  of  the  wine-press,  and  the  mode  of  treading 
out  the  juice  of  the  grape,  as  practised  of  old,  but  equally  applicable  to 
modern  Portuguese  use,  see  the  article  'Wine'  in  Dr.  Smith's  Dictionar>i 
of  the  Bible,  vol.  iii.  p.  1774. 

K  2 


132  A   SPRING   TOUR    IN    PORTUGAL. 

under  his  guidance  made  the  tour  of  the  k^dge.  This, 
like  the  bodegas  of  Xeres,  is  above  ground,  large,  roomy, 
well-ventilated,  dry,  and  cool,  but  by  what  means  the  all- 
penetrating  heat  of  the  sun  was  excluded  I  was  wholly 
unable  to  ascertain.  Here  were  stored  pipes  of  port  wine 
in  incredible  quantities,  and  all  in  casks  of  uniform  size, 
each  containing  a  pipe.  Bottling  is  wholly  unknown  in 
the  wine  trade  at  Oporto,  and  herein  the  lodges  differ 
widely  from  the  wine  vaults  of  the  great  claret  merchants 
at  Bordeaux,  where  I  have  seen,  in  the  cellars  of  a  single 
firm  (those  of  the  noted  Messrs.  Barton  and  Guestier),  no 
less  than  250,000  bottles,  stacked  in  long  lanes,  in  addition 
to  many  goodly  rows  of  barrels  of  imposing  bulk  and 
capacity.  But  here  stood  5,000  pipes  of  port;  nor  did 
that  large  figure  represent  the  whole  stock  of  the  firm ; 
for  in  other  lodges  they  possessed  4,000  pipes  in  addition, 
making  a  total  of  9,000  pipes  in  all. 

As  I  understood  our  conductor,  who  was  not  very  fluent 
in  English,  all  the  wine  brought  down  from  the  vineyards 
was  in  a  rough  state,  and  required  a  great  deal  of  fining 
and  preparing  for  the  market ;  and,  indeed,  we  witnessed 
the  process  of  racking  it  off,  and  carrying  it  in  pails  from 
one  cask  to  another,  and  in  this  work  no  less  than  300 
men  are  employed  in  this  single  lodge.  In  answer  to  my 
enquiry  whether,  with  such  excellent  wine  and  in  a  thirsty 
climate,  the  temptation  to  imbibe  on  the  sly  was  not  some- 
times too  great  to  be  resisted  by  those  swarthy  labourers, 
our  guide  replied,  that  overseers  were  continually  on  the 
watch  to  guard  against  that  which,  unless  rigorously  re- 
pressed, would  be  a  very  serious  loss ;  but  he  added,  with 
a  grim  smile,  that,  notwithstanding  all  the  precautions 
employed,  '  they  can  drink  a  leetle  much.' 

The  cooper's  department  was  in  itself  a  considerable 
business ;  and  hoops  and  staves  were  being  converted  into 
casks  with  wonderful  rapidity. 


OPORTO..  vn 

Of  course  we  tasted  port  wine  of  every  character  and 
quality ;  from  the  full-bodied,  deeply-coloured,  heavy  wine, 
so  attractive  to  the  English  palate,  to  the  tawny-hued, 
lighter,  clean-tasted  nectar,  forty  years  in  age,  but  scarcely 
t(Ui  years  in  bottle ;  which,  though  not  an  article  of  com- 
merce, is  extensivel}^  consumed  by  the  English  residents  in 
Oporto,  and  wherein  they  certainly  show  their  good  taste, 
for  more  exquisite  flavour,  with  the  colour  of  light  sherry, 
and  with  the  taste  of  superlative  port,  T  never  met. 

We  learnt  from  our  good  friends  at  Oporto,  some  in  the 
wine  trade  and  others  unconnected  with  the  business, 
many  particulars  which  were  interesting;  and  in  this  city, 
whose  wharfs  are  redolent  with  port,  everybody  appears 
to  be  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  whole  process  by  which 
that  staple  article  of  the  trade  of  their  district  is  brought 
to  perfection.  We  were  told  that  one  great  art  consists  in 
stopping  the  fermentation  at  the  right  moment,  and  this 
is  effected  immediately  by  the  addition  of  brandy ;  and  it 
was  openly  acknowledged  that,  in  preparing  port  for  the 
English  and  foreign  market,  it  is  absolutely  necessar}'-  to 
add  a  considerable  amount  of  brandy,  without  which  the 
wine  would  not  keep :  but  then  it  was  explained  that  this 
so-called  brandy  is  a  spirit  distilled  from  the  port-wine 
grape,  and  so  is  not  the  addition  or  adulteration  which  at 
first  sight  might  seem  to  be  implied,  but  rather  the  mix- 
ture of  a  kindred  material  prepared  after  another  fashion. 
No  less  candidly  was  it  acknowledged,  that  log-wood  was 
used  in  considerable  quantities  for  the  purpose  of  im- 
parting the  deep  colour  required ;  and  for  the  same  pur- 
pose elder  berries,  or  rather  the  skins  of  elder  berries,  from 
which  the  juice  had  been  expressed,  and  which  had  been 
dried  and  enclosed  in  a  bag  (like  our  washerwoman's  homely 
blue  bag),  were  frequently  resorted  to.  But  it  was  ex- 
plained that  this  was  never  pretended  to  benefit  the  flavour, 
but  wholly  in  deference  to  the  consumers'  taste,  who  de 


134  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX   TORTUGAL. 

preciate  port  wine  unless  deeply  tinted;  just  as  the  dairy 
farmers  of  Gloucester  and  Wilts  are  obliged  to  add  co- 
louring matter  to  their  cheeses  in  order  to  adapt  their 
goods  to  the  public  fancy,  although  it  is  notorious  that 
such  colouring  matter  is  generally  a  most  disagreeable,  and 
even  nasty  substance.  For  fining  the  wine,  vast  quan- 
tities of  egg-shells  are  consumed ;  but  the  sulphur  which 
is  also  largely  imported,  and  about  which  many  wild  fables 
have  been  circulated,  never  approaches  the  liquor,  but  is 
merely  the  dressing  wherewith  the  vines  have  been  anoin- 
ted, in  consequence  of  the  terrible  disease  which  has  raged 
amongst  the  plants  for  several  years,  and,  at  one  time, 
threatened  to  destroy  them  as  effectually  as  was  the  case 
in  Madeira.  It  is,  however,  true  that  the  sulphur,  if  ap- 
plied in  too  large  a  quantity,  will  so  impregnate  the  plant 
with  its  deleterious  flavour  as  to  taint  the  wine  with  its 
pernicious  odour,  to  the  manifest  injury  of  its  marketable 
value. 

After  this  protracted  discussion  on  the  port-wine  trade, 
the  enquiry  naturally  arises  whether  there  is  any  truth  in 
the  reports  so  current  in  England  as  to  the  adulteration  of 
the  wine  before  it  is  shipped  for  England,  and  as  to  the 
wholesale  manufacture  of  some  counterfeit  article  with 
which  it  is  mixed-  Now,  it  is  difficult  to  rebut  an  accu- 
sation which  has  no  defined  data,  but  is  a  mere  vague, 
though  widely  spread  rumour.  I  may,  however,  confi- 
dently say  that  there  is  no  such  idea  current  in  Oporto, 
but,  on  the  contrar}^,  it  was  unhesitatingly  declared  to  be 
false  by  all  of  whom  I  made  enquiry,  whether  they  were 
themselves  engaged  in  the  lodges  or  not.  And  I  cannot 
but  think  that  the  legitimate  employment  of  log-wood, 
elder  berries,  and  sulphur,  as  explained  above,  forms 
ample  basis  for  the  stories  current  in  England,  and  will 
account  for  any  number  of  tales,  howsoever  exaggerated, 
of   the  presumed   adulteration  of   his  favourite  wine,  of 


OPORTO.  1  r,.5 

whose  purity  the  British  epicure  is  inclined  to  be  sceptical, 
and  on  whose  genuineness  he  is  apt  to  look  with  too  jealous 
and  suspicious  an  eye. 

Certain  it  is,  that  the  quantity  of  wine  shipped  from 
()porto  to  England  is  enormous;  moreover,  almost  the 
whole  produce  of  Traz-os-Montes  finds  its  way  into  the 
l^ritish  market.  I  have  already  shown  that  the  stock  of 
Messrs.  Sandeman  reached  the  vast  total  of  9,000  pipes ; 
and  I  may  add  that  1,600  pipes  had  already  been  shipped 
by  that  one  firm  during  the  first  four  months  of  the  year, 
previous  to  my  visit;  and  there  are  many  other  large 
houses  in  Oporto,  doing  business  on  a  similar  gigantic 
.scale.  So  that,  at  all  events,  I  may  conclude,  without  fear 
of  contradiction,  that  a  vast  quantity  of  port  wine  is  an- 
nually exported  from  the  Douro  to  England. 

I  pass  on  now  to  speak  of  other  vegetable  productions 
of  northern  Portugal,  for  the  vine  is  by  no  means  the  only 
plant  which  here  attains  a  perfection  seldom  reached  else- 
where. I  have  already  casually  remarked  on  the  magni- 
ficent camellias  in  the  English  cemetery,  which  had  attained 
the  size  of  large  bushes,  and  even  trees,  and,  covered  with 
blossoms,  arrested  our  immediate  attention  and  most  pro- 
found admiration.  We  had  seen  nothing  like  them  in  size 
or  luxuriance  at  Cintra,  not  even  in  the  famous  gardens 
at  Montserrat ;  while  at  Lisbon  the  climate  is  too  hot  to 
admit  of  their  existence;  but  in  Oporto  we  found  them 
growing  in  every  garden  and  C[uinta,  with  a  profusion  whicli 
spoke  plainly  how  well  soil  and  climate  were  adapted  to 
their  growth.  Indeed,  they  were  quite  common  shrubs, 
and  appeared  to  flourish  in  every  aspect,  and  to  require 
little  care  and  attention ;  and  some  fine  specimens  which 
F.  purchased,  and  sent  home  to  England,  w^ere  selected 
in  a  garden  from  an  enormous  stock  of  this  graceful  shrub 
of  all  varieties  and  sizes,  just  as,  in  England,  we  might 
choose  amidst  the  innumerable  species  of  the  pine  tribe, 


136  A    SPKING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

in  replenishing  our  shrubberies  from  the  nurv«ery  gardener's 
stores. 

But  in  speaking  of  shrubs  and  trees  I  cannot  do  better 
than  introduce  my  readers  at  once  to  the  luxuriant  gar- 
dens of  the  English  chaplain,  the  Rev.  Edward  Whiteley, 
whom  we  have  to  thank,  not  only  for  the  most  unbounded 
hospitality,  but  for  repeated  acts  of  kindness  and  courtesy 
shown  us  throughout  our  stay  at  Oporto,  and  for  a  large 
amount  of  very  valuable  information  regarding  the  less 
frequented  portions  of  northern  and  eastern  Portugal,  which 
his  long  residence  in  the  country,  as  well  as  his  adventurous 
spirit  of  exploring,  and  his  ardent  love  of  fine  scenery 
liave  well  qualified  him  to  impart.  Within  the  grounds 
of  this  highly  esteemed  gentleman  are  congregated  some 
of  the  finest  specimens  of  trees  and  shrubs  which,  I 
make  bold  to  say,  are  to  be  found  in  the  world,  within 
so  limited  a  space ;  indeed,  two  of  them,  a  tulip  tree  and 
a  magnolia,  are  amongst  the  sights  of  Oporto,  which 
strangers  seldom  fail  to  visit,  even  in  this  land  of  luxuriant 
vegetation.  Both  are  large  forest  trees,  throwing  out  their 
branches  laterally  with  great  vigour,  well  grown  and  still 
growing,  and  overshadowing  a  wide  extent  of  ground. 
With  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Whiteley,  I  took  an  accurate 
measurement  of  these  two  trees,  while  F.  took  their 
portraits  with  his  camera.  We  found  the  tulip  tree,  at 
three  feet  above  the  ground,  to  measure  seventeen  feet  one 
inch  in  circumference,  while  it  attained  an  altitude  of 
ninety  feet,  and  was  literally  covered  with  blossom.  A 
perennial  spring  of  water  trickled  near  its  roots,  and, 
doubtless,  this  was  the  secret  of  its  vigorous  growth  and 
rapid  increase.  The  magnolia  tree  was,  perhaps,  even 
more  extraordinary,  as  it  extended  over  a  larger  area  of 
ground,  and  some  of  its  branches  were  huge  limbs.  It 
measures  sixty  feet  in  height,  and  thirteen  feet  four  inches 
in  girth  at  three  feet  from  its  base.     It  is  in  the  height  of 


OrORTO.  1.M7 

its  vigour,  and  is  annually  increasing,  tbongh,  during  the 
siege  of  Oporto,  it  was  struck  by  a  cannon  ball,  wbicli 
inflicted  a  severe  wound  on  the  trunk,  and  threatened  ex- 
tensive damage.  By  judicious  treatment,  however,  it  has 
recovered  from  the  hurt,  and,  beyond  an  honourable  scar, 
which  it  will  always  carry,  is  none  the  worse  for  the  hard 
blow ;  indeed,  Mr.  Whiteley  confidently  asserts  that  it  is 
the  larofest  maanolia  in  the  world.  The  buds  were  swollen, 
though  no  flowers  were  opened  during  the  time  of  our 
visit;  but  we  could  well  believe  its  enthusiastic  owner's 
statement,  with  what  delicious  perfume  the  whole  garden 
would  be  scented,  and  what  a  noble  spectacle  it  would  be 
when  in  full  blossom,  and  no  less  than  a  hundred  gigantic 
flowers  blooming  at  once  upon  the  tree. 

In  the  same  garden  grew  a  very  fine  Judas  tree,^  a  splen- 
did pimento  or  pepper  tree,  some  large  shaddocks,  and  a 
Japanese  apple,  the  fruit  of  which  we  had  bought  at  Coim- 
bra  under  the  name  of  nesperas^  though  here  it  was  known 
as  laconte.  Here,  too,  camellias,  of  every  variety  of  tint 
and  of  great  size,  were  abundant,  while  the  garden  was 
bounded  by  a  belt  of  cork  trees,  which  offered  a  grateful 
shade  during  the  mid-day  heat.  I  do  not  mention  oranges, 
because  they  abound  in  every  part  of  Portugal,  of  a 
size  and  flavour,  and  with  a  profusion,  I  have  never  seen 
elsewhere.  But  I  must  remark  on  the  Oporto  strawberries, 
which  were  very  abundant  in  the  market,  and  which  we 
saw  in  perfection  at  Mr.  Whiteley's  table;  they  are  of 
very  large  size,  white  in  colour,  and  of  excellent  flavour, 
though,  in  my  judgment,  not  to  be  compared  with  their 
exact  contrasts,  the  diminutive,  dark-red,  mountain  straw- 
berries, which  one  meets  with  in  Norway  and  Sweden. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  explain  the  cause  of  the  luxuriant 
vegetation  we  found  in  this  favoured  garden ;  it  is  exactly 

♦  The  Ccrcis  siUquai<trum,  the  traditional  tree  on  which  Judas  hanged 
imself :  hence  its  Enrrlish  name. 


138  A    SPRIXG    TOUR    IX    TORTUGAL. 

the  same  cause  as  that  which  produces  an  oasis  in  the 
sterile  desert.  A  trickling  spring-  bursting  from  the  rock, 
and  conducted  through  the  garden,  is  the  secret  which, 
in  this  splendid  climate,  works  wonders  in  the  vegetable 
world.  And  so  we  found  tliroughout  northern  Portugal, 
in  the  rich  province  of  Minho,  an  abundance  of  water 
was  the  true  source  of  its  fertility  ;  and  as  no  district  in 
the  country  is  so  well  furnished  with  brooks  and  streams, 
so  none  other  is  so  fruitful.  Even  the  famous  vines  of 
Traz-os-Montes,  which  notoriously  can  endure  long  con- 
tinued drought,  are  at  stated  seasons  carefully  supplied 
with  water  ;  and,  indeed  I  may  close  this  botanical  chapter 
with  the  aphorism  well  known  in  the  thirsty,  Avater-loving, 
water-drinking  Peninsula,  'a  perennial  spring  is  the  greatest 
earthly  gift  which  Grod  bestows  on  man.' 


139 


CHAPTER  XII. 

UK  AG  A    AND    BOM    JESUS. 

The  peovince  of  Mioho,  which  occupies  the  north-western 
portion  of  Portugal,  is  notoriously  by  far  the  most  beau- 
tiful of  all  the  six  provinces  into  which  that  kingdom  is 
divided.  The  full  title  of  this  district  is  ^Entre  Minho  e 
Douro,'  inasmuch  as  it  comprises  the  territory  which  lies 
between  those  two  rivers,  as  they  flow  towards  the  sea ;  it 
is  also  at  once  the  most  fertile  and  the  most  populous. 
The  whole  province  is  formed  entirely  of  granite,  and  there 
is  very  little  level  ground  throughout  this  district,  but  its 
principal  features  are  composed  of  a  succession  of  well- 
cultivated  valle3^s  and  forest-clad  hills,  which  towards  the 
eastern  limits  assume  the  size  and  character  of  wild  and 
lofty  mountains.  From  these  hills  streams  without  num- 
ber trickle,  and,  wandering  through  the  vales,  are  the 
main  cause  of  the  luxuriance  and  verdure  which  distin- 
guish the  province.  Here,  too,  we  meet  with  the  forests 
of  a'isT^ntic  oaks  for  which  northern  Portu^'al  is  famous ; 
forests  of  fir  and  forests  of  chestnut,  as  well  as  the  cork 
and  olive  in  great  profusion. 

We  had  from  the  first  proposed  to  ourselves  an  excursion 
into  the  heart  of  this  inviting  district,  and  we  had  not  been 
long  in  Oporto  before  we  proceeded  to  make  enquiry  with 
regard  to  roads  and  carriages,  as  we  w^ere  naturally  anxious 
to  include  within  our  circuit  those  portions  which  seemed 
to  promise  the  greatest  attractions  of  scenery.     But  here 


140  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX   PORTUGAL. 

we  were  baffled  at  the  outset  by  the  most  contradictory 
and  at  the  same  time  the  most  positive  opinions  from 
those  whose  advice  we  sought,  and  we  had  no  sooner 
resolved  on  a  route  which  was  strongly  recommended  by 
some  enthusiastic  adviser,  than  it  was  loudly  declared 
wholly  impracticable  by  another:  and  even  the  question 
of  the  existence  of  roads  at  all  (beyond  the  beaten  track 
from  city  to  city,  to  which  we  by  no  means  wished  to 
adhere)  was  warmly  disputed. 

Placed  in  this  dilemma,  and  finding  it  impossible  to 
obtain  reliable  information,  we  abandoned  our  original 
intention  of  hiring  a  carriage,  whereby  our  free  progress 
would  probably  be  considerably  hampered,  and  determined 
to  begin  the  journey  as  far  as  Braga  by  public  conveyance, 
and  be  guided  in  our  after-movements  by  intelligence  we 
received  as  we  made  our  way  from  point  to  point.  It  was 
well  that  we  did  so,  for  the  road  we  subsequently  travelled 
came  to  an  abrupt  termination  in  the  very  heart  of  the 
most  charming  scenery  ;  and  had  we  been  dependant  on 
wheels,  we  must  have  returned  by  the  same  route  we  had 
pursued,  a  course  in  every  case  to  be  deprecated  by  the 
traveller,  but  not  to  be  thought  of  for  a  moment,  when 
wandering  through  the  most  lovely  portions  of  Minho. 
I  should  explain  that  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  informa- 
tion on  these  points  at  Oporto  arose,  in  great  measure, 
from  the  stationary  habits  of  the  Portuguese,  who  seldom 
travel,  and  when  they  do  leave  home  on  business,  either 
pursue  the  time-honoured  custom  of  their  forefathers,  of 
journeying  on  horseback,  or  confine  their  wanderings  be- 
tween the  large  towns,  where  the  formation  of  roads  and 
the  establishment  of  so-called  diligences  have  within  the 
last  few  years  given  them  facilities  to  which,  however,  they 
have  not  yet  become  accustomed.  But  besides  this,  so  little 
is  the  value  of  good  roads  understood,  that  some  which 
have  been   laid    down   at   great   expense    and    admirably 


BRAG  A    AND    BOAf    JESUS.  141 

formed  have  been  already  siiffered  to  get  out  of  repair, 
and  are  nearly  useless  for  traffic. 

But  every  allowance  must  be  made  for  a  people  who 
are  only  just  beoinning  to  learn  the  use  of  wheels  ;  who, 
within  a  comparatively  recent  period,  possessed  no  roads  at 
all ;  and  who,  within  the  memory  of  living  men,  knew  no 
other  conveyance  than  the  bullock-cart,  which  I  was  assured 
by  one  informant  he  had  himself  seen  in  use  in  Oporto  for 
the  conveyance  of  ladies  to  a  dinner  party.  Even  now  the 
coach  service  on  the  best  of  their  roads  is  quite  in  its 
infancy,  and  would  by  no  means  satisf}^  the  expectations 
of  the  English  traveller  with  but  an  ordinary  stock  of 
patience,  as  the  sequel  of  our  experience  in  Minho  will 
amply  show. 

We  fixed  on  an  early  day  in  the  week  for  our  expedition, 
and  took  our  places  outside  the  diligence  for  Guimaraens ; 
and,  well  cautioned  to  present  ourselves  in  good  time  at 
the  office,  we  had  made  a  very  early  breakfast,  and  clam- 
bered up  the  steep  hills  of  the  city,  and  at  5.45  a.m.  pre- 
sented ourselves  at  the  starting-point.  Here  we  were 
amused  to  find  our  diligence,  which  was  in  reality  a  dimi- 
nutive omnibus  or  sociable,  drawn  up  in  the  street,  loaded 
with  passengers  ;  the  conductor  in  a  nervous  state  of  ex- 
citement, awaiting  our  arrival,  and  all  ready  for  the  start, 
with  the  trifling  exception  that  no  horses  had  hitherto 
appeared  on  the  scene.  However,  we  were  soon  ushered 
up  to  our  seats,  and  our  cargo  being  complete,  after  ten 
minutes' patient  waiting  in  that  somewhat  ridiculous  posi- 
tion, the  horses  were  brought  out,  and  as  the  clock  struck 
six,  amidst  a  great  deal  of  noise  from  coachman  and 
ostlers,  and  a  loud  smacking  of  whips,  our  sturdy  team 
started  up  the  street  at  a  gallop,  rounded  a  corner  with  a 
fearful  lurch,  and  subsided  at  once  into  a  mild  trot,  which 
was  little  more  than  a  walk,  and  from  which  we  never 
emerged  again  throughout  the  journey. 


142  A   SPmXG   TOUR   IX    PORTUGAL. 

As  our  sole  object  was  to  see  the  country,  and  enjoy  the 
views,  we  were  certainly  in  nO  hurry,  and  had  no  cause  to 
complain  of  the  delay  ;  and  yet,  as  we  dragged  on  at  four 
miles  an  hour,  and  were  passed'  by  strings  of  peasants  on 
their  ambling  mules  and  donkeys,  and  never  made  play 
even  on  the  most  favourable  ground,  it  became  somewhat 
tedious  to  crawl  along  the  road  at  that  snail's  gallop,  for 
we  did  not  yet  understand  that  this  is  the  custom  of 
Portugal ;  and  why  should  this  new-fangled  coach  outstrip 
the  muleteer,  the  pedestrian,  and  the  horseman,  who 
have  always  been  contented  to  jog  along  at  that  sober 
pace?* 

The  eastern  suburbs  of  Oporto  extended  for  a  long  dis- 
tance, but  did  not  impress  us  with  their  general  cleanliness 
or  appearance  of  prosperity ;  neither  were  the  suburban 
villas  particularly  deserving  of  notice.  Much  more  to  our 
taste  were  the  quintas  and  gardens  and  valleys  and  hills, 
amidst  which  we  soon  found  ourselves,  when  we  had 
shaken  off  the  old  city  behind  us,  and  were  fairly  emerged 
into  the  country.  Now  we  were  in  the  heart  of  Minho's 
beauties  at  once,  and  as  we  leisurely  sauntered  down  the 
long  hills,  and  patiently  crept  up  the  interminable  ascents, 
we  had  ample  time  to  admire  the  amazing  luxuriance 
which  prevailed  on  all  sides ;  and  to  marvel  at  the  splen- 
did specimens  of  various  forest  trees,  which  in  turn  attrac- 
ted oar  attention.  Then  there  were  the  vines  trained  to 
pollarded  oaks,  after  a  manner  we  had  never  before  seen 
in  any  country ;  there  was  the  process  of  haymaking  at 
its  height,  the  grass  being  cut  after  a  novel  fashion  with 
sickles,  and  very  well  and  closely  cut  too ;  tlie  primitive 
ploughs,  drawn  by  four  large  oxen ;  Indian  corn  being 
sown  broadcast,  and    some   already   sprouting ;    the   rye 

*  '  The  rate  of  postal  travelling  in  Great  Britain  is  about  thirty  miles  an 
hour ;  and  in  Portugal  three  miles  an  hour.'—  Forrester's  Prize  Essay  on 
Portugal.     London,  1854.     Page  4o. 


BRAGA    AXD    IJOAf    JESUS.  14^ 

nearly  ripe;  the  wheat  begiiiuing  to  turn  colour  ;  and  all 
this  in  the  early  part  of  May,  while  the  scorching  sun 
shone  down  upon  our  heads  with  a  fierceness  unknown  in 
more  northern  latitudes ;  so  that  there  was  no  lack  of 
objects  to  interest  us  in  our  leisurely  journey  through 
Minho. 

Neither  must  I  forget  the  occasional  halts  to  change 
horses  at  the  road-side  inns,  where  port  wine  of  extra- 
ordinary excellence  was  the  general  beverage  consumed  ; 
and  though  it  seemed  strange  to  be  sipping  port  wine  at 
a  pothouse  at  an  early  hour  on  a  brilliant  morning,  we 
thought  it  well  to  follow  the  adage  of  doing  at  Eome  as 
the  Eomans  do,  and  we  too  imbibed  the  port  after  the 
example  of  our  fellow-passengers. 

But  now  we  found  that  our  five  horses  were  crawlino- 
over  the  ground  so  leisurely,  that  if  we  followed  our 
original  intention,  of  making  a  detour  by  Guimaraens,  on 
our  way  to  Braga,  we  should  not  reach  that  city  till  late 
in  the  afternoon,  which  would  not  at  all  square  with  our 
arrangements.  So  when  we  reached  the  bifurcation, 
whence  the  roads  branch  respectively  to  the  two  towns 
above-named,  we  transferred  ourselves  to  the  carriao-e  for 
Braga  direct,  and  abandoned  the  intention  of  visiting'- 
Guimaraens.  Even  then  we  consumed  nearly  eight  hours 
in  accomplishing  the  journey  of  thirty  miles;  and  not- 
withstanding the  lovely  scenery,  we  were  heartily  glad  to 
reach  the  long  straggling  suburbs  of  the  dull  old  town  of 
Braga,  and  to  traverse  the  streets  of  that  large  slumbering 
city,  the  fourth  in  the  kingdom  in  point  of  population, 
though  assuredly  the  last  in  enterprise  and  trade,  if  one 
might  judge  from  the  superficial  aspect  it  presents  to  the 
traveller. 

We  found  tolerable  lodging  and  very  indifferent  food  at 
the  Hospedaria  '  Estrella  do  Norte,'  and  after  dinner  and 
a  siesta,  we  sallied  forth  to  explore  the  city  and  its  churches, 


144  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

on  which  I  have  nothing  to  remark  beyond  the  fact,  that 
we  witnessed  a  peculiar  and  very  elaborate  religious  cere- 
mony within  the  church  of  Santa  Cruz,  which  was  highly 
decked  for  the  occasion,  and  thronged  with  a  crowd  which 
extended  beyond  the  doors  far  into  the  street. 

Then  we  passed  through  the  spacious  Campo  Santa 
Anna,  and  made  the  pilgrimage  on  foot  to  the  famous 
sanctuary  of  Bom  Jesus,  distant  one  league  from  Braga, 
and  conspicuously  perched  on  the  top  of  a  hill.  This  is 
the  great  attraction  for  Portuguese  pilgrims:  no  less  re- 
sorted to  by  the  inhabitants  of  that  country  than  the 
shrine  of  S.  lago  of  Compostella  by  Spaniards,  the  shrine 
of  Einsiedeln  by  the  Swiss,  and  the  House  of  our  Lady  of 
Loreto  by  Italians ;  indeed,  it  has  been  declared  that  no 
devout  Portuguese  can  die  in  peace  unless  he  has,  at 
some  period  of  his  life,  visited  this  national  sanctuary. 

^\e  had  heard  a  great  deal  of  the  elaborate  stations 
leading  up  to  the  church,  and  of  the  representations,  in 
painted  figures  of  wood  as  large  as  life,  of  the  scenes  of 
our  blessed  Lord's  Passion,  as  displayed  in  the  several 
chapels  conducting  up  the  hill  to  the  summit ;  and  we  had 
expected  to  see  a  counterpart  of  the  famous  terra  cotta 
figures  of  a  similar  size  and  with  a  like  object,  which  the 
tourist  amongst  the  southern  slopes  of  the  Alps  recollects 
on  the  Sacro  Monte  at  Varallo  in  Piedmont :  but  when, 
after  a  hot  and  dusty  walk,  we  reached  this  highly  extolled 
sanctuary,  whose  merits  the  natives  never  cease  to  praise 
with  rapturous  enthusiasm,  we  were  as  much  surprised  as 
disappointed  to  find  such  wretched  caricatures  of  the  holy 
scenes  as  were  positively  grotesque,  and,  but  for  the 
reverence  shown  towards  them  by  the  people,  would  be 
perfectly  ridiculous. 

Now  I  am  by  no  means  disposed  to  cavil  at  any  device 
which  may  assist  the  devotion  of  the  unlettered ;  and  I 
conclude  that  these  ill-formed,  ill-dressed  models  serve  the 


BRACJA    AND    BOM    JKSUS.  145 

purpose  for  which  they  were  intended,  inaRmuch  as  thoy 
liave  certainly  attracted  the  general  admiration  of  th(3 
Portuguese  people  :  but  it  is  almost  inconceivable  that, 
amidst  a  lavish  expense  of  well-built  chapels,  wide  stone 
staircases,  deeply  carved  balustrades,  and  elaborate  foun- 
tains, which  extend  from  the  bottom  of  the  hill  to  the 
church  on  the  top,  the  designers  of  the  representations 
should  be  contented  with  such  paltry  figures,  at  the  sight 
of  which,  notwithstanding  the  solemnity  of  the  scenes  in- 
tended to  be  depicted,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  repress  a 
smile.  At  Varallo,  on  the  contrary,  the  figures  are  not 
only  generally  well  modelled,  but  many  of  them  are  really 
creditable  works  of  art ;  and  some  of  the  scenes  repre- 
sented are  so  life-like  as  quite  to  startle  one  by  the  vivid- 
ness with  which  the  facts  they  recall  are  brought  before 
the  mind.  At  the  same  time  it  must  not  be  forgotten, 
that  in  every  nation,  to  the  uneducated  mind,  wholly 
ignorant  of  art,  the  veriest  daub  will  pass  for  a  splendid 
picture,  and,  after  all,  the  scenes  at  Bom  Jesus  are  little, 
if  at  all,  inferior  to  kindred  representations  in  some  other 
lands.  Thus  in  Bavaria,  I  have  at  Christmas  seen  the 
*  Christ-kind,'  as  it  is  called,  or  the  Nativity  of  the  Holy 
Child  in  the  stable,  with  all  the  accompaniments  of  ox  and 
ass,  represented  in  Munich  (the  home  of  the  arts)  with  no 
little  familiarity.  At  Mentone,  I  have  witnessed  on  Good 
Friday  the  Burial  of  our  Blessed  Lord,  enacted  with  a 
coarseness  that  was  quite  revolting,  while  at  the  neigh- 
bouring town  of  Monaco  a  far  more  elaborate  ceremonial 
is  annually  introduced,  exemplifying  the  entire  history  of 
the  Passion  of  our  Saviour,  but  all  in  so  homely  and 
familiar  a  style  as  to  strike  the  unaccustomed  stranger 
with  disgust,  and  appear  to  him  a  burlesque  closely  bor- 
dering on  the  blasphemous  ;  though  so  far  from  shocking 
the  national  mind,  I  have  seen  these  coarse  representations 

L 


146  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX    PORTUGAL. 

draw  tears  from  the  eyes   of  the  kneeling  and  adoring 
people. 

This  remarkable  religious  representation,  reminding  one 
of  the  '  miracle  plays,'  or  *  mysteries '  of  the  Middle  Ages, 
appears  to  be  so  little  known  in  England,  and  at  the 
same  time  is  so  likely  to  be  discontinued,  that  I  have 
thought  it  might  be  interesting  to  append  a  brief  account 
of  the  scenes  enacted ;  which  I  prefer  to  record  in  French, 
and  for  that  purpose  have  extracted  the  following  descrip- 
tion, partly  from  a  printed  programme  which  I  obtained  on 
the  spot,  and  partly  from  the  Journal  de  Nice  of  March 
28,  1864. 

'  La  procession  du  Vendredi- Saint  avait  attire  a  Monaco  une 
affluence  considerable  d'etrangers  et  de  population  des  localites 
avoisinantes.  Cette  procession  frappe  toujours  les  etrangers  par 
la  naivete  de  sa  raise  en  scene,  et  malgre  eux  ils  se  sentent  pris 
de  respect  pour  les  gens  du  pays  qui  ont  conserve  cette  vieille 
tradition  des  mysteres. 

1.  En  tete  de  la  procession  marchait  un  centurion  a  cbeval  avec 
ses  gardes. 

2.  Venaient  ensuite  le  porteur  du  coupable  pommier,  Adam, 
five,  et  I'Ange,  representes  par  de  jolis  petits  cherubins  de  huit 
a  dix  ans. 

3.  L'Ange  et  la  Vierge.    (L'Annonciation.) 

4.  Saint  Jean. 

5.  Jesus  au  jardin  des  Oliviers,  et  I'Ange  lui  presentant  le 
calice. 

6.  Les  trois  Apotres,  compagnons  de  Jesus. 

7.  Jesus  sorti  du  jardin  des  Oliviers. 

8.  Judas  avec  des  soldats  et  des  Juifs. 

y.  Saint  Pierre  coupant  Toreille  a  un  des  serviteurs  des 
grands  pretres. 

10.  Le  coq. 

11.  Herode  avec  ses  serviteurs  et  ses  gardes. 

12.  Jesus,  les  mains  liees  derrlere  le  dos,  entoure  de  gardes. 

13.  Les  pontifes. 

14.  Jc^^us  attache  a  la  colonne,  ceux  qui  le  frnppent,  et  celui 
qui  lui  donne  des  soufflets. 


JiTlMiA    AND    BOM    JESUS.  147 

15.  Ecce  Homo  et  les  gardes. 

16.  Ponce-Pilate  se  lavaut  Ics  mains. 

17.  L'Ange  portant  la  croix. 

18.  Los  portcurs  de  rccliellc,   dcs  clous,  des  tenaillcs  et  dcB 
martcaux. 

19.  Jesns  portant  la  croix  et  sainte  Veronique  a  cote  de  lui. 

20.  Le  Cireneo  et  les  sacrificateurs. 

21.  Les  vetements  de  N.-S.  joiies  au  sort. 

22.  Le  Crucifix  en  croix,  et  celui  qui  lui  perce  le  cocur. 

23.  Les  Madeleines  et  FAnge  du  calice  recueillant  les  gouttes 
du  sang  qui  decoule  du  coeur  de  N.-S.  J.-C. 

24.  Les  trois  Apotres  portant  le  linceul. 

25.  Les  docteurs  et  sainte  Catherine. 

26.  Les  Anges  et  les  Saints  precedant  le  corps  de  N.-S.  J.-C. 

27.  Le  corps  de  N.-S.  escorte  par  les  Juifs,  ayant  aleur  tete  le 
porte-drapeau  a  cheval. 

28.  Les  chantres  et  la  musique. 

29.  Les  Apotres. 

30.  La  Sainte  Vierge  et  les  trois  Maries  accompagnees  par  les 
prieuresses. 

31.  Le  chapelain  et  les  prieurs  de  la  confrerie. 

L'attention  de  la  foule  etait  concentree  principalement  sur  le 
costume  des  Juifs,  beaucoup  plus  soigne  que  celui  des  autres 
personnages  ;  elle  se  portait  aussi  sur  I'excellente  physionomie  de 
Ponce-Pilate,  qui  se  lavait  les  mains  en  homme  qui  s'y  connait. 
Les  acteurs  charges  de  representer  Notre- Seigneur  dans  le  cor- 
tege nous  ont  paru  s'eloigner  considerablement  des  peintures 
religieuses  que  nous  ont  laissees  les  grands  maitres.' 

The  above  brief  enumeration  of  the  scenes  represented 
at  Monaco  shows  with  tolerable  accuracy  the  kind  of  rude 
religious  drama  still  annually  exhibited  at  that  and  other 
favoured  places  on  the  lovely  Riviera.  But  such  repre- 
sentations are  not  confined  to  the  north  of  the  Pyrenees. 
During  Lent  of  last  year  a  friend  wrote  me  word  from 
Barcelona,  that  he  had  just  witnessed  a  miracle  play  at 
the  Liceo,  which  was  a  most  extraordinary  performance, 
bein'T  nothin^:  else  than  a  onystery  of  the  Passion  of  o'u' 

I.  2 


148  A   SPRING   TOUR    IN    PORTUGAL. 

Blessed  Lord,  admirably  performed  by  a  first-rate  operatic 
company,  while  lie  describes  the  acting  and  scenic  effects, 
especially  that  of  the  Crucifixion  with  the  darkening  of  the 
sun  and  rising  of  the  dead,  as  perfectly  wonderful ;  and 
the  singing  of  a  supposed  chorus  of  angels  as  exquisite : 
and  he  adds,  that  the  representants  of  our  Lord  and  our 
Lady  looked  just  as  if  they  had  walked  straight  out  of  one 
of  Murillo's  pictures.  This  was  undoubtedly  a  refined 
adaptation  of  the  rude  miracle  play  of  the  oNIiddle  Ages  to 
the  tastes  and  feelings  of  the  inhabitants  of  a  large  Spanish 
city  in  the  nineteenth  century,  though  to  our  English 
ideas  such  a  representation  at  all  seems  quite  shocking  and 
profane ;  but  my  friend  tells  me  that  the  audience  at  Bar- 
celona, on  the  whole,  behaved  well,  and  some  were  even 
moved  to  tears. 

To  a  still  greater  extent,  but  with  far  more  homeliness, 
is  carried  the  periodical  performance,  though  at  wide  in- 
tervals of  ten  years  between  each  representation,  of  the 
'  Ammergau  Mystery '  in  the  Tyrol,  which  is  described,  by 
those  of  our  countrymen  who  have  witnessed  it,  as  some- 
thing quite  shocking  and  repulsive  to  the  English  mind  ; 
though,  countenanced  and  indeed  directed  as  it  is  by  the 
ecclesiastics  of  the  district,  we  cannot  doubt  that  it  has  the 
effect  intended,  of  rekindling  the  faith  of  the  people,  and 
bringing  home  to  their  understandings,  and  stamping  on 
their  hearts  vivid  impressions  of  some  of  the  most  striking 
events  in  the  Passion  of  our  Blessed  Lord.  Indeed,  such 
is  very  much  the  verdict  of  an  unexceptionable  witness  of 
the  last  representation  in  1860,  no  other,  we  believe,  than 
Dean  Stanley,  who,  after  a  graphic  description  of  the 
whole  performance,  sums  up  his  reflections  upon  it  as 
follows  :*  '  Any  person  interested  in  national  religious 
education  must  perceive  the  effect  of  such  a  life-like  repre- 

*  '  The  Ammergau  3Iystery  or  Sacred  Drama  of  I860,'  by  a  Spectator : 
Macmillan's  Magazine,  October  1860,  pp.  463-477. 


BRAG  A    AND    BOM    JKSUS.  149 

sentation  of  the  words  and  facts  of  the  Bible  in  brinmnf 
them  home  to  the  minds,  if  not  the  hearts,  of  the  people. 
To  those  who  believe  that,  the  Bible,  and  especially  the 
Gospel  history,  has  a  peculiarly  elevating  and  purifyintr 
efifect,  beyond  any  other  religious  or  secular  books,  it  w^ill 
be  a  satisfaction  to  know  that  thousands  of  Grerman  pea- 
sants have  carried  away,  graven  on*  their  memories,  not  a 
collection  of  medieval  or  mythological  legends,  but  the 
chief  facts  and  doctrines  both  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ment, with  an  exactness  such  as  would  be  vainly  sought  in 
the  masses  of  our  poorer  population.'  Again:  '  any  intelli- 
gent spectator  at  this  scene  will  feel  it  to  be  a  signal 
example  of  the  infinite  differences  which,  even  with  regard 
to  subjects  of  the  most  universal  interest,  divide  the  feel- 
ings and  thoughts  of  nations  and  Churches  from  each  other, 
and  of  the  total  absurdity  and  endless  mischief  of  trans- 
posing to  one  phase  of  mind  what  belongs  exclusively  to 
another.  We  Englishmen  are  not  more  reverential  than 
an  audience  of  Bavarian  or  TjTolese  rustics  :  probably  we 
are  much  less  so.  But  from  long  engrained  habit,  from 
the  natural  reserve  and  delicacy  of  a  more  northern  and  a 
more  civilized  people,  from  the  association  of  those  out- 
ward exhibitions  of  sacred  subjects  with  a  Church  disfigured 
by  superstition  and  intolerance,  we  naturally  regard  as 
impious  what  these  simple  peasants  regard  as  devout  and 
edif3dng.  The  more  striking  is  the  superstition,  the  more 
salutary  its  effects  on  those  for  whom  it  was  intended ;  the 
more  forcibly  we  may  be  ourselves  impressed  in  witnessing 
it,  so  much  the  more  pointedly  instructive  does  the  lesson 
become,  of  the  utter  inapplicability  of  such  a  performance 
to  other  times  and  places  than  its  own.' 

All  this,  doubtless,  applies  equally  well  to  the  scenes 
represented  at  Bom  Jesus :  and  I  have  made  this  long  di- 
gression upon  kindred  displays  in  other  lands,  because  I 
desire  to  point  out  that  this  method  of  instruction  is  by  no 


150  A    SPRING   TOUR   IX    PORTUGAL. 

means  peculiar  to  Portugal;  nor  are  the  rude  scenes  so 
coarsely  and  even  grotesquely  exhibited  here,  any  mark  of 
profanity  or  irreverence.    In  short,  it  must  be  remembered, 
that  where  the  more  correct  taste  and  cold  decorum  of  the 
educated  Englishman  suspects  profanity  and  irreverence, 
the  more  simple  mind  of  the  impulsive  untaught  South- 
erner gazes   on  a  scetfe  which  strikes  him  with  awe,  and 
inspires  him  with  feelings  of  devotion  and  adoration  :  and 
as  such  we  need  not  hesitate  to  believe  that  the  strange 
figures  of  Bom  Jesus,  resorted  to  by  rich  and  poor  through- 
out Portugal,  and  gazed  at  with  tearful  eyes  and  stricken 
hearts,  prove  a  valuable  help  to  the  pilgrims,  in  concen- 
trating their  attention  on  the  holy  exercises  of  faith  and 
devotion    they  have    come    hither  to    follow   out.     Then 
again,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  this  is  a  relic  of  an 
old  national  custom ;  for,  first  of  all  nations  to  introduce 
the  sacred  mystery  or  miracle  play  was  Portugal.     Spain 
very  early  followed  eagerly  in  the  wake,*  and  very  soon 
these    rude    dramatic    representations     became     popular 
throughout  Europe  ;   but  the  honour,  if  honour  it  be,  is 
due  to  one  Gril  Vicente,  a  Portuguese,  who  by  his  autos 
or  spiritual  dramas,  totally  unlike  any  regular  plays,  and 
very  rude  both  in  design  and  execution,  led  the  way  to  the 
mysteries  which  prevailed  to  so  great  an  extent,  were  so 
liable  to  degenerate  into  profanity,  and  were  in  consequence 
so   often  proscribed    daring  the  fifteenth   and  sixteenth 

centuries.! 

But,  however  paltry  and  disappointing  in  an  artistic 
sense,  the  chapels  leading  up  to  the  pilgrimage  church,  we 
were  amply  repaid  for  our  toilsome  walk  by  the  magnifi- 
cent view  which  was  gradually  unfolded  to  our  gaze,  as  we 
climbed  higher  and  higher  towards  the  top.  And  though 
we  were  not  impressed  with  the  solemnity  of  the  repre- 

*  Preseott's  Reif/n  of  Ferdinand  and  Isahella,  vol.  ii.  p.  20Q. 
t  llallam's  Literature  of  EurojK,  vol.  i.  pp.  263,  442. 


BRAGA   AND    BOM    JKSUS.  lol 

sentations,  nor  halted  at  every  successive  station,  in  ad- 
Tniration  of  the  scenes  disphiyed  within ;  we  certainly 
revSted  at  the  brink  of  the  many  fountains  which  garnish 
the  massive  flights  of  steps,  and  gazed  long  and  ardently 
on  the  extensive  view  of  mountain  and  valley  which  was 
displayed  before  us  from  this  elevated  spot.  It  was, 
indeed,  an  exceedingly  noble  prospect,  for  beyond  the 
wooded  hills  towards  the  north  and  east,  we  now  for  the 
first  time  saw  the  lofty' and  rugged  mountains  of  Gerez, 
which  are  allowed  to  form  the  wildest,  the  most  inaccessi- 
ble, and  the  most  romantic  portion  of  the  kingdom.  Few 
travellers  penetrate  into  these  fastnesses,  or  scale  the 
granite  rocks  which  seem  to  bar  all  further  progress  to  the 
north-east:  for  as  there* are  no  guides  to  point  out  the 
path,  no  chalets  or  hospices  for  rest  and  refreshment,  as  in 
the  Swiss  and  Tyrolean  Alps,  he  must  be  a  practised  and 
enthusiastic  mountaineer,  and  of  an  adventurous  spirit, 
who  cares  to  push  on  amidst  those  unfrequented  moun- 
tains, and  explore  their  almost  unknown  heights. 

To  the  sportsman,  however,  and,  above  all,  to  the  na- 
turalist, who  is  strong  and  hardy  enough  to  scorn  all 
creature  comforts,  and  to  brave  the  elements,  and  delights 
to  rough  it  in  the  true  spirit  of  a  mountaineer,  these  un- 
trodden wilds  must  be  quite  enchanting.  For  here  is 
the  home  of  the  wolf,  which  is  still  very  abundant  in  Por- 
tugal ;  so  numerous,  indeed,  in  some  parts  of  this  country, 
that  the  inhabitants  find  it  quite  impossible  to  keep  sheep  : 
and  of  the  depredations,  ferocity,  and  even  boldness  of 
this  destructive  beast  we  heard  many  accounts  from 
those  who  had  encountered  it,  and  in  the  museum  at 
Coimbra  we  had  seen  several  gigantic  specimens  from  these 
mountains.  One  gentleman  recounted  to  us  how  he  had 
been  followed  in  winter  by  one  of  these  hungry  animals, 
which  drew  nearer  and  nearer,  and  evidently  sought  to 
take  him  at  a  disadvantage;  but  by  facing  round  suddenly. 


152       '  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

and  showing  a  bold  front,  he  at  length  succeeded  in  scaring 
the  creature  away.  This  was  corroborated  b}^  another 
gentleman,  who  was  pursued  on  one  occasion  in  Spain 
daring  a  snow  storm  by  a  pack  of  five  or  six,  and  who 
thought  himself  fortunate  to  escape  by  taking  refuge  in  a 
venta,  which  chanced  to  be  near  the  spot. 

Amidst  the  mountains,  and  in  the  valleys  of  the  Gerez, 
also  dwells  the  wild  boar,  which  is  the  prince  of  ground 
game  in  Portugal,  as  the  bustard  stands  at  the  head  of  the 
feathered  list,  and  of  which  we  had  heard  many  a  hunting 
exploit,  and  whose  shaggy  forms  and  formidable  tusks  we 
had  also  admired  at  Coimbra.  One  of  our  informants 
assured  us  he  had  killed  several  which  had  weighed  over 
twelve  score  pounds  ;  they  will  rim  at  great  speed  for  ten 
or  twelve  miles,  but  in  Portugal  they  are  never  followed 
by  mounted  sportsmen  as  in  India,  but  are  simply  roused 
from  their  retreats,  and  shot.  When  wounded  and  at 
bay,  they  are  not  to  be  approached  by  dog  or  man  with 
impunity,  for  the  wounds  they  inflict  with  their  long,  sharp 
tusks  are  often  so  severe  as  to  cause  the  death  of  the  rash 
assailant,  whether  canine  or  human. 

Another  wild  animal  which  inhabits  these  desolate 
mountains  is  the  southern  or  pardine  lynx  {lyncus  par- 
dinus),  which  must  not  be  confused  with  the  common 
European  lynx  {lyncus  virgatus),  which  I  have  seen 
brought  down  by  a  hunter  from  the  maritime  Alps  above 
Nice ;  but  this  is  a  far  more  handsome  animal,  spotted 
like  a  leopard,  and  withal  a  savage  cruel  beast,  partaking 
of  the  nature  of  the  wild  cat,  but  even  fiercer  as  well  as 
larger  and  stronger  than  that  daring  marauder.  Here  too, 
as  I  am  informed,  may  be  occasionally  found  the  beautiful 
and  graceful  genett  {genetta  tigrina),  an  active,  supple- 
limbed,  nocturnal  marauder,  which  stealthily  surprises  its 
victims  on  the  ground  and  on  the  trees,  where  it  is  equally 
at  home. 


BKA(iA    ANT)    BOM    JESUS.  153 

But  the  o-reat  prize,  par  excellence,  of  the  wild  moun- 
tiiiiis  of  Gerez,  wliich  the  sportsman  will  risk  life  and  limb 
to  obtain,  is  the  ibex,  wild  goat,  bouquetin,  or  izzard 
(caj^ra  Ihcx),  which  may  be  described  generally  as  a  sort 
of  reddish-coloured  chamois,  the  most  wary  and  the  most 
active  of  its  tribe,  which  frequents  the  nearly  inaccessible 
heights  of  the  mountains,  and  is  as  difficult  to  hunt  as  the 
chamois  of  the  Alps.  There  was  also  a  rumour  that  an 
occasional  specimen  of  the  moiiflon,  or  large  wild  sheep, 
miffht  be  met  with  in  these  mountain  solitudes :  but  after 
diligent  enquiry,  I  am  obliged  to  conclude  that  the  report 
had  no  foundation  in  fact ;  and  that  if  this  animal  exists 
in  the  Peninsula  at  all,  it  is  confined  to  the  wilder  portion 
of  the  Pyrenees,  to  which  the  bear,  once  so  common  in 
northern  Portugal  as  well  as  Spain,  is  now  restricted. 

I  have  been  tempted  into  this  digression  on  the  wild 
animals  to  be  met  with  in  the  Grerez  mountains,  by  the 
glorious  view  we  enjoyed  of  that  romantic  district,  as  we  sat 
at  the  fountains  of  the  pilgrimage  chapel  of  Bom  Jesus ; 
and  it  was  not  till  the  shades  of  evening  began  to  draw  in, 
that  w^e  descended  the  hill,  and  strolled  leisurely  back  to 
Braga. 

A  very  early  start  on  the  following  morning  in  another 
diminutive  diligence,  drawn  by  two  mules,  and  an  exceed- 
ingly hot  drive  on  one  of  the  most  scorching  days  I  ever 
remember,  through  a  rich  country  of  surpassing  loveliness, 
over  wooded  hills,  and  amidst  smiling  valleys,  brought  us 
at  mid-day  to  the  town  of  Ponte  do  Lima,  where  we  were 
glad  to  adopt  the  national  custom  of  a  siesta  after  an 
early  dinner,  a  luxury  which  is  duly  appreciated  by 
those  who  begin  their  journey  at  the  peep  of  day,  and 
crawl  along  a  dusty  road  with  provoking  slowness  under 
the  direct  rays  of  a  burning  sun. 


154  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE    RIVEK   LIMA   AND   VIANNA. 

PoNTE  DO  Lima  is  a  small  town  of  no  architectural  pre- 
tensions, but  of  true  Portuguese  type  ;  with  lofty  houses, 
extremely  narrow  tortuous  streets,  and  all  to  baffle  and 
keep  out  that  persistent  intruder,  the  scorching  sun.  It 
is  situated,  as  its  name  implies,  on  the  banks  of  the  Lima, 
and  also  commemorates  the  remarkable  fact  that  it  pos- 
sesses a  bridge  across  that  stream,  which  is  indeed  an 
honourable  peculiarity  in  this  country.  It  is  said,  more- 
over, to  be  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  most  beautiful 
scenery  for  which  the  Lima  is  distinguished,  and  some 
authors  have  been  so  carried  away  with  ecstacy  at  its 
position,  as  to  declare  that  language  fails  to  describe  its 
charms. 

In  my  humble  opinion  these  are  somewhat  exaggerated 
sentiments  of  approval ;  and  it  is  enough  to  say  that  the 
town  is  pleasantly  placed  on  the  margin  of  a  very  pretty 
river,  whilst  the  verdant  hills  which  slope  away  from  its 
banks,  and  the  rugged  mountains  in  the  background,  com- 
plete the  picture  very  satisfactorily. 

We  had  hoped  to  strike  the  river  at  a  much  higher 
point,  by  taking  the  diligence  to  Os  Arcos,  but  we  were 
deterred  by  the  impossibility  of  ascertaining,  with  any 
degree  of  certainty,  whether,  in  the  event  of  there  being- 
no  road  from  that  point  to  Ponte  do  Lima,  which  was  also 


THE    RIVER    LIMA   AND    VIAXXA.  155 

a  disputed  matter,  we  could  make  our  way  down  the  upper 
part  of  the  river  during  the  present  season  of  low  water. 
It  was  well  that  we  did  not  make  the  attempt,  for  no  sort 
of  road  connects  the  two  towns,  and  there  was  not  -^vater 
enough  in  the  Lima  to  render  the  passage  of  boats  prac- 
ticable far  above  our  present  point.  However,  we  em- 
ployed the  afternoon  on  the  day  of  our  arrival  in  ascending 
in  a  little  flat-bottomed  punt  as  far  as  we  could,  under  the 
guidance  of  two  boys,  who  were  evidently  somewhat  alarmed 
at  their  unusual  occupation  of  conducting  two  foreigners 
into  those  little-frequented  reaches  above  the  bridge  ;  and 
it  required  all  our  powers  of  argument,  and  even  threats, 
in  plain  English  as  well  as  in  our  best  Portuguese,  to  pre- 
vent those  timid  urchins  from  turning  the  boat  homewards 
before  we  had  explored  the  upper  river  to  our  satisfaction  : 
and  as  it  was,  we  disembarked  at  the  end  of  our  voyage 
long  before  sunset,  having  penetrated  but  a  very  short 
distance  in  the  direction  of  the  eastern  hills.  The  dis- 
tino-uishinor  features  of  the  Lima  seemed  to  be  its  tran- 

O  O 

quillity  and  peace.  It  was  on  a  splendid  evening,  succeeding 
a  very  scorching  day,  that  we  lazily  and  very  slowly  as- 
cended its  stream,  stretched  at  ease  on  green  boughs  at 
the  bottom  of  our  boat,  which  was  of  the  roughest  descrip- 
tion, and  altogether  guiltless  of  seats.  The  current  was 
of  the  feeblest,  and  the  water  as  clear  as  crystal,  and  for 
the  most  part  exceedingly  shallow.  The  air  was  soft  and 
gentle,  and  the  only  sound  which  met  our  ears  arose  from 
the  hoarse  croaking  of  the  frogs,  or  the  splash  of  some 
rising  fish ;  and  it  was  certainly  a  most  enjoyable  termina- 
tion to  the  day's  journey,  thus  to  follow  the  upward  course 
of  this  meandering  river,  so  placidly  wending  its  way 
amidst  the  luxuriant  meadows  and  wooded  hills,  and  we 
anticipated  with  great  delight  our  voyage  of  the  morrow, 
which  would  occupy  the  whole  day  in  descending  the 
river  to  Yianna :  and  for  which  we  had  bespoken  accom- 


156  A   SrRIXG    TOUR    IX    rORTUGAL. 

modation  in  one  of  the  boats  laden  with  grain,  several  of 
which  every  day  drop  down  the  river  to  that  town. 

Accordingly,  at  an  early  hour  of  the  following  morning 
we  laid  in  stores  of  provision  for  the  day,  consisting  of 
sundry  rolls  of  excellent  bread,  and  a  bottle  of  very  su- 
perior port  wine.     In  addition  to  this,  we  expended  the 
sum  of  twenty  reis,  or  one  penny  sterling,  in  the  purchase 
of  a  large  supply  of  oranges,  and  an  equally  extravagant 
sum  in  a  small  mountain  of  cherries,  wherewith  to  beguile 
ourselves  on  board,  but  which  we  found  it  very  difficult  to 
convey  to  the  boat,  and  which  we  could  by  no  means  con- 
sume, though  we  had  but  little  else  to  do  during  our  ten 
hours'  voyage.     Our  vessel  was  large,  flat-bottomed,  fur- 
nished with  a  mast  and  a  single  square  sail ;  loaded  with 
bags  of  maize,  and  manned  by  a  crew  consisting  of  two 
men    and    two    women.      These    good    people    grievously 
cheated  us,  by  imposing  upon  us  a  fare  which  was  at  least 
three  times  the  ordinary  charge  ;  but  as  they  had  carefully 
arranged  the  corn  sacks  for  our  accommodation,  arid  thus 
provided  eligible  couches  ;  as  they  had,  in  addition,  built  a 
bower  of  branches  above  our  heads  to  act  as  an  awning ; 
as,  moreover,  the  whole   expense  at  last  for   this    day's 
journey,  and  for  a  distance  of  some  seven  or  eight  leagues, 
amounted  to  but  four  stuiids  or  twenty  vhiteni,  as  these 
north  country  people  term  it,  but  in  ordinary   ciuTency 
400  reis,  equivalent  to  tenpence  English  each,  we  thought 
the  bargain  on  our  side  was  not  so  very  ridiculous,  after 
all ;  and  though  the  extortion  was  bare-faced,  for  three- 
pence was  the  universal  fare,  we  could  not  find  it  in  our 
hearts  to  grumble,  but,  on  the  contrary,  laughed  mth  our 
tyrants  at  the  imposition  by  which  they  had  so  shamefully 
victimised  us. 

We  began  our  voyage  gallantly,  for  a  gentle  breeze  was 
stirring,  and  our  large  sail  was  set;  and  though  I  cannot 
say  that  we  flew  before  the  gale,  which  would  have  been 


.  THE   RIVER   LIMA   ASD    VIA.VXA.  167 

a  rate  of  progress  altogether  hostile  to  Portuguese  habits, 
and  certainly  quite  inharmonious  with  the  gentle  move- 
ments of  the  Lima,  we  must  have  made  at  least  a  mile  and 
a  quarter  within  the  first  half-hour,  which  was  a  rate  of 
progress  we  never  again  attained,  for  then  the  wind 
dropped,  and  our  sail  hung  loose  and  idle  ;  and  though  we 
all  whistled  at  proper  intervals,  and  courted  the  breeze  in 
every  other  orthodox  manner  known  to  sailors  of  all  lands, 
it  was  to  no  purpose  ;  and  if  a  slight  breath  of  air  gave  us 
momentary  hopes  of  more  rapid  advance,  as  it  did  occa- 
sionally, it  always  died  away  again  in  a  few  moments,  and 
left  us  to  float  with  the  stream  with  what  patience  we 
could  command.  Now,  the  river  Lima  is  for  the  most 
part  exceedingly  shallow,  as  I  have  already  observed,  and 
extends  over  a  very  broad  bed,  and  is  often  divided  into 
several  streams  by  immense  sand-banks,  which  at  this  sea- 
son stand  out,  broad  and  dry,  over  large  areas,  but  which 
betoken  the  occasional  descent  of  a  large  body  of  water 
after  the  winter  rain,  and  the  change  which  can,  under  such 
circumstances,  come  over  the  spirit  of  even  the  gentle 
Lima,  and  the  ungovernable  fury  into  which  even  that 
usually  so  placid  river  can  be  lashed.  So  it  is  sometimes 
with  men  of  the  most  amiable  disposition  :  the  sky  may 
become  overcast,  the  storm  may  gather  in  the  mountains, 
and  the  evenly-flowing  quiet  temper  may  be  roused  into  a 
furious  torrent  of  passion  ;  to  subside  again  as  quickly, 
when  the  cloud  has  passed  away,  and  the  sun  shines  forth 
again  in  an  atmosphere  generally  so  serene  and  fair.  As 
far  as  our  experience  extended,  the  Lima  was  uniformly 
gentle,  and  the  great  difficulty  which  our  crew  experienced 
was  to  find  a  channel  deep  enough  for  our  heavily-laden 
though  flat-bottomed  barge.  Sometimes  the  main  current 
ran  under  one  bank,  sometimes  under  the  other,  but  very 
seldom  in  the  midst  of  the  river's  bed.  For  a  considerable 
distance  our  course  lay  beneath  the  southern  bank,  which 


158  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN    PORTUGAL.. 

was  fringed  with  overhanging  trees  and  bushes,  whicli 
dipped  their  branches  into  the  water.  Here  we  lowered 
our  mast  and  sail ;  made  all  snug  beneath  the  bulwarks  of 
our  boat,  and  crew  and  passengers  crouched  down  beneath 
the  protecting  sides :  and  so  in  the  deep  water  and  in  a 
stream  more  than  ordinarily  rapid,  regardless  of  aught 
else,  we  fought  our  way  through  the  superincumbent 
boughs,  and  lay  still  at  the  bottom  of  our  vessel,  until  an 
ano^le  of  the  river  diverted  the  current  to  the  other  side  ; 
where  for  a  short  distance  the  same  scene  was  enacted  over 
again.  But  soon  the  deep  stream  beneath  the  overhanging 
bushes  was  left  behind,  and  the  river  had  become  spread 
out  over  a  wider  surface,  and  the  water  was  proportionately 
more  shallow,  and  the  sandbanks  more  extensive.  Then 
beoan  the  real  difficulties  of  the  navigation  of  the  Lima, 
which  continued  till  we  reached  Vianna.  Then,  too,  be- 
gan the  exercise  of  patience  to  passengers,  who  could  do 
nothing  but  wait  quietly  and  look  on,  though  this  was 
certainly  no  great  hardship,  on  a  most  brilliant  cloudless 
day,  and  in  the  midst  of  lovely  scenery. 

There  had  been  a  singularly  dry  season  throughout 
Portugal  for  several  months ;  indeed,  a  drought  seemed 
imminent,  and  a  general  failure  of  the  crops  was  appre- 
hended from  the  absence  of  the  rains  at  a  very  critical 
season :  so  much  was  this  the  case,  that  processions  had 
been  parading  the  streets,  and  prayers  had  been  offered  up 
in  the  churches  of  Lisbon  and  Oporto  for  rain.  So  the 
river  Lima  was  unusually  dry  at  this  moment,  and  its 
stream  was  in  many  places  fordable,  and  we  saw  bullock 
carts,  as  well  as  men  and  women  with  heavy  burdens  on 
their  heads,  wading  knee-deep  across  its  bed.  Hence 
there  was  often  a  difficulty  in  pushing  our  clumsy  boat 
over  the  shallows ;  and  though  our  boatmen  at  the  bow 
and  stern  worked  hard  with  their  long  poles,  and  were  ably 
seconded  by  the  women,  they  could  not  always  scrape  their 


THE    RIVER    LIMA    AND    VIANXA.  l.GO 

craft  over  the  sand  ;  but  again  and  again  we  heard  the  dis- 
agreeable grating  sound  beneath  our  feet  to  which  we  had 
become  well  accustomed  in  Egypt,  and  which  always  pro- 
claimed that  we  were  hard  and  fast  upon  a  sandbank  :  and 
then,  like  the  Arabs  on  the  Nile,  the  whole  crew,  male  and 
female,  went  over  the  side  into  the  water,  and  with  backs 
to  the  boat,  tried  by  main  force  to  urge  her  over  the  im- 
peding bar.  Generally,  but  not  without  considerable  delay 
and  hard  work,  their  efforts  were  successful:  but  some- 
times a  more  obstinate  shallow  than  usual  would  baffle  all 
their  attempts,  and  then  they  would  dig  in  the  sand  with 
a  wooden  scoop  they  carried  for  the  purpose,  till  they  had 
deepened  a  sufficient  channel  before  the  boat ;  and  in  this 
work  two  or  more  crews  would  sometimes  combine  (for 
other  grain  boats  followed  close  upon  our  wake),  and  then 
the  united  efforts  of  many  hands  would  force  each  vessel 
over  the  difficulty,  and  we  would  continue  our  course,  till 
arrested  again  by  another  mishap  like  the  last. 

Thus  we  continued  to  crawl  down  the  river,  now  float- 
ing with  the  stream,  now  punting  slowly  over  the  sand- 
banks;  and  for  a  dozen  times  or  more  our  gallant  crew 
must  have  jumped  overboard,  and  extricated  us  from  the 
shallows  ;  moreover  the  towers  of  Vianna,  and  the  masts  of 
the  ships  in  the  harbour  of  that  port  had  long  been  visible 
in  the  horizon,  and  we  were  contemplating  a  speedy  arrival, 
when  on  a  sudden  and  with  a  swifter  current  than  usual 
we  grounded  with  such  an  impetus  as  to  make  our  delay 
unmistakable,  but  the  period  of  our  detention  and  the 
time  of  our  release  in  the  highest  degree  problematical. 
Hitherto,  I  must  do  our  boatmen  and  boatwomen  the  jus- 
tice to  say,  they  had  worked  manfully  and  well,  but  now 
at  this  last  mishap  they  lost  courage  ;  and  after  a  few  feeble 
attempts  to  push  off,  and  a  good  deal  of  wandering  in 
various  directions  down  the  stream  in  the  vain  hope  of 
finding  a  better  channel,  they  gave  it  up  in  despair,  re- 


160:  A   SPRING  TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

turned  to  the  boat,  sat  down  and  smoked  their  cigarettes ; 
and  then  came  to  us  with  the  cool  proposal  that  we  should 
wade  through  the  shallows  some  thirty  or  forty  yards  to 
the  bank,  and  walk  to  the  town,  with  our  baggage  in  our 
hands ;  as  they  signified  their  intention  of  waiting  as  they 
were  some  five  or  six  hours  for  the  tide.  This  invitation, 
however,  we  resolutely  declined,  declaring  our  firm  inten- 
tion, like  true  mariners  as  we  were,  of  sticking  to  our  ship 
to  the  last:  and  then  we  urged  them  to  renewed  exertions, 
and  pointed  out  another  boat  which  chanced  to  lay  near, 
whereby  they  might  lighten  the  cargo,  lessen  the  draught, 
and  so  float  off  their  own  vessel  into  deeper  water  once 
more.  With  this  advice  they  at  length  complied ;  trans- 
ferred a  portion  of  their  heavy  bags  of  maize  to  the  empty 
boat;  then  by  dint  of  great  exertions  worked  their  own 
vessel  over  the  shallow ;  re-embarked  the  corn ;  and, 
though  the  female  portion  of  our  crew  had  long  since  de- 
serted us,  and  we  had  seen  them  march  off  to  the  tow^n 
with  large  bundles  on  their  heads,  w^ithin  little  more  than 
an  hour  we  were  beyond  the  sandbank,  and  floating  away 
merrily  down  the  stream  to  Vianna. 

Such  was  the  navigation  of  the  Lima,  as  we  had  ex- 
perienced it  at  low  water  :  but  unusually  protracted  as  was 
the  voyage,  and  though  undoubtedly  slow  was  our  progress, 
we  thoroughly  enjoyed  it,  and  far  preferred  it  to  both  dili- 
crence  and  raihvay  for  comfort  and  ease.  Then  we  were 
in  the  heart  of  the  best  scenery  of  Portugal :  we  could  not 
raise  our  eyes  towards  the  banks  without  seeing  a  combina- 
tion of  well-wooded  hills  and  fertile  valleys,  which  pro- 
duced the  most  joyous  landscape ;  while,  looking  back  up 
the  course  of  the  stream,  we  found  the  east  bounded  by 
lofty  mountains,  towering  above  which  and  ever  in  sight, 
rose  the  lordly  Outeiro  Major,  which  ranks  amidst  its 
brethren  as  the  highest  peak  in  Portugal,  not  to  be  out- 
topped  by  the  famous  summits  of  the  Estrellas.     I  have 


THE    RIVER    LIMA    AND    VIANXA.  !«! 

already  said  that  the  day  was  delicious,  one  of  those  bright, 
balmy  days  in  early  suiniiicr,  when  to  bask  in  the  warm 
sunshine,  and  to  breathe  the  pure  air,  was  positive  enjoy- 
ment. Then  the  atmosphere  was  redolent  of  the  perfume 
of  the  rose  and  the  honeysuckle,  with  which  the  banks 
of  the  Lima  are  sometimes  fringed  ;  and  from  the  thick 
coppices  a  chorus  of  nightingales  charmed  us,  as  we  floated 
by  their  retreats. 

And  so  from  early  morning  to  the  shades  of  evening,  we 
gently  floated  down  the  river.  It  was  a  luxurious,  lazy 
mode  of  travel,  but  the  monotony  in  such  a  scene  was  not 
unpleasant,  and  we  certainly  carried  out  the  dolce  far 
niente  system  through  the  live-long  day.  Here  we  were 
*  lotus-eating '  on  tlie  lima,  which  was  long:  aofo  known  to 

o  -'  O         CD 

the  Romans  as  the  Lethe  of  Lusitania,  and  was  supposed  to 
be  as  effectual  as  that  famous  river  of  Tartarus,  for  pro- 
ducing oblivion  of  home  and  family,  through  the  lovely 
scenery  which  bounded  its  banks,  and  was  on  that  account 
dreaded  by  the  superstitious  soldiers  of  the  Empire,  as  if 
any  contact  with  it  must  inevitably  prevent  their  return 
home.  Upon  us,  however,  it  had  no  such  effect;  but  on 
the  contrary,  when  we  set  foot  on  its  banks  at  the  end 
of  our  voyage,  our  farthest  limit  was  attained  :  and  from 
thence  we  turned  round,  and  proceeded  homewards,  with  a 
circuitous  route  indeed,  but  as  expeditiously  as  possible. 

We  found  Vianna  do  Castello  an  old-fashioned  city  of 
narrow  streets,  small  squares,  and  with  a  considerable  popu- 
lation crowded  into  a  confined  space.  As  a  sea-port  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Lima,  it  is  a  place  of  considerable  trade, 
and  there  was  an  air  of  activity  and  bustle  amidst  its 
inhabitants,  which  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  cities  of  the 
interior.  Before  reaching  the  quay  where  we  disembarked, 
we  passed  under  one  of  the  arches  of  the  longest  wooden 
bridge  I  had  ever  seen ;  and  I  say  this  advisedly,  though 
I  do  not  forget  the  covered  bridges  of  Lucerne :   but  here 

M 


162  A    SPRING   TOUR    IN    PORTUGAL. 

the  viaduct  is  carried  on  arches,  not  only  across  the  ex- 
tended bed  of  the  river,  but  for  a  considerable  distance 
over  the  plain,  on  the  southern  bank,  which  is  often  inun- 
dated, when  the  Lima  is  swollen  by  heavy  rain  from  the 
mountains.  It  derives  its  name  '  Vianna '  or  *  Viana '  from 
a  corruption  of  the  original  title  Diana,  to  the  worship  of 
which  goddess  this  town  on  the  extreme  west  was  once  as 
addicted  as  was  the  more  renowned  city  Ephesus  in  the 
eastern  portion  of  the  Eoman  Empire :  and  it  received  in 
latter  years  the  distinctive  addition  do  Castello  from  the 
strong  fort  which  commands  the  entrance  of  the  river,  and 
at  the  same  time  protects  the  city  ;  and  which  did  good 
service  to  the  Government  in  the  last  insurrectionary 
troubles,  of  which  this  unhappy  kingdom  has  borne  its  full 
share. 

There  are  several  interesting  churches  here,  which  de- 
serve the  attention  of  the  architect ;  but  for  these  I  will 
again  refer  my  readers  to  the  Handbook,  which  exhausts 
all  that  can  be  said  on  this  head.  There  is  also  a  primi- 
tive fish  market  on  the  quay,  which  is  worth  a  visit  from 
the  icthyologist,  as  well  for  the  copious  supply  and  the 
variety  as  for  the  strange  forms  of  some  of  the  fish,  which 
he  will  meet  with  here ;  but,  indeed,  Portugal  is  es- 
pecially favoured  in  this  respect,  and  the  whole  coast 
swarms  with  fish,  while  many  of  the  rivers  contain  aii 
abundant  and  apparently  inexhaustible  supply  of  the 
species  which  frequent  fresh  water. 

We  found  good  accommodation  at  the  Hotel  Viannense, 
and  after  strolling  about  the  town  and  its  outskirts,  w^e 
began  to  make  enquiry  for  a  diligence,  to  convey  us  on  the 
following  day  to  Oporto  ;  but  we  found,  to  our  dismay,  that 
the  two  public  coaches  which  daily  plied  between  this 
town  and  the  northern  capital  left  Vianna  late  in  the 
afternoon,  and  travelled  all  night,  as  is  so  generally  the 
case  in  southern  countries.     Now,  this  did  not  at  all  meet 


THE    MW'VM    LIMA    AND    VIAXNA.  IH:] 

n\ir  requirements,  iiiasmuch  as  we  specially  desired  to  see 
the  beautiful  country  tliroiif,di  wliich  our  route  lay;  and 
moreover,  I  was  bound  to  reach  Oporto  on  the  evening  of 
the  follovvinu^  day,  which  was  Saturday,  as  I  had  engaii^ed  to 
preach  at  the  English  church  in  that  city  on  the  Sunday 
morning;  so  we  renewed  our  application  at  the  public 
office,  and  persuaded  the  very  obliging  clerk  in  charge 
(what  would  certainly  never  have  been  listened  to  for  a 
moment  in  any  less  primitive  country)  to  send  round  to  all 
the  passengers  who  were  booked  for  the  following  after- 
noon for  Oporto,  and  invite  them  to  start  at  an  early  hour 
in  the  morning  instead.  Tliis  was,  in  fact,  carried  out,  as 
there  was  no  objection  raised  by  any  of  our  most  accom- 
modating fellow-travellers ;  and  late  in  the  evening,  a 
message  was  brought  to  our  hotel,  that  all  had  been 
arranged  according  to  our  desire,  and  one  of  the  public 
coaches  would  start  the  following  morning  at  4  a.m. 
This  was  indeed  taking  us  at  our  word,  and  we  had  hardly 
bargained  for  so  early  a  move :  however,  we  were  on  the 
alert  at  3,  and  after  a  rapid  breakfast  of  biscuits  and 
milk,  we  were  out  in  the  square  before  the  diligence  office 
at  a  quarter  to  4,  where  we  found  several  other  sleepy 
passengers  assembled,  but  no  vestige  of  coach  or  horses. 
We  all  walked  up  and  down  in  the  bright  starlight, 
grumbled  and  waited,  and  in  half  an  hour  were  informed 
by  a  hostler  that  5  was  the  hour  fixed  for  the  start,  but  that, 
in  order  to  ensure  punctuality  on  the  part  of  the  passen- 
gers, it  was  usual  to  name  an  earlier  hour.  This  expla- 
nation was  not  calculated  to  pacify  our  indignation,  but  as 
our  Portuguese  friends  received  the  information  placidly, 
and  merely  shrugged  their  shoulders  in  reply,  we  imitated 
their  example,  and  walked  about  for  another  half-hour. 
During  this  time  a  church  bell  attracted  our  notice,  and 
on  making  our  way  in  the  direction  to  which  the  bell 
guided  us,  we  were  surprised  to  find  at  that  early  hour, 


164  A    SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

while  it  was  still  dark,  a  considerable  congregation  assem- 
bled for  the  first  mass,  which  was  celebrated  at  half-past 
4,  for  the  accommodation  of  those  whose  business  re- 
quired their  attendance  before  daybreak,  but  whose  praise- 
worthy sense  of  duty  urged  them  to  a  yet  earlier  religious 
exercise. 

We  had  secured  the  two  seats  on  the  box,  and  all  the 

passengers  had  been  ushered  into  their  respective  places 

some  ten  minutes  before   5,   precisely  as  we  had    been 

marshalled  at  Oporto,  and  then  the  mules  were  brought 

out,  and  we  made  a  most  imposing  start  with  a  clatter,  a 

dash,   and  a  noise,  worthy  of  the  occasion,  and  should 

certainly    have    created    quite    a    sensation    amidst   the 

lookers-on  at  Vianna,  if  it  was  not  for  the  slight  drawback 

that  it  was  dark,  and  moreover  that  there  were  no  idle 

gazers  at  that  early  hour  in  the  morning ;  and  so   our 

three  mules  galloped  in  reckless  haste  through  the  town, 

but  pulled  up  into  a  walk  as  we  approached  the  long  bridge 

which  we  had  to  cross,  and  thenceforward   our  pace  was 

destined  to  be  of  the  most  crawling,  lugubrious  description 

imaginable.  We  had  a  day's  journey  of  just  forty-five  miles 

to  accomplish,  and  we  were  fifteen  hours  en  route,  and  as  we 

made  but  very  few  and  very  short  halts  by  the  way,  our  pace 

was  positively  but  three  miles  in  the  hour.     Now,  we  were 

not  particularly  impatient,  because  the  day  was  extremely 

fine  and  hot,  and  the  scenery  remarkably  pretty,  but  it 

was  somewhat  trying  to  British  endurance,  as  we  wandered 

on  mile  after  mile,  on  level  ground,  up  hill  and  down  a 

gentle  declivity  at  a  foot's  pace,  the  six  inside  passengers 

fast  asleep,  notwithstanding  the  jolting  of  our  carriage ;  our 

three  outside  fellow-passengers  fast  asleep,  and  in  imminent 

danger  of  rolling  off  the  top,  where  they  were  unprotected 

by  a  rail  ;  our  driver  fast  asleep,  with  his  head  sunk  down 

on  his  chest,  and  the  reins  coiled  round  his  arm  ;  the  three 

mules   fast  asleep,  as  they  crawled  on  mechanically,  with 


THE    RIVER    LIMA    AXI)    VI ANNA.  16.5 

noses  drooped  very  near  to  the  ground :  and  it  was  the 
more  provoking,  because  it  seemed  to  us,  who  were  not 
accustomed   to  such  a   rough  siesta,  and  who   were  wide 
awake  all  the  time,  as  if  those  especial  portions  of  the  road 
which  offered  the  best  opportunities  for  expedition  were 
selected  for  the  most  prolonged   periods   of  the  deepest 
slumber.     Perhaps  it  will  be  thought  that  we  should  have 
done  more  wisely  to  follow  the  general  example,  and  sleep 
away  those  weary  hours  of  the  journey  too;  but  not  only 
should  we  have  found  such  an  attempt  difficult  to  accom- 
plish, but  it  must  be  remembered  that  we  were  on  our 
route  through  the  length  of  beautiful  Minho,  whose  char- 
ming scenery  we  had  expressly  come  to  admire.      More- 
over, our  road   was  not  generally  conducive  to  slumber, 
by  reason  of  the  many  and  deep  holes  with  which  it  was 
plentifully  beset.     Indeed,  the  contrast  between  the  lavish 
expense  with  which  the  road  had  evidently  of  late  years 
been  made,  and  the  lamentable  state  into  which,  for  want 
of  ordinary  repair,    it  had  been  already  allowed  to  fiill, 
was  a  never-ceasing  marvel  to  us,  throughout  that  jour- 
ney.     Not,  however,  that  this  was  peculiar   to    the  high- 
way between  Vianna  and  Oporto ;  we  had  made  the  same 
remark  on  every  road  we  had  traversed  in  Portugal ;  but 
this  was  a  more  conspicuous  example,  inasmuch  as  it  had 
been  so  recently  constructed,  and  withal,  with  a  finish  and 
at  a  cost  which  seemed  quite  unnecessary.     Thus,  though 
the   country   which   it  traversed   was  extremely  hilly,  no 
labour  had  been  spared  in  cutting  through  the  tops  of 
the  hills,  raising  the  road  on  embankments  or  causeways 
through  the  bed  of  the  valleys,  in  many  spots  protecting 
it  with  a  granite  wall,  edging  it  with  well-worked  granite 
posts  at  short  intervals,  and  providing  it  with  a  granite 
drain,  sometimes  on  both   sides.     But   now,  after  a  very 
few  years'  wear,  and  with  what  we  should  designate  an  in- 
considerable amount  of  traffic,  the  whole  surface  is  out  of 


1G6  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

order.  There  are  such  deep  holes  and  ruts,  and  such 
sloughs  of  mud  on  the  one  hand,  and  such  blocks  of 
granite,  when  mending  has  been  attempted,  on  the  other, 
that  we  were  reminded  forcibly  of  the  terrific  diligence 
journeys  in  Spain  ten  years  ago ;  and  we  could  never  satis- 
factorily determine  which  was  most  conducive  to  dislo- 
cation of  our  bones — the  fearful  shock  of  being  hurled  into 
a  deep  hole,  or  the  no  less  formidable  jar  of  suddenly 
encountering  a  boulder  of  granite.  However,  we  accom- 
plished the  journey  at  last,  by  dint  of  occasionally  taking 
it  upon  ourselves  to  awaken  our  driver,  and  mildly  suggest- 
ing a  trot  on  inviting  ground,  all  of  which,  I  will  do  him 
the  justice  to  say,  he  took  in  good  part ;  though  both  he  and 
our  fellow-passengers  were  manifestly  amused  at  our  strange 
impatience,  and  never  could  conceive  why  we  were  in 
such  a  hurry;  for  they,  good  easy  folks,  had  never  been 
accustomed  to  more  rapid  movements ;  and  such  is  the 
force  of  habit,  that  they  desired  nothing  more. 

We  passed  through  Barcellos,  which  is  a  considerable 
town,  pleasantly  situated  on  a  pretty  river,  and  here  was 
the  finest  scenery  of  the  whole  route;  there  was  a  long 
descent  into  the  valley  before  reaching  Barcellos,  and  a 
distant  view  of  hill  and  vale,  all  rich,  and  luxuriant,  and 
well  wooded.  Thence  we  crawled  over  successive  ranges 
of  hills  to  Villa  Nova  de  Famili^ao,  where  we  joined  the 
Jkaga  road  to  Oporto,  by  which  we  had  previously  travel- 
led ;  and  as  we  drew  near  the  latter  city,  we  met  crowds 
of  peasants  returning  from  market;  the  men,  for  the 
most  part,  riding  mules  or  donkeys,  perched  on  high 
saddles,  and  sitting  on  innumerable  rugs,  after  the  manner 
of  Spain,  and  with  large  flat  wooden  or  metal  stirrups, 
after  the  manner  of  Turkey,  and  all  armed  with  great  spurs 
and  very  long  sticks  ;  while  the  women,  poor  drudges  as 
they  are  in  this  country,  who  do  all  the  hard  work,  and 
carry   all  the  heavy  loads,  were  trudging  along  on  foot. 


THE    RIVErt    LIMA    AND    VI  ANN  A.  1C7 

with  weighty  baskets  or  other  burdens  on  their  heads — a 
^^reat  towering  pile  of  crockery,  or  a  huge  bundle  of 
fir-cones,  or  an  immense  cargo  of  lobsters,  being  amongst 
the  most  general  articles  with  which  they  were  laden ;  and 
all  carried  on  the  head,  including  water-jars,  which  they 
bear  witli  as  much  ease  and  grace  as  do  the  women  of 
Egypt,  and  wherein  they  are  imitated  by  quite  little 
children,  who  learn  from  very  early  years  to  carry  jars 
proportioned  to  their  size  and  strength. 

It  was  with  no  little  satisfaction  that  we  found  ourselves 
again  established  beneath  the  hospitable  roof  of  good 
Mary  Castro,  where  we  soon  slept  away  the  fatigue  of  our 
excursion  through  Minho,  and  I  was  enabled  to  keep  my 
engagement  with  Mr.  Whiteley,  on  the  following  morning, 
at  the  English  church  of  Opoi'to. 


168  A    SPRING   TOUR    IN    PORTUGAL. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

JOURNEY    HOME    BY    LAND. 

If  anyone  will  take  the  trouble  to  glance  at  a  map  of 
south-western  Europe,  it  will  at  once  be  manifest  that  the 
direct  route  from  Oporto  to  the  nearest  point  of  France, 
which  is  Bayonne,  must  undoubtedly  be  to  the  east;  and 
this  opinion  will  be  very  much  strengthened  when  it  is 
ascertained  that  from  the  town  of  Zamora,  which  lies 
very  near  the  Portuguese  frontier,  and  is  in  the  direct 
line  towards  France  from  Oporto,  the  traveller  joins  the 
railway,  which  carries  him  without  a  break  towards  Bay- 
onne. It  was  not  then  without  a  secret  feeling  of  incre- 
dulity as  well  as  expressions  of  unqualified  surprise,  that 
we  received  the  assurance,  from  all  whom  we  interrogated 
at  Oporto,  that  to  push  over  the  mountains  to  Zamora  was 
not  only  a  most  laborious  and  difficult  journey,  exposing 
the  hardy  adventurer  to  privations  of  every  kind  in  a  most 
unfrequented  track,  and  over  a  most  villainous  bridle  path  ; 
but  that  it  would  actually  consume  more  time,  and  prove 
more  expensive,  as  well  as  entail  ten  times  the  fjitigue, 
than  to  take  the  train  via  Madrid.  Now,  that  latter  course 
required  that  we  should  return  due  south  at  least  150 
miles  towards  Lisbon,  then  turn  at  right  angles,  and  pursue 
an  easterly  course  through  Badajoz  and  Ciudad  Keale  for 
350  miles,  then  turn  again  at  right  angles  due  north 
through  Madrid  to  Valladolid  220  miles  more  ;  thus  tra- 


JOUKXKV    IIO^fH    BY    LAXI).  1G9 

versing  considerably  more  than  three  sides  of  a  square,  and 
journey ino^  over  720  nniles,  instead  of  150. 

The  detour  seemed  so  enormous,  and  the  proposal  so 
preposterous,  that  for  a  long  time  we  could  not  bring  our- 
selves to  entertain  the  idea  at  all.  But  when  we  began  to 
study  the  mnp,  and  to  scrutinise  the  details,  and  when  we 
found  that  it  required  six  days'  hard  riding  to  reach 
Zamora,  and  that  the  roughest  roadside  huts  were  the  only 
inns  where  we  could  procure  food  and  f-helter,  we  were 
reluctantly  compelled  to  abandon  our  scheme  for  a  short 
cut  homewards,  and  adopt  the  regular  roundabout  railway 
route  via  Badajoz,  Ciudad  Keale,  and  Madrid. 

But  this  land  journey  through  Portugal,  Spain,  and 
France  to  England,  was  a  formidable  business  to  contem- 
plate ;  for  no  less  than  1,800  miles  of  railway  intervened 
between  Oporto  and  our  own  homes  in  Wiltshire.  How- 
ever, we  screwed  up  our  courage  to  the  task  before  us, 
allowed  the  greater  part  of  a  fortnight  for  the  purpose, 
and  divided  the  journey  into  four  unequal  portions,  se- 
lecting those  places  for  rest  which  we  most  desired  to  see. 

The  first  instalment  of  our  journey  was  by  far  the  most 
fatiguing,  inasmuch  as  we  resolved  to  push  on  for  Madrid 
without  a  halt,  and  this  involved  at  least  thirty-two  hours' 
incessant  travelling  by  express,  which  in  reality  was  ex- 
tended to  forty  hours :  of  itself  no  small  undertaking,  in 
a  railway  which,  for  smoothness,  easiness,  and  general  com- 
fort, must  not  be  compared  by  the  untrayelled  Englishman 
with  the  Grreat  Western  or  Great  Northern  at  home.  At 
the  same  time  I  have  no  desire  to  criticise  too  fastidiously 
the  working  of  any  line  in  remote  districts  of  Europe,  for 
I  know,  by  experience  in  former  expeditions,  how  thankful 
we  have  often  been  to  reach  some  little-frequented  terminus 
at  last ;  and  how  glad  we  have  been  to  exchange  for  the 
rudest  of  carriages,  the  roughest  of  lines,  and  the  most 
dilatory  of  trains,  the  appalling  jolting  of  a  Spanish  dili- 


170  A  SPRING   TOUR   IN    PORTUGAL. 

irence,  which  we  have  endured  for  two  consecutive  days 
and  nights  :  so  that  I  have  always  felt  that,  once  upon  a 
branch  line  connected  with  any  main  railway,  we  were 
fairly  under  way  for  home  as  direct  as  we  pleased  :  and 
thus  we  were  by  no  means  disposed  to  sneer,  either  at  the 
appointments  or  at  the  pace  of  the  train  which  we  found 
so  serviceable  to  us,  recollecting  the  well-known  proverb 
of  Sancho  Panza,  '  Never  find  fault  with  the  bridge  which 
carries  you  safely  over  the  river.' 

I  have  already  remarked  in  an  earlier  page  of  this 
volume,  that  it  is  the  custom  in  all  southern  countries  to 
travel  by  night,  in  order  to  avoid,  as  much  as  possible,  the 
terrific  heat  of  the  mid-day  sun :  and  that,  from  long- 
continued  practice,  this  habit  is  carried  out  during  the  cool 
months  of  winter,  when  its  desirableness  is  not  apparent, 
and  even  influences  the  hours  of  starting  of  railway  trains; 
though  such  trains  must  necessarily  extend  their  journey 
beyond  twenty-four  hours.  Accordingly,  we  left  Oporto  for 
Madrid  direct  by  the  4  o'clock  train  in  the  afternoon  of  a 
Monday,  and  fortified  ourselves  for  our  journey  of  600  miles 
with  a  well  replenished  basket  of  provisions,  not  omitting  a 
bottle  of  very  excellent  port  wine,  which  we  certainly  pro- 
cured here  in  perfection.  For  the  first  two  hours  we  had 
the  advantage  of  the  company  of  the  American  Consul, 
whose  acquaintance  we  had  made  at  Oporto,  and  who  was 
quite  familiar  with  this  part  of  the  country,  and  very 
kindly  pointed  out  to  us  many  objects  of  interest,  and 
especially  the  heights  of  Busaco,  and  the  whole  site  of  the 
famous  battle,  with  all  the  local  details,  in  which  it  was 
evident  he  was  thoroughly  at  home.  In  due  course,  we 
passed  Coimbra;  and  at  midnight  reached  Entroncamento, 
or  'the  junction,'  where  we  left  our  train  to  go  on  to  Lis- 
bon, and  exchanged  into  one  which  had  just  arrived  from 
that  capital,  and  was  on  its  way  to  Madrid.  All  went  well 
till  we  iieared  the  PortuGfuese  frontier  at   Elvas  in   the 


JOURNEY   HOME    BY    LAND.  171 

parly  morninp^:  and  then,  when  within  sight  of  that  strong 
fortress,  our  engine  broke  down,  and  we  came  to  a  stand- 
still, which  lasted  two  hours.  We  had  ample  time  to  look 
out  at  the  fortifications  of  Elvas,  and  to  admire  its  impreg- 
nable position  ;  and  we  could  well  understand  its  boast,  that 
it  has  never  been  taken  though  often  besieged.  Then  once 
again  under  way,  we  soon  entered  the  Spanish  territory, 
where  passports  were  examined,  and  luggage  rigidly  searched, 
and  then  we  reached  Badajoz,  that  mighty  fortress  which 
was  stormed  and  carried  under  the  eye  of  our  great  Duke, 
and  whose  very  name  confers  imperishable  renown  on  the 
British  soldiers,  whose  indomitable  courage  and  persever- 
ance were  never  more  severely  tested  than  in  that  most 
tremendous  assault.  We  naturally  gazed  at  the  walls  of 
this  strong  city  with  a  feeling  of  affection  and  pride,  as  if 
in  some  measure  it  belonged  to  us  :  and  then  we  passed  on 
by  the  side  of  the  now  diminished  Tagus  to  the  wide-spread- 
ing plain  of  Talavera  la  Real,  which  at  once  suggested 
other  British  victories, though  in  truth  this  is  not  the  battle- 
field, for  that  was  at  Talavera  de  la  Reina,  at  some  con- 
siderable distance  to  the  north-east,  and  nearer  Madrid. 

And  now,  with  thoughts  of  military  operations,  and  pon- 
dering on  the  fearful  sieges  and  scarcely  less  destructive 
victories  which  our  gallant  army  achieved  in  the  Peninsular 
war  ;  calling  to  mind,  too,  the  consummate  generalship  and 
energetic  actions  of  our  conquering  commander-in-chief, 
we  drew  near  to  the  old  Roman  town  of  Merida ;  whose 
ruined  theatres,  walls,  and  aqueducts  attracted  our  atten- 
tion Ions:  before  we  reached  them  ;  for  this  has  been  called 
the  Rome  of  Spain,  and  certainly  contains  more  Roman  re- 
mains than  any  other  town  in  the  Peninsula.  We  had  a  good 
general  view  of  some  of  its  more  conspicuous  ruins,  as  we 
approached  and  left  Merida,  but  we  lamented  that  we  had 
not  arranged  to  halt  here  for  a  day  to  explore  them  more 
thoroughly;  regrets  which  were  not  diminished  by  the  an- 


172  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX    PORTUGAL. 

noying  information  very  quietly  imparted  by  the  conductor, 
that  in  consequence  of  the  delay  at  Elvas,  we  could  not 
now  catch  the  quick  train  at  Ciudad  Eeale,  and  therefore 
could  not  reach  ^Madrid  that  night,  but  might  hope  to 
arrive  there  on  the  following  morning. 

So,  with  our  journey  thus  unexpectedly  prolonged,  we 
advanced  leisurely  amidst  the  brown  hills  and  arid  plains 
of  dry,  thirsty,  barren,  tawny,  burnt-up  Spain  ;  and  while 
we  steam  away  hour  after  hour  through  its  most  mono- 
tonous, uninteresting,  interminable  wastes  of  sand  and 
rock,  it  seems  a  good  opportunity  to  pause  awhile,  and 
review  the  general  impressions  I  carried  away  of  the  sunny 
little  kingdom  I  had  been  visiting :  and  possibly  it  may 
not  be  without  interest  to  my  readers,  if  I  add  up  here,  by 
way  of  supplement,  such  opinions  of  Portugal  and  the  Por- 
tuguese as  my  rapid  tour  allowed  me  to  form  ;  and  more 
particularly  if  I  institute  a  comparison  between  the  general 
features  of  the  two  countries  which  comprise  the  south- 
western Peninsula  of  Europe,  and  which  seem  isolated 
and  cut  off  from  all  other  nations  by  the  vast  barrier  of 
the  Pyrenees. 

Now  I  think  I  may  unhesitatingly  assert,  that  it  is 
generally  supposed  in  England,  though,  as  I  maintain, 
quite  erroneously,  that  Portugal  is  naturally,  and  to  all 
practical  intents  and  purposes,  a  portion  of  Spain ;  and, 
therefore,  it  is  concluded  that  the  general  aspect  of  the 
country,  her  geological  features,  her  fauna  and  flora,  must 
be  identical  with  those  of  her  great  neighbour.  Yet 
this  is  altogether  a  mistaken  conclusion,  arising  doubtless 
from  a  recollection  of  the  relative  positions  of  Spain  and 
Portugal  on  the  map,  where  I  allow  that  they  do  appear 
obviously  united  :  but  no  sooner  does  the  traveller  cross 
the  boundary  which  divides  the  kingdoms,  than  he  becomes 
sensible  how  great  is  the  divergence  between  the  two 
countries,  and  that  not  only  in  their  natural  aspects,  but 


JOURNEY    HOME    BY    LAND.  173 

even  in  the  appearance,  customs,  lan^^na^e,  and  I  may  add 
religious  opinions  of  their  respective  inhabitants.  Thus, 
instead  of  the  Cordilleras  of  Spain,  those  huge  chains  of 
mountains,  Avhich  divide  and  sulxlivide  that  country  into 
broad  belts,  we  have  elevated  ground  indeed  in  Portugal, 
but,  with  the  exception  of  the  Estrellas  in  the  centre,  and 
the  Gerez  in  the  extreme  north,  the  hills  seldom  rise  so 
high  as  to  take  the  rank  of  mountains.  Neither  are  there 
in  Portugal  any  sierras,  or  abrupt  serrated,  or  hog-backed 
ranges,  for  which  Spain  is  so  famous,  and  which  frequently 
rise  to  so  great  a  height,  and  present  vast  ridges  of  per- 
petual snow,  unless  again  the  Estrellas  are  excepted,  which 
perhaps  may  be  termed  the  '  backbone  '  of  Portugal.  So, 
too,  while  Spain  is  essentially  the  land  of  drought,  and  is 
sadly  deficient  in  great  rivers,  Portugal  stands  conspicuous 
for  its  many  and  excellent  streams ;  for,  as  the  general 
inclination  of  the  Peninsula  is  from  east  to  west,  the  brooks 
which  take  their  rise  in  Spain,  and  are  fed  from  her  snow- 
capped mountains,  when  they  have  increased  in  volume 
and  become  navigable  rivers,  with  not  many  exceptions, 
flow  through  Portugal,  ere  they  enter  the  ocean — as,  for 
instance,  the  Tagus,  the  Douro,  the  Minho,  the  Guadiana; 
and  there  is  a  vast  number  of  other  streams,  of  more  or 
less  size,  which  fertilise  the  districts  they  water,  and  make 
fruitful  gardens  of  what  would  otherwise  be  barren  wastes. 
Then  again,  while  Spain  is  notoriously  treeless,  and  you 
may  travel  day  after  day  in  that  singularly  naked  land, 
and  the  dusky  olive  will  be  the  only  species  of  tree  which 
meets  your  eye,  Portugal  abounds  in  forests,  in  several 
parts  extending  over  many  leagues,  covering  whole  chains 
of  hills,  and  occupying  a  considerable  area  of  the  kingdom  ; 
forests  of  fir  more  particularly,  though  the  oak,  the  chest- 
nut, and  the  olive  are  abundant,  and  the  cork  flourishes  to 
an  extent  I  have  never  seen  elsewhere.  But  above  all,  in 
lieu  of  the  vast  elevated  plateaux  of  Central  Spain,  so  arid. 


174  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

so  monotonous,  so  wearisome  to  the  eye,  Portugal  offers 
wide-spreading,  undulating  plains  indeed,  but  they  are 
clothed  with  aromatic  and  other  shrubs,  and  are  brilliant 
with  the  most  gorgeous  wald  flowers,  as  I  have  already 
pointed  out  in  my  never-ceasing  encomiums  of  these  many- 
coloured  heaths. 

So  far  as  regards  the  general  outline  of  the  physical 
geography  of  the  two  countries  respectively.  Then  in 
respect  to  the  inhabitants  of  these  two  kingdoms,  I  have 
already  remarked  how  infinitely  superior,  in  my  judgment, 
are  the  general  manners,  disposition,  and  character  of  the 
Portuguese  to  those  of  their  Spanish  neighbours.  There 
is  still  a  deadly  hatred  between  them ;  and  in  scanning 
the  past  history  of  Portugal,  we  may  see  that  the  jealousy 
and  dislike  entertained  at  this  day  towards  Spain  are  of  no 
modern  growth,  but  have  existed  from  a  very  remote  period. 
Nor  in  truth  is  such  national  feeling  to  be  wondered  at ; 
for  from  the  time  when  the  Romans  retreated  from  Lusi- 
tania,  that  western  extremity  of  the  Hispanic  peninsula 
has  been  a  tempting  bait  to  one  after  another  of  the  more 
powerful  sovereigns  of  the  independent  states  into  which 
Spain  was  divided.  Hence,  until  overrun  by  the  Moors 
in  the  eighth  century,  a  calamity  which  it  shared  with  its 
rivals,  there  was  perpetual  feud  along  '  the  stormy  frontier 
of  Lusita.nia  :'  and,  though  it  soon  recovered  its  indepen- 
dence, it  was  in  the  eleventh  century  divided  between  the 
kingdoms  of  Leon  and  Castile,  and  the  Mohammedan  states. 
During  the  thirteenth,  fourteenth,  and  fifteenth  centuries 
it  was  continually  engaged  in  war  with  Castile  ;  and  in  pro- 
portion as  any  of  those  monarchs  became  more  firmly 
seated  on  his  throne,  so  uniformly  did  he  cast  a  longing 
eye  on  the  extended  sea-board  of  Portugal,  and  show  a 
strong  desire,  and  often  made  violent  efforts,  to  annex  to 
bis  own  dominions  that  valuable  territory.  This  was  most 
especially  exemplified  during  the  prosperous  reign  of  Fer- 


JOUllNEY    HOME    HY    LAND.  175 

(iinand  and  Isabella,  when  the  crowns  of  Castile  and  Arra- 
gon  became  united  on  one  head,  to  the  very  reasonable 
alarm  and  distrust  of  Portugal  :  ^-  and  the  event  justified 
that  countr3^'s  prognostications  of  evil  ;  for  though  during 
the  lifetime  of  those  sovereigns  no  open  annexation  was 
attempted,  yet  their  comprehensive  scheme  for  consoli- 
dating the  various  kingdoms  of  the  Peninsula  was  only 
delayed  for  a  time,  and  opened  the  way  to  its  eventual 
completion  under  Philip  II.,  when  Portugal  was  added  to 
the  broad  dominions  of  Spain. f  But  though  merged  in 
Spain  in  1581,  no  effort  was  spared  throughout  the  '  sixty 
years'  captivity,'  as  the  period  of  Castilian  usurpation  is 
styled,  to  free  their  country  from  the  hated  yoke;  and 
under  Dom  Joao  IV.  of  Braganza,  *  the  restorer,'  (the  name 
by  which  he  is  honourably  known  in  Portuguese  annals,) 
the  Spaniards  were  driven  from  the  country,  and  in  1640 
her  independence  was  recovered.  Hence,  I  think,  we  have 
no  difficulty  in  accounting  for  the  bitterness  which  exists 
in  the  breast  of  every  Portuguese  against  his  Spanish 
neighbour.  But  this  feeling  of  enmity  is  mutual  and 
heartily  returned.  The  Spaniard  indeed  thoroughly  de- 
spises the  Portuguese,  whom  he  looks  down  upon  as  an 
inferior  order  of  being,  and  Childe  Harold  seems  to  share 
in  the  sentiment,  when  he  says  : — 

"Well  doth  the  Spanish  hind  the  difference  know 
'Twixt  him  and  Lusian  slave,  the  lowest  of  the  low. 

But  possibly  the  Childe  was  a  prejudiced  enthusiast. 
Such,  however,  was  not  the  great  Duke  of  Wellington, 
perhaps  the  most  practical,  truthful,  and  withal  correctly 
judging  witness  we  could  desire:  and  I  have  already  re- 
minded my  readers  what  a  far  higher  estimate  of  the 
Portuguese,  as  trusty,  reliable  soldiers,  the  Duke  enter- 

*  Prescott's  Reign  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  vol.  ii.  p.  328. 
t  Ihid.,  vol.  iii.  p.  439. 


176  A    SPRING   TOUR   IN    PORTUGAL. 

tained,  to  that  which  he  formed  of  the  levies  of  Spain, 
which,  throughout  the  campaign,  were  his  constant  annoy- 
ance and  disappointment.  Of  the  strength  of  Portugal, 
too,  the  Duke  had  a  high  opinion:  indeed,  so  well  did  he 
think  of  the  natural  defences  of  the  country,  that  he  used 
to  declare, '  if  I  hold  Portugal,  France  cannot  and  will  not 
hold  Spain.'  But  there  was  reason  enough  for  the  affec- 
tion he  manifestly  entertained  for  that  kingdom.  When 
he  first  arrived  in  the  Peninsula,  to  take  command  of  the 
allied  troops,  it  was  at  Lisbon  that  he  landed,  amidst  the 
acclamations  of  the  people.  Then  the  famous  lines  of 
Torres  Vedras,  a  most  masterly  work,  conceived  by  a  mas- 
ter mind,  stretching  no  less  than  forty  miles  across  the 
country,  and  declared  by  competent  authority  to  be  '  the 
finest  specimen  of  a  fortified  position  ever  effected,'  re- 
flected impenetrable  renown  on  the  British  general,  and 
gave  him  a  secure  basis  of  operations  in  the  interior. 
Then  every  portion  of  the  country  was  in  turn  the  scene 
of  his  victories.  At  Rolipa,  where  the  first  action  in  the 
Peninsular  war  was  fought,  he  vanquished  Laborde  in  1808. 
At  Vimeiro,  very  shortly  after,  the  enemy  was  again  de- 
feated; while  Junot  was  beaten  before  Lisbon.  In  1809, 
Soult  was  precipitately  driven  with  great  loss  from  Oporto  : 
and  in  1810  Massena  and  Ney  were  routed  at  Bussaco. 
These  are  all  glorious  names  imprinted  on  the  memories  of 
the  British  army :  but  enough  of  military  matters  ;  let  us 
return  to  our  reflections  on  Portugal  under  a  more  peace- 
ful aspect. 

With  regard  to  climate,  Portugal  enjoys  a  very  high 
reputation :  for  though  the  heat  is  at  times  excessive,  it 
is  always  tempered  by  fine  breezes  from  the  sea;  and  at 
all  seasons  the  weather  is  as  mild  and  tlie  air  as  healthy 
as  may  be  desired.  In  this  respect  it  possesses  a  very 
decided  advantage  over  the  interior  of  Spain,  where  want 
of  shade  and  water  render  the  soil  so  parched  and  thirsty. 


JOURNEY   HOME   BY    LAND.  177 

and  the  atmosphere  so  dry  as  to  be  almost  unbearaljh;, 
and  where  occasionally  the  coldest  winds  sweep  down 
from  the  mountains,  bearing  the  seeds  of  disease  and 
death  on  their  wings.  This  does  not,  however,  by  any 
means  apply  to  the  southern  and  eastern  coasts,  the  warm, 
sheltered,  dry  region,  the  tierra  caliente  as  it  has  been 
styled  by  Ford,  where  the  all-iuvigorating  sun  reigns  su- 
preme and  cold  north-east  blasts  are  unknown  ;  and  which 
can  scarcely  be  equalled  by  any  other  favoured  spots  in 
Europe, 

With  such  reflections  as  these  on  the  general  aspect  of 
the  two  countries,  and  the  disposition  of  their  several  in- 
habitants, we  traversed  the  vast  uninteresting  plains  which 
stretch  eastwards  from  the  frontiers  of  Portugal ;  markin^r 
the  contrast  in  the  dry,  parched,  treeless  district  we  were 
crossing,  to  the  green  valleys,  extensive  forests,  and  lovely 
heaths  we  had  left  behind  us :  but  both  meditation  and 
observation  tended  to  the  same  result,  which  was  an  infi- 
nite preference,  in  our  judgment,  for  Portugal  and  her 
people  over  the  land  and  inhabitants  of  Spain. 

I  have  indulged  in  so  long  a  digression  by  the  way,  that 
I  must  hasten  to  observe  that  in  the  course  of  the  evening 
we  reached  Ciudad  Reale,  where  we  halted  an  hour :  then 
on  all  night  to  Madrid,  which  we  reached  at  8  o'clock  on 
the  following  morning,  and  were  not  sorry  to  leave  the 
train  after  two  consecutive  nights  as  well  as  a  day  and  a 
half,  which  is  ample  time  wherein  to  discover  all  its  enjoy- 
ments. 

Madrid  was  at  no  distant  date  as  notoriously  ill-provided 
with  hotel  accommodation  as  was  Marseilles :  but  now  both 
the  great  French  port  on  the  Mediterranean  and  the 
Spanish  capital  are  able  to  vie  with  any  city  in  Europe  in 
the  excellence  of  the  quarters  they  can  offer  to  the  tra- 
veller. We  found  the  great  Fonda  de  los  Principes  in  the 
Puerta  del    Sol  all  we  could  desire,   and  very  different 

N 


178        '  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX   PORTUGAL. 

indeed,  in  this  magnificent  house,  was  our  entertainment 
from  that  which  we  had  met  with,  only  five  years  before,  in 
the  principal  hotel  of  Madrid  at  that  date. 

We  resolved  to  devote  the  whole  of  our  time  during  our 
two  days'  halt  at  Madrid  to  the  unrivalled  picture  gallery, 
of  whose  superlative  treasures  we  retained  distinct  recollec- 
tions, but  where  we  desired  to  feast  our  e3'es,  and  refresh 
our  memories.  Now  Portugal  is  wholly  destitute  of  pic- 
tures, but  whether  this  is  a  drawback  or  a  boon  to  the 
tourist,  I  must  leave  it  to  everyone  to  determine  for  him- 
self. To  him,  however,  who  has  been  more  than  satiated 
with  the  interminable  galleries  of  Italy  and  Grermany,  it  is 
almost  a  relief  to  be  exempted  for  a  time  from  the  fatigue 
which  a  constant  succession  of  museums  entails :  but  then, 
when  he  arrives  at  ]Madrid  on  his  way  home,  he  will  be 
prepared  to  enjoy  the  finest  collection  of  pictures  in  the 
world,  and  he  will  bring  to  that  splendid  feast  provided  for 
him,  eyes  that  are  not  wearied  with  a  surfeit  of  good  things, 
and  a  mind  that  is  not  clogged  and  overladen  to  reple- 
tion, but  a  keen  and  healthy  appetite,  which  can  appreciate 
the  masterpieces  before  it.  Moreover,  the  traveller  who 
is  returning  from  Portugal,  will  not  forget  that  this 
Museii  Real  at  Madrid  owes  its  origin  to  a  Portuguese 
princess,  for  it  was  no  other  than  the  Queen  of  Ferdinand 
VII.,  generally  known  as  *  la  Portugueza,'  who  provided 
funds  from  her  own  private  resources,  collected  the  scat- 
tered pictures,  and  supplied  a  suitable  receptacle ;  and  in 
short,  founded  the  original  collection,  which  has  since  de- 
veloped into  so  magnihceut  a  gallery.  So  here  we  revelled 
in  the  grand  works  of  Murillo  and  Velasquez,  marvelled 
anew  at  the  glories  of  Raphael,  and  more  especially  at  the 
inimitable  '  Perla  ; '  and  examined  at  our  leisure  the  price- 
less works  of  the  principal  Italian,  German,  and  Flemish 
masters,  who  are  all  well  represented  in  this  exquisite 
gallery. 


JOURNEY   HOME   BY    LAND.  179 

We  had  no  desire  to  revisit  otlier  siglits  of  Madrid  ;  so 
we  spent  both  our  days  in  the  Miiseii ;  we  had  once  in  our 
lives  witnessed  a  bull-fight  here,  and  the  horrors  of  that 
cruel  spectacle  had  haunted  us  so  long,  that  the  very 
name  of  a  fiesta  de  torsos  recalls  a  scene  of  bloodshed  and 
butchery,  quite  sickening  and  disgusting  to  contemplate. 
But  we  wandered  about  the  streets  of  the  capital,  and  we 
went,  with  all  the  rest  of  Madrid,  in  the  evenings  to  stroll 
in  the  Prado,  and  lounge  in  the  Alameda;  and  here  we 
were  vexed  to  observe  the  French  costume  so  prevalent, 
and  the  national  mantilla  and  the  becominof  veil,  once  so 
universal,  fast  disappearing  before  Parisian  fashions.  But 
that  which  astonished  us  most  in  this  centre  of  monarchial 
Spain,  was  to  hear  the  open  and  undisguised  expression  of 
opinion  which  none  cared  to  conceal,  with  reference  to  the 
impending  revolution;  of  whose  speedy  development  every- 
body seemed  well  aware  ;  and  about  which  people  talked 
in  the  streets  and  at  the  table  d^hote  without  the  smallest 
reserve.  It  appeared,  then,  to  be  a  mere  question  of  time  ; 
and  when  it  blazed  forth  a  few  weeks  after  our  return  to 
England,  it  was  by  no  means  a  matter  of  surprise  to  us, 
for  we  had  heard  it  coollv  announced,  over  and  over  ajjain, 
at  ]Madrid. 

Our  next  stage  homewards  was  to  the  pretty  French 
watering-place  of  Biarritz,  on  the  shores  of  the  Bav  of 
Biscay;  and  we  again  began  our  journey  in  the  afternoon, 
and  travelled  all  night,  reaching  our  place  of  destination 
at  midday.  \Ve  had  a  good  view  from  the  train  of  the 
vast  pile  of  buildings  at  the  Escorial,  which  we  had 
thoroughly  explored  on  a  former  visit,  and  where  indeed 
we  had  been  so  fortunate  as  to  witness  the  interment  of 
an  Infanta.  Thence  our  line  of  railway  wound  at  the  foot 
of  the  Guadarama  mountains  by  Avila  ;  and  subsequently, 
during  the  night,  we  passed  Valladolid  and  Burgos ;  and 


180  A   SPRING    TOUR    IN   PORTUGAL. 

next  morning,  soon  after  daybreak,  found  ourselves  wind- 
ing through  pleasant  valleys,  well  amongst  the  mountains, 
now  ascending  at  sharp  gradients,  now  threading  our  way 
through   tunnels,  or   running  along  ledges  of  rock,  with 
frightful   precipices  below,   as  we  crossed  the  Pyrenees. 
Through  all  this  district  we  were  now  gliding  smoothly  in 
a  large  and  roomy  carriage,  and  at  a  rate  of  nearly  twenty 
miles  an  hour ;  w^hereas,  in  our  previous  expedition  into 
these  parts,   we  toiled   painfully  and  long  in    the   most 
clumsy  of  Spanish  diligences,  and  amidst  the  yells  of  our 
driver  and  conductor,  the  shouts  of  our  postillion,  and  the 
thrashing  of  our  fourteen  mules  by  one  whose  business  it 
was  to  run  by  the  side,  and  belabour  those  unfortunate 
beasts  in  turn,  we  crawled  along  at  scarcely  four  miles  an 
hour,  whilst  our  heavy  machine,  which  held  twenty  people, 
and  was  reckoned,  when  loaded,  to  w^eigh  from  four  to  five 
tons,  would  occasionally  subside  into  some  deeper  rut  or 
hole  than  usual,  with  a  crash  and  a  jolt  that  threatened  to 
dislocate  every  bone  in  our  body ;  and  at  the  end  of  such 
a  journey  of  eight-and-forty  hours  we  felt  stiff  and  sore  in 
every  joint.     The  contrast  was  certainly  in  favour  of  the 
present  system,  and  those  who  traverse  the  length  and 
breadth  of  Spain  in  these  days,  as  may  be  easily  accom- 
plished now  by  means  of  the  w^ell-connected   system  of 
railways,  can  have  little  conception  what  real  hard  work 
was  involved  in  a  journey  through   Spain  but  a  very  few 
years  back,  and  what  powers  of  endurance  and  physical 
strength  were  needed  to  travel  by  diligence  those  long  and 
tedious  journeys  from  the  frontier  of  P'rance  to  Madrid, 
and  on  to  Cordova  and  Seville ;  or  from  the  sea-coast  of 
Malaga  by  Granada   to  Valencia  and  Barcelona    on  the 
eastern  side. 

When  we  reached  the  French  frontier,  and  had  passed 
our  buggage  through  the  custom-house,  we  had  to  transfer 
ourselves  and  goods  to  another  train  ;  and  as  we  marvelled 


JOURNEY   HOME    BY    LAND.  181 

a,t  this  apparently  gratuitous  piece  oi  inconvenience  and 
delay,  which  attended  every  through  train  from  Madrid  to 
Paris,  we  were  assured  that  the  Spanish  autliorities,  from 
dread  of  some  future  French  invasion,  had  forbidden  their 
own  line  to  be  prepared  of  the  same  gauge  as  that  of  their 
northern  neighbour:  hence  a  daily  vexation  and  annoy- 
ance to  innumerable  travellers ;  hence,  too,  no  little  ridicule 
of  the  alarm  of  Spain. 

We  found  Biarritz  enormously  increased  in  size  since 
we  had  last  visited  it,  but  as  beautiful  as  ever,  with  its 
magnificent  sea-view  over  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  and  its 
honey-combed  rocks,  through  which  the  surf  was  ever 
beating:  itself  into  foam,  and  dashingf  itself  hio^h  into  the 
air  in  spray,  and  forming  ever  new  cascades  of  marvellous 
beauty;  and  here  we  spent  a  quiet  Sunday,  fascinated,  as 
every  one  must  be,  by  the  charming  views  on  every  hand. 

From  Biarritz  we  passed  through  the  Landes,  and  were 
disappointed  to  see  no  traces  of  the  shepherds  on  tall  stilts, 
knitting  as  they  reposed  on  the  third  support,  with  which 
they  used  to  be  provided  ;  but  these  relics  of  primitive 
days  have  passed  away  in  the  rapid  march  of  time  since 
we  visited  this  spot  seven  years  ago.  Moreover,  the  pine 
forests,  planted  to  consolidate  the  shifting  sands,  have 
marvellously  increased  within  that  short  period ;  and  we 
found  a  luxuriance  of  soil  and  a  fertility  of  which  there 
was  no  trace  but  the  other  day. 

We  baited  for  one  night  at  Bordeaux,  and  were  much 
impressed  with  the  improvements  of  the  city,  which,  (like 
all  the  other  great  cities  of  PVance,)  has  been  renovated 
and  almost  rebuilt  under  the  auspices  of  the  present  Em- 
peror; and  indeed,  in  proportion  to  their  size,  the  great 
provincial  towns  of  France  are  scarcely  behind  the  capital 
in  the  beautifying  they  have  undergone.  But  whether  the 
inhabitants,  who  are  very  heavily  taxed  to  accomplish  this 
beautifying  process,  are  altogether  satisfied  with  the  sys- 


182  A    SPRING   TOUR    IX    TORTUGAL. 

tern,  was  quite  another  question,  which  I  could  not  answer, 
and  into  which  it  would  be  impertinent  in  a  foreigner  to 
enquire  too  minutely. 

From  Bordeaux  our  route  lay  direct  to  Paris,  and  thence 
to  England  was  but  an  easy  step. 


183 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    BIRDS    OF   TORTUGAL. 

The  substance  of  a  considerable  portion  of  the  following 
observations  on  the  birds  of  Portugal  I  have  already 
published  in  a  recent  number  of  the  ^  Ibis.'  *  They  are 
necessarily  meagre  and  incomplete,  and  will  amount  at 
the  most  to  a  very  imperfect  sketch — perhaps  I  should  say 
a  mere  outline — as  rapid  travelling  amidst  novel  scenes 
admits  of  little  leisure  for  detailed  examination ;  and 
every  practical  ornithologist  is  well  aware  that  sufficient 
time  and  prolonged  research  alone  enable  one  to  arrive  at 
any  accuracy.  Indeed^  the  only  excuse  which  I  have  for 
submitting  so  indistinct  a  picture  to  the  scrutiny  of  natura- 
lists, is  the  general  want  of  information  which  prevails 
with  regard  to  this  strangely-overlooked  district ;  for,  with 
the  exception  of  a  catalogue  in  Portuguese,  published  in 
Lisbon  by  Professor  Barbosa  du  Bocage  in  1862  f  (of 
which  I  shall  make  considerable  use  in  this  chapter),  and 
a  few  short  notes  by  Mr.  Gr.  F.  Mathews,  which  appeared 
in  the  ^Naturalist'  for  18G4,J  I  am  not  aware  that  anything 
has  been  made  known  of  the  ornithology  of  Portugal. 
I  have  already  called  attention  to  the  diversified  scenery 

*  Vol.  iv.  New  Series;  pp.  428-460. 

t  Instruc^ocs  praticas  sobre  o  modo  de  colUgir,  2>rcparar  c  remettcr  pro- 
dicctos  coologicos  para  o  Muscu  de  Lisboa.  Por  J.  V.  Barbosa  du  Bocage. 
Lisboa,  1862. 

+  Naturalist,  1864,  pp.  49-51,  60-71,  a;id  88-90. 


184  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN    PORTUGAL. 

of  Portugal ;  and  it  may  readily  be  supposed  that  a  country 
intersected  by  rivers,  whose  banks  are  clothed  with  the 
most  luxuriant  vegetation,  abounding  in  wide-extending 
forests,  as  well  as  vast  uncultivated  heaths,  or  sandy  plains 
covered  with  brush,  with  an  open  coast  extending  from 
north  to  south,  washed  by  the  waves  of  the  wide  Atlantic, 
furnished  here  with  rugged  rocks  and  there  with  cultivated 
fields,  and  all  lying  under  a  climate  which,  for  uuclouded 
brilliancy  of  sun,  and  almost  tropical  heat,  can  scarcely  be 
matched  in  any  other  district  of  Europe,  must  possess  an 
Avifauna  which,  if  properly  investigated,  would  yield  a 
rich  return  to  repay  the  exertions  of  the  enquirer. 

Moreover,  it  is  not  alone  in  rare  species  that  the  orni- 
thologist would  expect  to  reap  a  valuable  harvest,  but  in 
the  differences  and  shades  of  colour,  and  in  the  variation 
of  size,  which  even  the  commoner  birds  offer  in  different 
localities,  and  more  especially  under  different  climates, 
that  he  would  look  for  interesting  results  in  this  extreme 
south-western  corner  of  Europe  ;  and  to  this  point  my 
particular  attention  was  directed  before  I  set  out  on  my 
journey. 

Bearing  this  in  mind,  and  resolved  not  to  overlook  the 
commonest  species,  I  took  every  opportunity,  during  my 
few  weeks'  tour  in  Portugal,  to  examine  all  the  birds  which 
came  in  my  way.  To  this  end  I  wandered  through  plains 
and  forests,  by  banks  of  rivers,  and  amidst  the  rocks  and 
mountains,  armed  with  double-barrelled  gun  and  double 
field-glass — the  latter,  I  take  leave  to  add,  quite  as  ser- 
viceable to  the  student  in  ornithology  as  the  former.  I 
also  frequented  the  markets  in  Lisbon  and  other  towns 
every  day  at  early  morning,  and  overhauled  all  the 
feathered  bouquets  composed  of  the  smaller  birds  of  all 
ranks  and  orders,  which  seem  so  attractive  to  continental 
epicures  generally.  Moreover,  I  visited  frequently  the 
excellent  Museum  at  Lisbon,  and  the  indifferent  one  at 


THE   BIRDS   OF   TOKTUGAL.  185 

Coimbra,  wbicli  (so  far  as  T  can  ascertain)  comprehend  all 
the  natural-liistory collections  in  tlie  country;  and  there  1 
carefully  examined,  verified,  and  catalogued  every  speci- 
men asserted  to  have  been  captured  in  Portugal.  Lastly, 
I  was  fortunate  in  meeting  with  many  intelligent  men, 
who  were  not  only  willing  to  impart  valuable  information, 
but  were  able  to  do  so  in  a  language  which  I  could  under- 
stand :  amongst  these,  I  must  especially  mention  Dr. 
Snche  and  Professor  Barbosa  du  Bocage, — the  former  a 
fellow-labourer  of  Vigors,  an  experienced  collector  and 
preserver  of  some  of  the  larger  mammals  and  reptiles  in 
South  America ;  the  latter,  the  scientific  and  indefatigable 
director  of  the  Museum  at  Lisbon,  with  whom  I  had  many 
pleasant  interviews,  and  who  pointed  out  to  me  the  more 
remarkable  objects  in  the  national  collection,  which  (thanks 
to  his  exertions)  is  already  assuming  considerable  import- 
ance, and  must,  in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  if  the  present 
admirable  system  is  continued,  become  extremely  rich, 
not  only  in  home  specimens,  but  in  the  productions  of 
the  Portuguese  foreign  possessions  and  of  the  Brazils. 

I  should  add,  that,  since  my  return  to  England,  I  have 
submitted  the  small  collection  of  Portuguese  birds  which 
I  had  time  to  preserve  to  the  well-known  ornithologist  and 
author,  the  Rev.  H.  B.  Tristram  ;  and,  as  I  have  his  per- 
mission to  quote  his  remarks  upon  them,  I  shall  freely  do 
so,  inasmuch  as  I  am  quite  sure  that  the  brief  comments 
of  such  a  master  in  ornithology  will  be  of  more  real  value 
than  all  my  observations. 

In  the  article  alluded  to  above,  which  I  published  in  the 
'Ibis,'  I  enumerated  193  species,  as  identified  by  myself, 
either  in  the  flesh  or  in  the  Portuguese  collections  at 
Lisbon  and  Coimbra ;  I  also  made  incidental  mention  of 
fifty-seven  others,  as  confidently  asserted  to  be  well-known 
in  Portugal  by  those  on  whose  accuracy  I  could  rely. 
This  made  a  total  of  250 ;  and  I  added  that  the  catalogue 


18(>  A   SPraXG    TOUR   IX   PORTUGAL. 

was  still  imperfect,  and  only  laid  claim  to  be  an  outline, 
the  details  of  which  I  trusted  would  shortly  be  filled  up  by 
some  competent  observer. 

But  alread}^,  in  a  recent  review  of  my  'Ibis'  article, 
lately  published  in  a  scientific  periodical  at  Lisbon,"^  Pro- 
fessor Barbosa  du  Bocage  has  been  so  good  as  to  add  a 
very  valuable  supplement,  of  which  I  shall  largely  avail 
myself,  and  which  will  extend  our  acquaintance  with 
Portuguese  birds  to  every  species  hitherto  certified  to  have 
occurred  in  that  country.  The  Professor,  in  the  true  spirit 
of  a  naturalist,  has  exerted  himself  to  render  my  list  more 
complete  and  valuable,  and,  with  that  view,  has  confined 
himself  to  the  system  I  had  adopted,  by  adding  those 
species  only  of  whose  existence,  within  the  limits  of 
Portugal,  he  holds  incontrovertible  proofs,  and  of  which 
authentic  examples  now  actually  exist  in  the  Museum  of 
Lisbon. 

On  examining  this  appendix,  which  contains  forty-two 
species,  and  on  comparing  it  with  my  previous  list,  it 
appears  that  of  the  fifty-seven  species  w^hich  I  had  already 
incidentally  mentioned,  as  confidently  asserted  to  be  found 
in  Portugal,  but  of  whose  appearance  there  I  had  no 
personal  evidence,  no  less  than  thirty-six  have  now  been 
identified,  while  only  six  species,  of  which  I  had  heard  no 
previous  tidings,  must  be  added  to  my  total  amount. 

We  have  now  then,  to  our  former  catalogTie  of  193  veri- 
fied Portuguese  species,  to  add  a  supplementary  list  of 
forty-two,  no  less  carefully  determined,  which  swells  the 
total  to  235  ;  and  if  w^e  reckon  those  of  whose  appearance 
in  Portugal  we  have  been  assured,  though  hitherto  they 
have  not  been  positively  identified,  we  arrive  at  a  grand 
total  of  256  species,  which,  though  by  no  means  professing 

*  Jornal  de  Scicntias  mathcmaticas,  2>^'>/sicas,  e  naturacs,  publicado  sob 
OS  auspicios  da  Academia  Real  das  Scieutias  de  Lisboa.  Num.  vii.  Agosto 
do  1869. 


THE    BIRDS   OF   PORTUGAL.  187 

to  be  a  perfect  or  exhaustive  list,  is  submitted  as  a  tolera- 
ble outline  of  the  ornithology  of  the  south-western  angle 
of  Europe. 

I  now  proceed  to  enumerate  the  several  species  I  have 
seen  iii  Portugal,  distinguishing  the  degrees  in  which  I 
have  identified  them  by  the  following  marks: — (1)  Those 
I  have  met  with  alive  and  wild,  in  my  rambles  through 
the  country,  and  those  which  I  have  met  with  in  the 
nuirkets  in  the  flesh,  about  which  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  they  are  Portuguese  specimens,  are  marked  *  ;  and 
(2),  those  which  I  have  verified  in  the  Museum  at  Lisbon, 
whose  respective  pedestals  bear  the  name  of  the  locality 
whence  they  were  procured,  and  for  whose  authenticity 
and  claims  as  genuine  Portuguese  birds  I  have  the  ample 
assurance  of  M.  du  Bocage,  are  marked  f ;  while  (3), 
those  which  I  did  not  see  at  all,  but  which  have  now  been 
added  on  the  authority  of  Professor  du  Bocage,  are  dis- 
tinguished, as  enclosed  in  [  ].  There  are,  of  course, 
many  other  species  not  included  in  this  list,  though  un- 
doubtedly belonging  to  the  country,  but  which  I  did  not 
happen  to  meet  with,  and  of  which  the  Museums  do  not 
hitherto  possess  a  Portuguese  specimen.  Many  such  are 
included  in  the  catalogue  published  at  Lisbon,  which  I 
have  already  quoted ;  but  as  my  remarks  do  not  profess  to 
extend  beyond  what  I  myself  saw,  or  what  -actually  exists 
in  the  Museums,  they  have  manifestly  no  place  in  this 
list.  I  append  the  Portuguese  name  wherever  I  have  been 
able  to  ascertain  it ;  and  it  will  be  at  once  apparent  how 
little  knowledge  the  natives  possess  of  ornithology,  from 
the  indiscriminate  use  of  the  same  name  applied  to  several 
species,  which,  in  many  instances,  vary  widely  in  size, 
form,  and  colour. 


188  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX    PORTUGAL. 

1.  *VuLTUR  FULVus  (Gmel.),  'Griffon  Vulture,'  Griffo. 

Said  to  be  common  in  the  soiitlurn  districts,  and  seen  by 
me  on  several  occasions  in  the  phiins  of  Alemtejo. 

2.  "fVuLTUR  ciNEREUS  (GmcL), '  Cincrcous  Vulture,'  Pica-osso. 

Sufficiently  well  known  to  enjoy  a  separate  specific  name 
in  Portuguese,  a  distinction  only  accorded  to  those  birds  ha- 
bitually met  with.  The  title,  however,  which  it  has  received 
seems  b}^  some  mischance  to  be  usurped  from  another  species, 
and  to  belong  of  right  to  Gypaeius  barbatus^  at  all  events  in 
the  neighbouring  country  of  Sj^ain. 

*3.  *NEOPriRON  PERCNOPTERUS  (Linn.),  'Egyptian  Vulture.' 

I  failed  to  discover  the  Portuguese  name  of  tliis  bird, 
though  I  fell  in  with  it  on  many  occasions,  and  should  call 
it  common  in  suitable  districts.  There  is  but  one  specimen 
in  the  Lisbon  Museum,  an  adult  bird  in  miserable  condition. 
These  three  species  of  Vulture  seem  to  be  scattered  in 
small  numbers  over  the  southern  portions  of  Europe,  as 
might  be  expected  from  the  immense  flocks  one  sees  of  them 
in  Egypt  and  North  Africa  generally.  I  could  hear  nothing, 
on  enquiry,  of  the  *  Lammergeier,'  Gypaetus  barbatus  ; 
though,  as  it  is  still  found  in  the  Pyrenees,  and  Don  Machado* 
says  that  it  inhabits  the  Sierra  Morena  in  Spain,  while  Lord 
Lilford,!  in  his  admirable  papers  on  the  Ornithology  of 
Spain,  speaks  of  it  as  almost  common  in  favourable  locali- 
ties in  that  country,  I  should  conceive  it  must  occasionally 
be  seen  in  the  wilder  parts  of  Northern  Portugal,  and  in  the 
savage  regions  of  the  Gerez  mountains,  where  the  Wolf  and 
the  Wild  Boar  abound,  and  the  Ibex  is  still  occasionally 
found. 

4.  fAQUiLA  ciiRYSAETUS  (Linn.),  'Golden  Eagle,'  yiguia  real. 

Said  to  be  extremely  common  in  all  the  mountainous 
districts. 

h.  jAquila  iieliaca  (Sav.),  'Imperial  Eagle,'  Agnia  impen'al. 

*  Catahgo  de  Jas  Avcs  ohscrvadas  en   aJgunas  j^fovincias  de  Ayidah'cia. 
Por  D.  Antonio  Machado.     Sevilla,  1854. 

t  Ibis:  18G.3,  pp.  1G6-177;  1866,  pp.  173-187,  377-392, 


TIIK    milDS    OF    PORTUGAL.  189 

I  entertained  considtrablG  doubts,  -wlieii  in  Lisbon,  whether 
the  only  specimen  of  this  bird  whicli  I  saw  tliere  was  a 
genuine  Imperial  Eagle,  inasmuch  as  I  could  not  perceive  a 
single  trace  of  white  on  the  scaj)uhiry  feathers;  and  tliough 
Professor  du  Bocage,  whoso  attention  I  called  to  the  lact, 
accounted  for  it  by  declaring  the  bird  in  question  to  be 
immature,  I  always  considered  that  this  distinctive  charac- 
teristic of  the  species  was  never  wholly  absent,  though, 
doubtless,  it  is  more  conspicuous  in  adult  birds.  This  ob- 
servation I  published  in  the  '  Ibis,'  when  the  learned  editor, 
Professor  Newton,  added  in  a  note  that  in  his  opinion  the 
white  spot  was  usually  more  conspicuous  in  the  immature 
bird.  In  answer  to  this.  Professor  Barbosa  du  Bocage,  in 
his  recent  review  of  my  paper,  points  out  that,  in  the  early 
periods  of  its  life,  Aquila  heliaca  presents  few,  if  any,  traces 
of  white  in  the  scapular  region,  the  large  white  spot  whence 
it  derives  the  name  by  which  it  is  known  of  the  Imperial 
Eagle,  being  a  characteristic  of  maturity  ;  and  then  the 
Professor  supports  his  view  with  the  testimony  of  Temminck,* 
and  of  Deglandj'l"  and  Gerbe ;  and  proceeds  to  prove  that 
the  specimen  in  question  can  belong  to  no  other  species. 
Moreover,  he  adds  that,  on  a  careful  examination,  traces  of 
white  may  be  distinguished  on  the  scapular  feathers,  though 
they  might  easily  be  overlooked,  and  concludes  that  it  is, 
without  doubt,  a  veritable  A.  heliaca;  a  conclusion  in 
which,  on  such  strong  evidence,  I  most  unhesitatingly  con- 
cur. There  can,  indeed,  be  no  question  that  the  bird  is  as 
well  known  in  Portugal  as  it  is  in  Spain  ;  it  is  even  said  to 
be  common  in  the  provinces  of  Beira  and  Alemtejo,  from  the 
latter  of  which  Professor  du  Bocage  states  that  he  has  more 
than  once  received  living  examples. 

G.  fAQUiLA  BoNELLii  (Tcmm.),  '  Bonclli's  Eagle.' 

In  addition  to  those  in  the  Lisbon  Museum,  there  are 
specimens  of  this  species  in  the  Museum  at  Coimbra,  where 
it  is  said  to  be  especially  abundant. 

*  Manuel cC Omithologie,  torn.  i.  p.  27. 
t   Oniithologic  Europctnnc,  torn.  i.  p.  25. 


190  A   SPRING   TOUR    IX    TORTUGAL. 

7.  f  Aquila  pexnata  (Gmel.),  '  Booted  Eagle.' 

This  species  is  said  to  be  common  generally  tlironghont 
Portugal ;  and  that  it  is  so  seems  probable  from  its  abun- 
dance (as  Lord  Lilford  points  out)  in  Spain.  Indeed,  the 
two  last-mentioned  species  appear  to  be  thoroughly  at  home 
throughout  the  Peninsula ;  whereas  it  seems  doubtful  whether 
the  better  known  HALiyEEXUS  albicilla,  though  included  in 
Professor  du  Bocage's  list  as  a  probable  visitor,  has  ever 
been  seen  within  the  limits  of  Portugal. 

[8.  Aquila  naevia  (Briss.),  '  Spotted  Eagle.' 

A  specimen  from  Traz-os-Montes  has  been  killed  in 
the  suburbs  of  Braganca.] 

r9.  Circaetus  gallicus  (Gm.),  '  Short-toed  Eagle.' 

This  species  must  be  considered  rare,  for.M.  du 
Bocage  has  never  been  able  to  see  but  one  specimen, 
which  he  received  last  summer,  alive,  from  Alemtejo.] 

10.  -fPANDiON  Hali.eetus  iXinn.),  '  Osprey,'  Agxiia  jjesqueira. 

Common  in  localities  suited  to  its  habits. 

11.  fFALCO  PEREGRiNUS  (Gmel.),  'Peregrine  Falcon,'  Falcao. 

It  is  strange  that  this  cosmopolite  should  be  described  as 
of  extremely  rare  occurrence  in  Portugal ;  but  I  was  assured 
that  it  was  very  seldom  met  with  in  that  country. 

1 2.  *Falco  TiNNUNCULUs(Linn.),  '  Kestrel,'  FranceUw^  Peneireiro. 

Abundant  everywhere,  as  the  fact  of  its  possessing  two 
local  names  would  imply. 

Falco  subbuteg  is  also  pronounced  to  be  tolerably  com- 
mon ;  but  I  did  not  meet  with  it,  whether  alive  or  in  the 
Museums.     It  is  known  in  Portugal  as  Falcao  tagarote. 

[13.  AsTUR  PALUMBARius  (Linn.),  '  Goshawk,'  Aqor. 

Sufficiently  common :  represented  in  the  Museum  of 
Lisbon  by  several  specimens,  which  appear  to  have 
escaped  my  investigation.] 

14.  *AcciriTER  Nisus  (Linn.),  '  Sparrow  Hawk,'  Gavido.     Com- 
mon throughout  the  country. 


TIIF.    BIRDS   OF    PORTUGAL.  191 

Of  AcciriTiiit  ciADAii  (Daiul.),  the  '  Little  rcMl-hillod  Hawk,' 
for  Avliicli  I  niado  .special  enquiry,  I  could  hear  notliing; 
indeed,  Professor  du  Bocage,  to  whom  the  species  was  wc^ll 
known  as  an  inhabitant  of  Africa,  assured  me  that  it  had 
never  been  seen  in  Portugal. 

15.  *\\IiLVUS  ICTINUS  (Sav.),  'Kite,'  MUliafrc^  MlUiano. 

The  double  local  name  again  marks  pretty  clearly  the 
abundance  of  the  bird  which  is  thus  honoured  ;  and  I  met 
with  this  graceful  species  in  Alemtejo  and  Estremadura. 

I  did  not  see  my  old  Egyptian  friends,  Milvus  Migrans 
(Bodd.)  and  M.  iEGYPXius  (Gmel.),  though  both  are  said  to 
occur  occasionally  in  Portugal ;  they  do  not  however  appear 
in  the  Museums. 

IC.  j*P]LANUS  CERULEUS  (Desfontj,  'Black-winged  Kite.' 

Professor  du  Bocage  pointed  out  to  me,  as  a  more  recent 
addition  to  the  Museum  since  the  publication  of  liis  cata- 
logue, a  fine  specimen  of  this  beautiful  little  bird,  wdnch  he 
said  was  the  only  one  known  to  have  occurred  in  Portugal, 
and  he  considered  it  to  be  a  most  valuable  acquisition  to  the 
national  collection. 

17.  *BuTEO    VULGARIS    (Bcchst.),    '  Commou    Buzzard,'   Tartn- 

ranhao. 
Once  only  did  I  see  this  bird ;    but  it  is  reported  to  be 
extremely  common. 

18.  fCiRCUS  7ERUGIN0SUS  (Linn.),  'Marsh  Harrier.' 

This  is  the  only  representative  of  the  genus  which  I  found 
in  the  Lisbon  ^luseum  ;  neither  did  I  meet  with  any  of 
them,  though  all  our  three  British  species  are  said  to  be 
occasionally  found  in  Portugal.  Of  C.  Sw^ainsoni,  (A.  Smith,) 
I  could  hear  nothing. 

[19.  Circus  ciNERACEUs  (Mont.),  '  Montagu's  Harrier.' 

Common.      There  are  specimens  in  the  Lisbon  Mu- 
seum from  Cintra  and  from  Alemtejo.] 

20.  tBuBO  Maximus  (Flem.),  '  Eagle  Owl,'  Bufo^  Cornjao. 
Said  to  be  common  in  the  mountains. 


192  A    SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

21.  f  Scops  giu  (Scop.),  '  Scops  Owl,'  Moclio  peqveno. 

Tliouf!;li  by  no  means  rare,  does  not  appear  to  be  so  plen- 
tiful as  I  should  have  expected. 

22.  tAsio  OTUS  (Linn.),  '  Long-eared  Owl,'  Mocho. 

Common  in  all  wooded  districts.  How  this  species,  of  all 
others,  came  to  receive  the  designation  oi Mocho  is  wholly  un- 
intelligible to  me,  the  meaning  of  that  word  being  'cropped,' 
Mis^horned,'  though  possibly  it  may  allude  to  its  power  of 
depressing  its  horns  at  will.  Asio  ]5RACHyotus  (Linn.)  is 
also  well  known,  and  even  abundant  in  some  parts,  but  I 
did  not  chance  to  see  a  specimen,  alive  or  dead. 

23.  fSxRix  FLAMMEA  (Linn.),  '  ^Miite  Owl,'  Coruja  das  torres. 

By  far  the  most  abundant  of  all  the  Owls, 

24.  fSYRNiUM  ALUCO  (Linn.),  '  Tawny  Owl,'  Coruja  do  mato. 

Better  known  in  the  wild  districts  of  Alemtejo  than  else- 
where, but  nowhere  common. 

25.  jAthene  noctua  (Retz.),  'Little  Owl,'  Mocho. 

Professor  du  Bocage  in  his  catalogue  a})pends  the  following 
observation  to  this  bird  : — '  E  frequente  entre  nos  a  varie- 
dade  meridionalis  de  Schlegel.' 

26.  "fLANius  MERIDIONALIS   (Temm.),    '  Southern    Gray   Shrike,' 

Picanso. 
This  is  the  common  greater  Shrike  of  Portugal,  though 
L.  ExcuBiTOR,  also  called  Picanso,  is  known  to  occur  there. 

27.  *Laxius  auriculatus  (P.  L.  S.  Mliller),  '  Woodchat-Shrike,' 

Picanso. 
Extremely  common,  though  not  distinguished  from  its  larger 
congeners  by  any  name  peculiar  to  itself.  Of  some  examples 
which  I  sent  to  Mr.  Tristram  for  examination,  that  gentle- 
man writes — '  they  are  dark  in  colour,  darker  than  Algerian, 
but  not  darker  than  Palestine  specimens.' 

28.  *MusciCArA  grisola  (Linn.),  'Spotted    Flycatcher,'   Taral- 

hao,  Papa-moscas. 
Common  everywhere. 


THE    BIRDS    OF    PORTUGAL.  193 

29.  fMusciCAPA  ATKiCAJMLLA  (Linn.),  '■  Pied  Flycatcher,'    Pupa- 

moscas. 

Tolerably  common  in  tlic  large  and  central  province  of 
Beira. 

M.  ALP.ICOLLIS  is  also  said  to  be  common  in  the  northern 
provinces  of  ]\Iinho  and  Traz-os-Montes,  more  especially  in 
the  wilder  parts  of  the  latter  ;  it  is  likewise  known  simply 
as  Papa-moscas. 

30.  fTuRDUS  SAXATiLis  (GmeL),  *  Rock  Thrush.' 

31.  jTuRDUS  CYANEUS  (Linn.),  'Blue  Thrush,'  SoUtario. 

32.  fTuRDUs  ILIACUS  (Linn.),  '  Redwing,'   Tordeira^  Tordoveia. 

33.  *TuRi)US  Musicus  (Linn.),  '  Song  Thrush,'   Tordo. 

34.  *TuRDUS  viscivoRUS    (Linn.),     'Missel  Thrush,'     Tordeim, 

Tordoveia. 

35.  fTuRLUS  PILARIS  (Linn.),  'Fieldfare,'   Tordo  zornal. 

36.  f  TuRDCS  MERULA  (Linn.),  '  Blackbird,'  Melro  preto. 

The  seven  species  enumerated  above  are  all  common  in 
their  respective  haunts,  and  most  of  them  appear  in  the 
poultry  market  suspended  by  the  neck  in  bunches,  and  in 
company  with  Finches,  Larks,  and  Buntings. 

37.  fTuRDUS  TORQUATUS   (Linn.),   'Ring-Ouzel,'  Melro  de  jyeito 

hranco. 
Said  to  be  very  rarely  seen  in  Portugal. 

[38.  CiNCLUs  AQUATicus  (Bcchst.), '  Common  Dipper.' 
By  no  means  rare  in  the  northern  provinces.] 

39.  fORiOLUS  GALBULA  (Linn.),  '  Golden  Oriole,'  Papafigos. 

Very  common  in  summer,  though,  strange  to  say,  it  had 
not  arrived  when  I  left  the  country  in  the  middle  of  ]\Iay ; 
and  yet  in  the  more  northern  and  much  colder  district  of 
the  Riviera  in  north  Italy,  it  had  arrived  at  that  date,  when 
I  was  wintering  there  some  years  back. 

40.  fAccENTOR  MODULARis  (Linn.),  '  Hedge  Sparrow.' 

By  no  means  common,  and,  so  far  as  I  could  discover, 
does  not  enjoy  the  privilege  of  a  Portuguese  name. 
O 


194  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

[41.  Accentor  alpinus  (Gmel.),  'Alpine  Accentor.' 

Rare.  There  is  now  in  the  Musenm  of  Lisbon  a 
single  specimen  of  this  species  captured  last  year  at 
Cintra.] 

42.  *Erytiiacits  nubecula  (Linn.),  'Redbreast,'    Pisco  de  peito 

ruivo. 
Common  here,  as  in  most  parts  of  Europe. 

43.  f RuTiciLLA  CTANECULA    (Meyer  and  Wolf),  '  Blue-throated 

Warbler,'  Pisco  de  peito  aznl. 
This  is  pronoimced  by  Professor  du  Bocage  to  be  a  rare 
bird  in  Portugal,  but  perhaps  it  would  be  better  described 
as  sparingly  distributed  over  the  country,  for  1  heard  of  it  in 
various  quarters.  The  only  two  specimens  in  the  Museum 
at  Lisbon  have  a  white  spot  in  the  centre  of  the  blue  throat, 
without  the  faintest  tinge  of  red,  which  is  characteristic  of 
the  true  R.  Suecica  (Linn.). 

44.  *RuTiciLLA  TiTHYS  (Scop.),  '  Black  Redstart,'  Rahi-niiva. 

I  did  not  meet  with  our  common  Redstart,  R.  ph.?;nicura 
(Linn.),  alive  or  dead,  but  R.  tithys  I  saw  continually;  in- 
deed, in  the  very  heart  of  the  crowded  city  of  Lisbon  I 
often  watched  it  on  the  house-roofs  below  my  windows  in 
the  loftily  situated  Hotel  Braganza. 

45.  *Saxicola  rubicola  (Linn.),  '  Stonechat,'   Cartaxo. 

As  you  traverse  the  country  by  railroad,  from  south  to 
north,  {i.e.  from  Lisbon  to  Oporto);  or  from  east  to  west 
{i.e.  from  Lisbon  to  Badajoz  or  Evora),  you  would  un- 
doubtedly say  that  there  is  but  one  bird  really  abundant 
in  Portugal,  and  that  is  S.  rubicola  ;  for  you  seldom  look 
from  the  carriage-windows  but  you  see  some  of  that  species 
perched  on  the  telegraph-wires;  and  indeed  it  is  extremely 
abundant  throughout  the  country. 

4G.  *Saxicola  rubetra  (Linn.), '  Whinchat,'  Cartaxo. 

47.  *Saxicola  (ENAnthe  (Linn.),  '  Wheatear,'  Caiada. 

48.  fSAXicoLA  AURiTA  (Tcmm.),  'Black-eared  Wheatear,'  Caiada. 

49.  *Saxicola  stapazina  (Linn.), '  Russet  Wheatear,'   Caiada. 


THE    BIRDS    OF   TORTUGAL.  195 

Tlicse  four  species  arc  all  common,  tliongli  by  no  means 
so  abundant  as  S.  rubicola.  With  regard  lo  a  sffccimen  of 
S.  STAi'AZiNA  which  I  shot  and  brouglit  home,  Mr.  Tristram 
remarks, — '  It  is  in  an  interesting  stage  of  plumage,  not 
having  yet  assumed  the  bright  russet  head  of  the  breeding- 
j)lumagc,  but  being  in  the  winter  state,  in  which  I  never 
saw  a  European  specimen  ;  but  I  have  them  in  tliat  stage 
from  Africa.' 
50.   ^'Philomela  luscinia  (Lhm.),  'Nightingale,'  Rouxinol. 

Though  I  cannot  with  truth  assert,  as  some  have  done, 
that  I  have  been  kept  awake  all  night,  at  Cintra,  by  tlie 
chorus  of  Nightingales  which  throng  the  lovely  gardens  and 
coppices  of  that  much-lauded  retreat  of  the  Lisbonites  in  hot 
weather,  yet  I  can  say  that  I  have  listened  to  those  birds  in 
greater  numbers  there  (unless  it  be  on  the  banks  of  the 
Lima  in  ^Minho),  than  I  have  ever  known  elsewhere. 

51.  ISylvia  atricapilla  (Linn.),  'Blackcap,'  Tutinegra  real. 

52.  -j-Sylvia  cinerea  (Lath.),  '  Common  Whitethroat.' 

53.  f  Sylvia  curruca  (Lath.), '  Lesser  Whitethroat.' 
5  L  f Sylvia  hortensis  (Gmel.),  '  Garden  Warbler.' 

55.  f  Sylvia  melanocephala  (Gmel.),  '  Sardinian  Warbler,'  Tuti- 
negra dos  vallados. 
These  five  are  all   said  to  be  common,  and  abundant  in 
summer.     I  also  heard  of  S.  conspicillata  (Marm.),  '  Spec- 
fcicled  Warbler,'  as  undoubted,  though  only  as  an  occasional 
visitor. 

[56.  Sylvia  sub-alpina  (Bonelli),  '  Sub-Alpine  Warbler.' 
Appears  to  be  most  common  in  the  southern  provinces. 
There  are  specimens  in  the  Museum  from  Algarve.] 

[57.  Sylvia  orpiiea  (Temm.),  '  Orphean  Warbler.' 

Less  common  than  S.  atricapilla  or  S.  melanoce- 

PHALA. 

Here,  too,  I  must  enumerate  two  species  of  Warblers 

which,  though  undoubtedly  more   or   less  common  in 

summer,  as  I  was  assured  they  are,  find  no  place  yet 

in  the  Museums,  and  therefore  cannot  be  included  in 

o  2 


196  A   SPKING   TOUR    IN"    PORTUGAL. 

my  list.      These  are    S.  sylvicola  (Latham),  and  S. 
BONELLii  (VieilL). 
58.  fMELizoPHiLUS  UNDATUS  (Bodd.),  '  Dartford  Warbler.' 

There  is  a  specimen  of  this  bird  in  the  Lisbon  Museum, 
marked,  as  on  the  Continent  generally,  Sylvia  provincialis  ; 
but  whether  it  is  common  in  the  country  or  not  I  could  not 
discover. 

[59.  Hypolais    polyglotta    (VieilL),     '  Vieillot's    Willow 
Warbler,'  Folosa. 
Common.] 
[60.  Calamoherpe  arundinacea  (GmeL),  'Reed  Warbler.' 
May  be  frequently  met  with  on  the  borders  of  rivu- 
lets.    We  have  specimens  from  Coimbra  and  Collares.] 
[61.  Calamodyta  aquatica  (Bechst.),  'Aquatic  Warbler.' 

Not  rare  in  the  suburbs  of  Coimbra.] 
[62.  Cettia  Cetti  (La  Marm.),  '  Cetti's  Warbler.' 

Common.] 
[63.  Phillopneuste  trochilus  (Linn.),   '  Willow  Warbler,' 

Folosa. ~\ 
[64.  Phillopneuste    kufa  (Briss.),  '  Chiff-Chaff,'    Folosa, 

Fuinho.~\ 
[65.  Aedon  galactodes  (Temm.),  '  Rufcus  Sedge  Warbler.' 
These  three  species  are  all  common.] 
(y'o.  -fCLSTicoLA  ScHCENicoLA  (Bp.),  'Fan-tailed  Warbler.' 

This  pretty  little  Warbler,  which  I  had  known  well  in 
Egypt  and  Nubia,  is  reported  to  be  common  in  Portugal ; 
indeed,  Temminck  first  described  it  from  skins  brought  from 
that  country  by  MM.  Link  and  Hoffmannsegg;  but  I  never 
met  with  it,  though  I  kept  a  sharp  look-out  in  the  most  likely 
spots,  being  particularly  anxious  to  renew  my  acquaintance 
with  this  most  diminutive  species,  and  to  hail  my  African 
friend  on  the  shores  of  Europe. 
67.  -j-Regulus    ignicapillus     (Brehm.),     'Fire-crested     Wren,' 
Estrellinha. 
Abundant. 
[68.  Regulus   cristatus    (Linn.),  '  Golden-crested   Wren, 
EstrcUiiiha. 


TIIK    BIRDS    OF    PORTUCiAJ..  197 

Kare,  tliough  met  with   occasioniilly  in  tlie   northern 
provinces.] 
G9.  fPARUS  CAUDATUS  (Linn.),  '  Long-tailed  Titmouse.' 

70.  *rAKUS  MAJOR  (Linn.),  '  Great  Titmouse.' 

71.  *Parus  cceruleus  (Linn.),  '  Blue  Titmouse,'  Cliapim. 

These  three  species  are  common. 

72.  jParus  cristatus  (Linn.),  '  Crested  Titmouse.' 

Very  rarely  seen  in  Portugal,  though  undoubtedly  it  does 
occur  sometimes ;  but  one  would  hardly  have  expected  to 
find  at  all,  at  the  extreme  south  of  Europe,  this  hardy  little 
denizen  of  Scandinavia  and  Kussia. 

73.  jParus  ater  (Linn.),  '  Coal  Titmouse.' 

Though  scarcely  a  rare  bird,  this  species  does  not  seem  to 
frequent  Portugal  as  it  does  some  other  southern  countries  of 
Europe ;  perhaps,  however,  there  is  a  limit  to  its  endurance 
of  heat. 

74.  *Motacilla  alba  (Linn.),  *  White  Wagtail,'  Alveloa. 

75.  *MoTACiLLA  Yarrelli  (Gould),  '  Pied  Wagtail,' -4?t7e/da. 

76.  *MoTACiLLA    boarula    (Lath.),    '  Grey    Wagtail,'     Alveloa 

amarella. 

77.  fMoTACiLLA  FLAVA  (Linn.),  '  Grey-headed  Yellow  Wagtail,' 

Alveloa  amarella. 
These  four  species  are  all  reported  to  be  common  ;  while 
our  M.  RAYi,  though  recognised  as  Portuguese,  is  considered 
extremely  rare.     There  is  a  specimen  in  the  Museum  at 
Coimbra. 

78.  *Antiius  tratensis  (Linn.),  *  Meadow  Pipit,'  Petinha. 

79.  *Anthus  campestris  (Bechst.),  '  Tawny  Pipit,'  Petinha. 

These  are  the  common  Pipits  of  Portugal.  Of  the  latter 
S2')ecies,  a  specimen  which  I  shot  and  brought  home  fairly 
puzzled  Mr.  Trirtram  for  a  time,  no  easy  matter  in  any  case  ; 
for  it  showed  so  yellow  a  tint  on  the  lower  surface  as  to 
resemble  none  in  that  gentleman's  collection  from  Spain, 
Algeria,  Greece,  and  Palestine.  Subsequently,  however, 
Mr.  Tristram  wrote  me  word  that  he  had  'come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  bird  was  in  young  plumage,  a  state  in  whicli 


198  A   SPRING   TOUR   IX    PORTUCAL. 

we  seldom  find  it  in  Europe,'  and  that  in  this  view  he  was 
'  supported  by  the  fact  that  its  congeners  have  a  deep  yellow 
tint  when  young,  which  is  absent  in  the  old  birds.' 
[80.  Antiius  akboreus  (Blyth),  '  Tree  Pipit.' 

Appears  frequently  in  the  suburbs  of  Coimbra,  and, 
in  general,  in  the  provinces  of  the  north.] 

[81.  Antiius  spinoletta  (Linn.),  '  Water  Pipit.' 

Is  not  to  be  pronounced  rare,  though  less  common 
than  A.  pratensis,  A.  campestris,  and  A.  arboreus.] 

82.  *Alauda  arvexsis  (Linn.),  'Sky-Lark,'  Calhandra,  Laverca. 

Very  common.  In  reference  to  a  specimen  w^hich  I  sent 
Mr.  Tristram  for  examination,  he  writes  from  Greatham, — 
'  It  is  remarkably  dark  on  the  back  :  of  a  great  series  from 
almost  every  country  of  Europe,  "West  Asia,  and.  North 
Africa,  I  only  find  one  exactly  corresponding  in  the  absence 
of  a  chestnut  hue  in  the  lighter  portion  of  the  feathers  of  the 
back,  and  that  was  shot  here.' 

83.  *Alauda  arborea  (Linn.),  '  Wood-Lark.' 

Local,  and  not  common.  Mr.  Tristram  writes  of  my 
specimen,  that  it  '  is  darker  than  continental  specimens,  and 
dark  for  an  English  bird.' 

84.  fxlLAUDA  braciiydactyla  (Leisl.),   '  Short-toed  Lark,'   Ccw- 

reirola. 
Said  to  be  common  throughout  the  country. 

85.  *Alauda  calandra  (Linn.),  *Calandra  Lark,' Coc/^/c7/o. 

Common  everywhere  throughout  the  open  plains  and 
fields,  and  the  most  favourite  cage-bird  amongst  the  inhabi- 
tants of  villages  and  towns;  one  may  count  them  by  dozens 
in  a  single  street,  in  their  cages  outside  the  windows  and 
doors.  Mr.  Ti-istram  remarks  of  two  which  I  forwarded  to 
him  :  '  The  Calandra  Larks  are  dark  ;  one  is  of  the  ordinary 
size,  the  other  verij  small,  I  presume  a  female ;  I  have,  how- 
ever, one  as  small ;  and  this  bird  varies  in  size  to  a  remark- 
able degree.' 

[Alauda  Lusitania  (Gmel.), 'Desert  Lark.' 

There  do  not  exist  any  specimens  of  this  species  in 


THE    BIKDS    OF    PORTUCJAL.  199 

the  Museum  of  Lisbon ,  tliough  it  may  be  frequently 
mot  with  in  Alcmtcjo  and  Algarve  ;  and,  indeed,  from 
the  hitter  province  several  specimens  have  been  lately 
obtained  by  the  Ornithologist  of  Halle,  M.  E.  IJey.] 

86.  *Galeuita  CRIST  ATA  (Linn.),  *  Crested  Lark,'  Cutovla. 

Very  common  everywhere.  Of  this  species  Mr.  Tristram 
says,  '  Your  G.  cristata,  though  not  darker  than  Algerian 
lowland  and  marsh  specimens,  is  certainly  darker  than  tho.^e 
from  France  and  Palestine.' 

87.  *Emberiza  miliaria  (Linn.),  *  Common  Bunting,'  Trigueirdo. 

Exceedingly  common,  and  figures  in  bunches  in  the  mar- 
ket stalls  at  Lisbon  more  than  any  other  species.  Mr. 
Tristram  writes  of  it, — *  It  is  rather  darker  than  continental 
specimens,  more  nearly  approaching  the  English.' 

88.  *Emberiza  cirlus  (Linn.),  '  Cirl  Bunting,'  C/«,  Cicia. 

Very  common.  Mr.  Tristram's  verdict,  upon  an  examina- 
tion of  my  specimen,  is,  that  *■  the  yellow  is  extraordinarily 
deep.' 

89.  fEjiBERizA  CIA  (Linn.),  '  Meadow  Bunting,'  Tvig^ieiro. 

Said  to  be  very  common  in  the  northern  provinces  of 
Portugal ;  but  I  never  met  with  it  in  those  parts. 

90.  jEmberiza  schnceniclus  (Linn.),  'Reed  Bunting.' 

This  is  a  rare  bird  in  Portugal,  and  very  seldom  seen. 

[9L  Emberiza  hortulana  (Linn.),  '  Ortolan  Bunting.' 

Still  less  common  is  this  species,  of  which  a  single 
specimen  only,  captured  in  the  suburbs  of  Coimbra,  has 
been  lately  added  to  the  Museum.] 

While  E.  citrinella,  our  common  Yellow  Hammer,  so 
abundant  in  Europe  generally,  and  conjectured  to  appear  in 
Portugal  occasionally,  and  therefore  added  to  the  Portuguese 
list,  is  not  positively  known  to  have  occurred  there,  and 
has  never  been  identified  in  the  country. 

92.  *Fringilla  ccelebs  (Linn.),  '  ChafEnch,'  Tentilli^o. 
Very  common. 


200  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN    PORTUGAL. 

9o.  fpRiNGiLLA  MONTiFRiNGiLLA  (Linn.),  '  Brambling/  Tentilhao 
montez. 
Tliis  truly  northern  species  is  seldom  found  so  far  south, 
but  has  been  occasionally  met  with  in  Portugal. 

9-4.  *Passer  domesticus  (Linn.),  *  House  Sparrow,'  Pardal. 

The  common  Sparrow  of  Portugal  is  identical  Avith  our 
own  ;  but  Mr.  Tristram  remarks  of  the  specimen  I  sent, — 
'■  Your  P.  DOMESTICUS,  by  the  intrusion  of  a  few  chestnut 
feathers  on  the  crown  of  the  head  among  the  ash-coloured 
ones,  seems  to  be  approximating  to  var.  cisalpinus,  the 
head  of  which  is  wholly  chestnut.'  Strange  to  say,  P.  hispa- 
NiOLENSis  (Temm.),  the  Spanish  Sparrow,  though  conjectured 
to  visit  Portugal,  has  never  yet  been  identified  in  that 
country. 

95.  fPASSER  PETRONIA  (Linn.),  '  Rock  Sparrow,'  Pardal  francez. 

Very  rarely  seen,  and  the  Museum  of  Lisbon  has  but  one 
specimen  only,  of  a  female. 

96.  ^CoccoTHRAUSTES  CHLORis  (Linn.), '  Greenfinch,'  Verdilhao, 

97.  f  CoccoTHRAUSTES  VULGARIS  (Stcph.),  '  Hawfinch.' 

Both  species  are  common,  the  former  abundant. 

98.  *Carduelis  elegans  (Steph.),  '  Goldfinch,'  Pintasilgo. 

I  never  met  with  Goldfinches  in  such  abundance  as  in 
Portugal;  large  flocks,  small  parties,  and  single  birds 
abounded  throughout  the  country ;  and  no  species  is  more 
common  in  the  markets,  where  bunches  of  these  pretty  little 
songsters  are  strung  up  by  the  necks  and  sold  for  food. 

99.  *Carduelis  spinus  (Linn.),  '  Siskin,'  Lugre. 

Common,  but  not  abundant  as  the  last. 

100.  *Serinus  iiORTULORUM  (Koch.),  'Serin,'  Chamariz. 

Very  common  in  flocks  on  the  plains  and  dry  banks ;  of 
some  specimens  whicli  I  shot,  Mr.  Tristram  observes, — '  The 
yellow  is  remarkably  deep.' 

101.  *LiN0TA   CANNABiNA    (Liun.),  '  Commou   Linnet,'    Pintar- 

roxo. 


THE    BIRDS    OF    PORTUGAL.  201 

Very  common.  Of  this  species  I\Ir.  Tristram  writes, — 
*  Your  L.  CANNAiJiNA  is  not  so  bright  us  coutiiicntul  specimens, 
but  more  resembles  the  English.' 

102.  fPYRUiiuLA  Eunor.EA  (Lcacli.),  '  l>ulirincli,'  Dojii  Fafe. 

Though  seldom  seen  in  the  southern  provinces,  this  species 
is  common  in  the  north. 

103.  jLoxiA    cuiiViROSTKA    (Linn.),     'Crossbill,'     Trinca-nozes, 

Cruza-bico. 
Common.      Mr.  Burt  frequently  saw  it  in  the  pine  woods 
near  the  sea-coast  beyond  Cintra. 

104.  *Sturnus  vulgaris   (Linn.),   'Common    Starling,'    Estor- 

ninho. 
Very  common. 

105.  f  Stdrnus  uxicolor  (Marm.),  '  Sardinian  Starling,'  Estor- 

ninho. 
Of  the  abundance  or  scarcity  of  this  bird  I  am  unable  to 
form  any  opinion,  as,  if  common,  it  is  doubtless  frequently 
confounded  with  its  better-known  congener.  I  did  not  see  it 
in  the  flesh,  but  I  was  fortunate  in  finding  a  good  specimen 
at  the  house  of  the  only  taxidermist  which  Lisbon  can  boast. 
For  the  convenience  of  future  enquirers  I  may  add  that  his 
address,  which  I  only  discovered  after  several  days'  fruitless 
search,  is  158  Rua  do  Moinho  da  Vento,  and  that  over  a 
diminutive  shop,  No.  47  in  the  same  street,  he  has  placed 
the  encouraging  announcement,  '  Casa  perpara9ao  de  pro- 
ductos  Ilistoria  Natural.'  He  is  a  most  civil  and  obliging 
man ;  and  as  his  daily  business  is  to  prej^are  objects  for  the 
Museum,  practice  has  made  him  a  tolerable  performer  on 
birds.  There  is  also  a  second  individual,  who  calls  himself 
'  bird-stuffer,'  living  near  the  fruit  market,  and  not  far  from 
the  post-office ;  but  his  stock-in-trade  consisted  of  about 
forty  parrots,  deformed  to  the  last  degree  by  his  most  un- 
skilful hand.  To  return  to  S.  unicolor;  that  it  is  a 
distinct  and  true  species  I  have  no  doubt;  first,  from  the 
plumage,  which,  in  all  the  specimens  I  saw,  is  wholly 
diflfereut  from  that  of  S.  vulgaris  :   and  a^ain,  from  its  habit 


L  I  B  R  A  R  V  ,  j^ 


202  A   SPRING   TOUR    IX    PORTUGAL. 

of  keeping  in  separate  flocks,  and  not  associating  with  its 
commoner  relative ;  and  this  I  was  assured,  on  repeated 
enquiry,  was  its  universal  custom. 

lOG.  *Fkegilus  graculus  (Linn.), '  Chough.' 

107.  *rREGiLUS  pyRRiiocORAX  (Linn.),  *  Alpine  Chough.' 

I  feel  compelled  to  speak  with  a  certain  degree  of  doubt  as 
to  the  last  of  these  two  species — though,  when  wandering 
with  my  gun,  as  I  did  for  several  days  amidst  the  rocky 
heights  above  Cintra,  2,000  feet  above  the  sea,  and  looking 
doAvn  on  the  broad  Atlantic  and  the  mouth  of  the  Tagus, 
I  fell  in  with  several  parties  of  Choughs,  some  of  wdiich  w^ere 
unmistakably  distinguishable  as  the  common  Chough  by  the 
vermilion  colour  of  their  beaks ;  and  others  appeared  to  me, 
as  I  watched  them  through  the  glass,  to  belong  to  the  Alpine 
species ;  at  all  events,  botli  are  known  to  inhabit  Portugal. 

108.  *CoRVUS  CORAX  (Linn.), '  Eaven,'  Corvo. 

109.  f  CoRVUS  CORONE  (Linn.),  '  Carrion  Crow,'  Gralha. 

110.  *CoRVUS  FRUGiLEGUS  (Linn.),  '  Eook,'  Gralha. 

These  are  all  common.  Eavens  are  especially  abundant 
on  the  extensive  heaths,  hunting  over  the  low  bushes,  and 
searching  for  Ibod.     I  never  met  with  C.  cornix. 

111.  fCoRVUS  MONEDULA  (Linn.),  'Jackdaw.' 

By  no  means  abundant,  and  I  scarcely  think  common. 

I  could  learn  nothing  of  C.  monedula-nigra  ;  supposing 
such  a  species  to  exist,  which  I  very  much  doubt :  at  any  rate, 
in  this  country,  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  strongholds  of  the 
bird,  the  very  name  seems  wdiolly  imknown.  Surely,  it  is 
but  a  variety  of  our  common  species. 

112.  *PiCA  MELANOLEUCA  (Vicill.),  '  Magpie,'  Pega. 

Common  everywhere. 

113.  fCYAXopiCA  cooKi  (Bonap.),  'Azure-winged  Magpie,'  Ba- 

hilougo. 
This  beautiful  bird  was  the  Hiiof  pri'/e  T  j  roposod  to  my- 
self to  procure  before   I  started  for   PorLiigal,    as  I   fondly 


THE    BIRDS    OP    rORTUOAL.  203 

hoped,  from  Mr.  IMatliew's  account,  before  mentioned,  tliat  I 
should  have  no  difficulty  in  finding  it.  But  though  I 
wandered  for  days  in  search  of  it,  in  the  most  likely  spots, 
I  never  saw  it  alive  ;  indeed,  Prolessor  du  Bocago  assured 
me  that,  though  by  no  means  rare,  it  is  very  local,  and  of 
so  exceedingly  shy  a  nature  that  it  is  seldom  seen,  and  tliat, 
though  he  has  employed  collectors  to  hunt  expressly  for  it, 
he  cannot  obtain  additions  to  the  three  specimens  which  the 
Lisbon  IMuscum  possesses.  Thus,  to  my  chagrin,  I  left 
Portugal  without  a  single  example,  though,  when  on  my 
return  home  through  Madrid,  I  fell  in  witli  three  skins  and 
three  eggs  of  this  bird  at  the  shop  of  Seiior  Sanchez,  in  the 
Calle  de  Alcala,  with  whom  I  had  dealings  years  ago. 

111.  *GARnuLus  GLANDARius  (Linn.),  'Jay,'   Gaio. 
Extremely  cojnmon  everywhere. 

115.  fPicus    viRiDis  (Linn.),    'Green    Woodpecker,'    Pica-pau 

verde. 

116.  fPicus  MAJOR  (Linn.),  'Great  Spotted  Woodpecker/  Pica- 

pau  malhado, 

117.  fPicus    MEDius    (Linn.),    'Middle    Spotted    Woodpecker,' 

Pica-pau  malhado. 
All  these  species  are  said  to  be  common  ;    the  two  former 
abundant.     Of  P.  minor  I  was  unable  to  find  any  trace. 

118.  f  Jynx  torquilla  (Linn.),  'Wryneck,'  Papa-formigas. 

119.  *Certiiia    familiaris    (Linn.),    'Common    Creeper,'     Tre- 

padeira,  Atrcpa. 

120.  *Troglodytes  PARVULUS  (Koch.),   'Wren,'   Carricinha  das 

moitas. 

121.  f SiTTA  EuROPJ'A  (Linn.),  '  Nuthatch.' 

122.  tUruRA  EROPs  (Linn.),  'Hoopoe.'  Poiipa. 

123.  *CucuLUS  CANORUS  (Linn.),  'Common  Cuckoo,'  Cuco. 

The  above  six  representatives  of  their  several  genera  are 
all  pronounced  common  in  Portugal,  though  I  suppose  none 


204  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

of  them  are  very  abundant.     The  Hoopoe  is  often  met  with 
in  summer.     I  did  not  hear  the  Cuckoo  until  April  25. 

124.  fCucuLUS    GLANT)ARrus  (Linn.),    'Great   Spotted   Cuckoo,' 

Ciico  rahilongo. 
This  is  another  old  Egyptian  friend,  which  I  hoped  to  find 
in  Portugal ;  but  though  not  very  rare  in  summer,  it  is  a 
late  visitor,  and  had  not  arrived  when  I  left. 

125.  fCoRACiAS  GARRULA  (Linn.),  'Roller,'  Rollieiro, 

Very  rarely  seen. 

126.  fMEROPS  APiASTER  (Linn.),   'Bee-eater,'  Ahelharuco,  Mel- 

haruco. 
Very  common  throughout  the  summer;   but  this  is  the 
only  species  of  the  genus  Merops,  which  I  could  hear  of  as 
visiting  Portugal. 

127.  *Alcedo  ispida  (Linn.),  'Kingfisher,'  Pka-peixe,   Gtiarda- 

rios. 
Common. 

128.  *HiRUNDO  RUSTiCA  (Linn.), '  Swallow,'  Andorinha. 

129.  *HiRUNDO  URBICA  (Linn.),  '  Martin,' ^?zcZo?'i"?iAa. 

130.  f  HiRUNDO  RUPESTRis  (Scop.),  '  Crag  Swallow,'    Andorinha 

das  I'ochas. 

131.  *Cypselus  apus   (Linn.),    '  Common    Swift,'    AndorinhQOy 

Gaivao,  Ferreiro. 

132.  fCypsELUs  melba   (Linn.),     'Alpine    Swift,'     Ajidorinhdo, 

GaivdOj  Ferreiro. 

These  five  species  are  all  common  in  their  respective 
haunts.  I  did  not  myself  recognise  C.  Melba  amongst  the 
innumerable  Swifts  for  ever  careering  before  my  windows  at 
Lisbon ;  but  I  am  assured,  on  the  best  authority,  that  it  is 
very  abundant. 

133.  fCAPRiMULGUS  EuROP.EUS    (Linn.),  '  Night-jar,' A^otVeM 

Though  pronounced  common,  I  do  not  imagine  that,  this 


TlIK    BIRDS   OF    PORTUGAL.  205 

bird  is  very  frefpiontly  met  with  in  Portugal.     In  the  Mu- 
seum of  Lisbon  there  is  but  a  single  specimen. 

134.  fCAPRiMULGUS  RUFicoLLis   (Natt.),  '  Kussct-neckcd    Night- 

jar,' Noitibo. 
Here  is  another  species  which  I  anxiously  hoped  to  obtain 
in  Portugal ;  but  I  found  that  it  was  extremely  rare,  very  few 
specimens  having  ever  been  met  with  in  that  country. 

135.  fCoLUMBA  PALUMBUS   (Linn.),  'Ring-Dove,'  Pomho  trocaz. 

136.  fCoLUMBA  CENAS  (Linn.),  '  Stock-Dove,'  Pomho  trocaz. 

137.  *CoLUMBA  LiviA  (Linn.), '  Kock-Dovc,' Po?«io. 

138.  *CoLUMBA  TURTUR  (Linn.), '  Turtle-Dove,'  liola. 

All  these  are  common.  C.  livia  I  found  on  the  rocks 
about  Cintra ;  C.  turtur  I  shot  in  the  beautiful  woods  of 
Montserrat. 

139.  *Perdix  rufa  (Linn.),  '  Red-legged  Partridge,'  Perdiz. 

This  is  the  only  recognised  Partridge  of  Portugal,  and  is 
very  abundant:  the  market  was  well  supplied  with  them 
when  I  was  there,  even  so  late  as  May.  Mr.  Tristram 
writes  of  it, — '  Your  specimen  is  much  brighter  than  our 
English  Eed-leg ;  the  chestnut  on  the  head  and  upper  back 
is  much  brighter,  and  the  ash -brown  of  the  loAver  back 
much  more  distinct,  and  contrasted  with  the  rufous  above ; 
the  ochreous  abdomen  and  lower  tail  coverts  are  much 
paler.' 

140.  fPERDix  CINEREA  (Lath.),  '  Common  Partridge.' 

This  species  is  extremely  rare  in  Portugal,  and  would  not 
be  admitted  into  this  list  but  for  the  accidental  circumstance 
that  a  specimen  was  killed  and  preserved  for  the  Lisbon 
Museurm  just  before  my  arrival. 

[To  this  Professor  du  Bocage  adds, — *  Perdix  cinerea  does 
certainly  exist  in  Portugal,  tliough  confined  to  the  more 
northerly  provinces  of  the  country.  All  the  Px;ini])los  of 
this  species  which  we  have  seen  come  from  the  Tvlarao  range 
of  hills,  on  the  borders  of  the  provinces  of  Minho  and  Traz- 
os-Montes.'] 


206  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

141.  *CoTURXix  COMMUNIS  (Bomiat.),  '  Quail,'  Coclorniz. 

Excessively  abundant,  and  the  markets  were  always  glut- 
ted with  theni.  Of  one  which  I  brought  home  Mr.  Tristram 
writes, — '  The  Quail  is  cleaner  and  brighter  than  Enghsh, 
but  not  so  bright  as  Palestine  and  Algerian  specimens.' 

142.  fTuRNix    Sylvatica    (Desfont),    '  Andalusian    Hemipode,' 

Toir&o  do  mato. 
This  pretty  species  is  by  no  means  rare  in  Portugal ; 
indeed.  Professor  du  Bocage  assured  me  he  had  often  eaten  it 
like  any  other  game,  which,  as  an  Ornithologist,  he  naturally 
considered  the  most  decisive  proof  of  its  abundance.  I  was 
assured  by  sportsmen  that  it  is  found  in  wooded  distiicts,  and 
not  in  the  sandy  plains  assigned  as  its  habitat  by  Temminck, 
Yarrell,  and  others. 

143.  fPxEROCLES  ARENAPJUS  (Pall.),  '  Sand-grouse,'  Cortir^ol,  Bar- 

riga  negra. 
Common  in  the  open  districts. 

144.  IPterocles    alciiata    (Linn.),  '  Pin-tailed     Sand-Grouse,' 

Cortupl. 
Not  so  common  as  the  last,  but  by  no  means  rare. 

145.  *(Jtis  tarda  (Linn.),  '  Great  Bustard,'  Batarda. 

Wild  Boar  and  Great  Bustards  are  the  lordly  species  of 
game,  ground  and  feathered,  after  which  the  more  ambitious 
Portuguese  sportsmen  himt ;  and  both  are  found  of  goodly 
size  and  in  tolerable  abundance  in  certain  districts,  more 
especially  in  the  southern  provinces  of  Alemtejo  and  Algarve. 
I  was  fortunate  in  procuring  a  magnificent  male  bird  in  the 
liesh,  which  was  most  liberally  given  me  by  an  English 
iriend,  and  whose  body,  after  I  had  taken  off  the  skin,  for. 
several  days  formed  a  large  item  in  the  bill  of  fare  of  the 
Hotel  Braganza  at  Lisbon  ;  the  guests  of  every  degree,  at  the 
tahle  d'hote,  and  in  private  apartments,  partaking  of  the  dish; 
from  the  British  Minister  and  liis  family  in  the  first  floor  to 
the  cook-boys  in  the  area.  The  bird  weighed  3(H  lbs. 
English,  and  is  the  finest  example  of  the  O.  tarda  I  have 
ever  seen.     After  being  brought  down  with  shot,  the  covp 


THE   BIRDS   OF   PORTUGAL.  2C7 

de  grdce  had  been  given  by  cutting  its  throat  witli  a  knife, 
as  is  the  approved  metliod  of  Portuguese  sportsmen ;  it  luid 
also  been  a  p;ood  deal  torn  by  dogs;  but  thougli  thus  ill- 
used,  blood-stained,  and  damaged,  it  has  been  admirably 
cleaned  and  mounted  by  Mr.  Baker,  tlu;  well-known  taxi- 
dermist of  Cambridge,  and,  thanks  to  his  diligence  and  care, 
now  stands  in  my  collection  a  noble  specimen  of  the  Portu- 
guese OlJNIS. 

With  the  assistance  of  Dr.  Suche,  whose  anatomical  skill 
was  of  the  greatest  service  to  me,  I  spent  several  hours  in 
examining  the  soft  wattle-like  protuberance  which  hung 
below  the  chin  and  throat,  and  gave  the  whole  neck  a  thick 
puffy  appearance ;  the  result  was,  that  I  entertain  no  doubt 
whatever,  and  (what  is  of  fiir  more  value)  Dr.  Suche  was 
equally  positive,  that  this  male  Great  Bustard  possessed 
a  pouch  of  considerable  capacity,  or  rather  (as  it  seemed  to 
me)  a  number  of  membrane-divided  sacs,  which  appeared 
capable  of  extending  to  almost  any  dimensions,  and  the 
larger  of  which  would  apparently  contain  many  quarts.  I 
am  quite  aware  that  my  own  attempts  at  dissection  were 
very  poor,  and  I  should  not  venture  to  speak  thus  positively 
on  so  disputed  a  point  but  for  the  able  assistance  in  the 
work,  and  the  positive  conclusions  deduced  therefrom,  by 
Dr.  Suche.  To  this  I  may  add,  that  on  mentioning  our 
work  and  our  unanimous  conclusions  to  Professor  du  Bocage, 
he  not  only  cordially  concurred  with  us,  but  declared  that 
it  was  impossible  for  anyone  to  examine  the  throat  and  neck 
of  an  adult  male  Otis  tarda  Avithout  being  convinced  by  his 
own  senses  that  such  a  pouch  did  exist.  Even  previously 
to  removing  the  skin  of  my  bird,  the  position  and  size  of  the 
large  goitre-like  excrescence  standing  out  from  the  neck, 
though  concealed  by  feathers,  could  be  plainly  discerned, 
and  when  handled  at  once  betrayed  the  soft,  yielding  nature 
of  its  substimce. 

In  regard  to  phmiage,  the  most  remarkable  character- 
istic of  this,  as  well  as  of  the  only  other  specimen  of  the 
Great  Bustard  Avhich  I  could  find  in  Portugal,  a  splendid 
adult  male  in  the  Lisbon  Museimi,  consists  in  the  extremely 
ruddy  or  dai'k  chestnut  hue  which  pervades  the  feathers  of 


208  A   SPRING   TOUR    IN   PORTUGAL. 

the  neck  and  back.  In  this  opinion  I  am  corroborated  by 
my  friend,  the  Professor  of  Zoology  and  Comparative  Anato- 
my at  Cambridge,  Mr.  Alfred  Newton,  who  has  examined 
my  Portuguese  specimen. 

14G.  '^'Otis  tetrax  (Linn.), 'Little  Bustard,'  Cizdo. 

This  species  appears  extremely  common ;  indeed  it  is 
constantly  served  at  table  under  the  title  of  '  Pheasant.'  So 
plentilul  is  it,  that  the  price  I  paid  for  a  fine  adult  male  in 
the  poultry  market  amounted  to  no  more  than  two  hundred 
reis,  which,  however  large  the  figure  may  seem,  represents 
only  tenpence  half-penny  of  our  money.  In  skinning  this 
bird  I  found  a  considerable  cellular  fatty  deposit  very  thickly 
covering  the  interior  of  the  skin  of  the  neck,  more  especially 
at  the  back  of  it.  This  I  had  to  remove  very  carefully  and 
patiently,  bit  by  bit,  with  the  scalpel.  It  gave  the  neck  a 
very  thick  appearance,  and,  when  felt  from  the  outside,  was 
soft,  somewhat  as  in  the  pouch  of  O.  tarda  ;  but  in  this  case 
there  was  no  trace  of  pouch  or  bag. 

147.  jQEdicnemi.^s  crepitans   (Temm.),  '■  Stone-Curlew,'  Alcara- 

vdo. 

148.  jGlareola  pratincola     (Linn.),  '  Pratincole,'    Perdiz    do 

mar. 

149.  -j-CiiARADRius  pluvialis  (Linn.),  'Golden  Plover,'    Taram- 

hola. 

150.  jCharadrius  hiaticula    (Linn.),  'Ringed   Plover,'    Lava- 

deira. 

151.  *Vanellus  cristatus  (Meyer  &  Wolf),  'Lapwing,'  Ahihe, 

Ahecninha. 

152.  ISquatarola  helvetica  (Linn.),  '  Grey  Plover,'  Taramhola. 

These  six  species  are  well  known  in  Portugal.  Ciiaradrius 
MINOR  (j\Ieyer)  and  C.  Cantianus  (Lath.)  are  also  said  to 
be  often  met  with,  and  are  also  known  as  Lavadeira ;  but 
of  these  last  I  found  no  specimens  in  tlte  Museums. 

153.  fSTREPSiLAS  interpres  (Linn.),  '  Turnstone.' 

By  no  means  common. 


THE    BIRDS    OF    PORTUGAL.  209 

151.  flLtiMATOPUS  OSTRALEGUS  (Linn.),  *  Oyster-catcher,'   Ostra- 
ceiro. 
Common, 

155.  fGuus  ciNEREA  (Bechst.),  ^Common  Crane,'  Grou. 

Occasionally  met  with  in  the  wilder  and  more  unfre- 
quented portions  of  Alemtejo  and  Algarve. 

156.  J"Ardea  CINEREA  (Linn.), '  Common  Ileron,'  Garqa  real. 

Common.  A.  purpurea  is  also  said  to  be  frequently  seen 
and  is  also  called  Garqa, 

157.  JArdea  garzetta  (Linn.),  *  Little  Egret,'  Garqa. 

158.  fARDEA  russata  (Wagl.), '  BufF-backed  Heron,'  Garqa. 

159.  fARDEA  RALLOiDES  (Scop.),  *  Squacco  Ilcron.' 

These  three  species  are  all  represented  in  the  Lisbon 
Museum  by  Portuguese  specimens ;  but,  with  the  exception 
of  A.  RUSSATA,  are  considered  somewhat  rare. 

160.  -j-Ardetta  minuta  (Linn.),  *  Little  Bittern,'  Garqa  pequena. 

161.  "fBoTAURUS  stellaris  (Linn.),  *  Common  Bittern,'  Gallin- 

liola  real. 
Though  not  common,  both  these   species  are  frequently 
met  with. 

162.  ^Nyctioorax  griseus  (Linn.),  'Night  Heron.' 

Seldom  seen  in  Portugal. 

163.  *Ciconia  alba  (Bechst.),  'White  Stork,'  Cegonha. 

Occasionally  met  with  in  Alemtejo. 

[16-1.  CicoNiA  NIGRA  (Gcsu.),  '  Black  Stork.' 

More  rare  than  C.  alba.  During  two  years  Professor 
du  Bocage  has  kept  two  live  specimens,  which  were 
captured  in  Alemtejo.] 

165.  jPlatalea  leucorodia    (Linn.),    'White  Spoonbill,'    Col- 
lier eiro. 
Also  occasionally  found  in  Alemtejo. 

[160.  Falcinellus  igneus  (Gray),  'Glossy  Ibis.' 

An  accidental  straggler.     There  are  in  the  ^luseum 


210  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

two  specimens  which  were  killed  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  Tagiis.] 

1G7.  fNuJiENius  ARQUATA  (Linn.),    '  Common    Curlew,'  Maca- 
rico  real. 

108.  -j-XuMENius  PiTiEOPUS  (Linn.),  '  Whimbrel,'  Maqarico. 
Both  these  species  are  common. 

169.  fNuMENiDS  TENUiROSTRis  (VieilL),  *  Slender-billed  Curlew,' 

Maqarico. 
Frequently  met  with,  though  not  so  common  as  its  con- 
geners. 

170.  fToTANUS  CALiDRis  (Linn.),  '  Common  Redshank,'  Chalreta. 

171.  fToTANUS  HYPOLEUCUS  (Linn.),  'Common  Sandpiper.' 

Both  species  common.  These  are  the  only  representa- 
tives of  the  genus  Totanus  which  I  met  with. 

[172.  Totanus  fuscus  (Linn.),  *  Spotted  Eedshank.' 

Rare.] 
[173.  Totanus  glottis  (Linn.),  *  Greenshank.' 

Almost  common.] 
[174.  Totanus  ociiropus  (Linn,),  *  Green  Sandpiper.' 

Rare.] 

175.  fHiMANTOPUs  CANDiDUS  (Bounat.), '  Black- winged  Stilt.' 

This  species  is  undoubtedly  common,  as  is  also  Recurvi- 
rostra  avocetta  (Linn.),  known  in  Portugal  under  two 
names,  Alfayate  and  Frade.  I  did  not,  however,  meet  with 
it,  alive  or  dead. 

176.  fLiMOSA   ^gocepiiala  (Linn.),  'Bar-tailed    Godwit,'    Ma- 

qarico gallego. 
This  species  is  pronounced  common. 

[177.  Limosa   lapponica    (Linn.),    '  Black  -  tailed  Godwit,' 
Maqarico  gallego. 
Common.] 
[178.  Machetes  pugnax  (Linn.), '  Ruff.' 

Common.     There  are  now  in  the  INIuseum  several 
specimens  in  winter  plumage  from  Ribatejo.] 


THE    BIRDS    OF   PORTUGAL.  211 

[179.  Gallixaoo   major  (Lcacli),  'Great    Snipe,'   Narseja 
(jrande. 
RaT'o;   but  there  is  now  a  single  specimen  of  tliis 
species  in  the  Museum  of  Lisbon.] 
180.  fScoLOPAX  KUSTICOLA  (Linn.), 'Woodcock,'   Gallinhola. 
18L  fScoLOPAX  GALLiXAGO  (Linn.),  'Common   Snipe,'  Narseja 
ordinaria. 

182.  IScoLOPAX    GALLiNULA    (Linn.),    'Jack    Snipe,'    Naneja 

pequana. 
All  very  picntilul,  more  particularly  the  last. 

183.  *Trixga  alpina  (Linn.),  ^  Dunlin.' 

This  is  the  only  member  of  the  genus  which  I  met  with, 
and  all  the  species  (the  present  included)  are  considered 
rare  in  Portugal  Of  the  present,  however,  I  am  in  a  posi- 
tion to  assert  the  abundance,  as  I  procured  several  specimens 
at  different  times. 

[184.  Trixga  subapquata  (Guldenst.),  '  Curlew  Sandpiper,* 

Rather  common.] 
[185.  Pelidna  Temminckii  (Lcist.), '  Temmlnck's  Stint.' 

Frequently  found.] 
[186,  Calidpis  auenapia  (Ilk),  '  Sanderling.' 
Rare.] 
187.  fCPEX  PRATENSis  (Bechst.),  'Corn-Crake,'  Codornhao. 

Though  the  only  member  of  the  genus  in  the  Museum  at 
Lisbon,  this  species  is  pronounced  rare  in  Portugal, 

[188.  PoRZANA  MAPUETTA  (YieilL),  '  Spotted  Crake,'  Franga 
de  agua,  Itahiscoellia. 
Common;    represented  by  several  sjx^cimcns  in  the 
Museum  at  Lisbon.] 

[189.  PopzANA  Baillonti  (Vieill.),  '  Baillon  s  Crake.' 
Rather  common.] 

[190.  PopzA.VA  MiNUTA  (Pall.),  'Little  Crake.' 
Rare.] 

191.  fl^^ALLUS  AQUATicus  (Linn.), '  Water-rail;  Frango  d'agua. 

P  2 


212  A   SPUING   TOUR   IN    POETUGAL. 

192.  jGallinula  chloropus  (Linn.),  '  Water-hen,'  Gallinha  de 

agua. 

193.  fFuLiCA  ATRA  (Linn.),  'Common  Coot,'   Galeirao. 

Tlie  above  three  species  are  all  common. 

[194.  FuLiCA  CRisTATA  (Gmcl.),  '  Crested  Coot,'   Galeirao. 
Common  in  the  southern  provinces  of  Alemtejo  and 

Algarve.] 

195.  |PoRPnYRio    VETERUM    (S.    Gmel.),    'Purple   Water-hen,' 

Camao, 
There  are  many  specimens  of  this  beautiful  bird  in  the 
Museums  of  Lisbon  and   Coimbra,  and  on  enquiry  I  was 
assured  that  it  was  by  no  means  considered  rare  in  Portugal. 

196.  fAxsER  ciNEREUS  (Meyer  and  Wolf),  'Grey  Goose,'  Ganso 

hravo. 

197.  fAxsER  SEGETUM  (Bcchst.),  '  Bean-Goose,'   Ganso  hravo. 

These  two  species  alone  have  been  recognised  in  Portugal, 
though  it  is  probable  there  are  several  others  not  yet  iden- 
tified. 

198.  fTADORNA  Beloni  (Stcph.),  '  Common  Sheldrake.' 

Occasionally  though  only  rarely  seen. 

199.  "fANAS  CLYPEATA  (Linn.),  '■  Shoveller,'  Pato  trombeteiro. 

200.  f  Anas  strepera  (Linn.),  '  Gadwall,'  Frisada. 

201.  "fAxAS  ACUTA  (Linn.),  'Pintail,'  Rahijunco. 

202.  *Anas  boschas  (Linn.),  '  Wild  Duck,'  Pato  real,  Adem. 

203.  fANAS  QUERQUEDULA  (Linn.),  '  Garganey,'  Marreco.,  Mar- 

requiiilio. 

204.  f  Anas  crecca  (Linn.),  '  Teal,'  3Iarreco,  Marrequinho, 

205.  -j-Anas  PENELOPE  (Linn.), '  Wigeon,'  Assohiadeira. 

These  are  the  commoner  species  of  Ducks  which  I  was 
able  to  identify,  all  of  which  are  declared  to  be  common. 

200.  f  Anas    angustirostris  (Menetr.),  '  Marbled   Duck,'   Par- 
dilheira. 


THE    BIRDS   OF    PORTUGAL.  213 

There  is  a  fine  specimen  oftliis  rare  Duck  in  the  rslus(3nm 
of  Lisbon;  but  Professor  dii  Bocage  said  it  was  very  selfioin 
found  in  Portugal. 

207.  fCEoEMiA  NIGRA  (Linn.),  '  Common  Scoter.' 

Occurs  frequently,  but  in  no  great  numbers. 

208.  fFuLiGULA  NYUOCA  (Glild.),  '  Ferruginous  Duck,' .V(.'7r//J/a. 

]iarely  seen. 

[209.  FULIGULA  FERINA  (Linn.),  '  Pochard,'   Tarrantana.'] 

[210.  FuLiGULA    CRisTATA  (Steph.),   '  Tufted    Duck,'    A>- 
grinha.'\ 

[211.  Clangula  glaucion  (Linn.),  '  Golden  Eye.' 

The  last  species  is  less  common  than  the  two  pro- 
ceding,  which  are  to  be  met  with  in  winter  in  abund- 
ance. There  are  authentic  specimens  of  all  these  in 
the  Museum  at  Lisbon.] 

212.  fMERGUS    serrator    (Linn.),     ^  Red- breasted    Merganser,' 

Merganso. 
Common.       This  is  the  only  species  of  the  Mergansers 
which  I  can  positively  assert  to  belong  to  Portugal,  though 
doubtless  others  will  be  added  on  further  research. 

213.  fPoDiCErs  NiGRicoLLis  (Gmcl.),  *  Eared  Grebe,'  Mergulhao. 

214.  fPoDiCEPs  MINOR  (Gmel.), '  Little  Grebe,'  Mergulhao. 

Of  the  abundance  or  scarcity  of  the  Grebes  I  could  obtain 
but  little  information ;  the  Museums  of  Lisbon  and  Coimbra 
are  sadly  deficient  in  them;  but  I  am  told  that  the  two 
species  mentioned  above  are  common  in  Alemtejo. 

[215.  PoDiCEPS  cristatus    (Linn.),    'Great-crested  Grebe,' 
Mergulhao. 
By  no  means  rare;   there  are  several  specimens  in 
the  Museum  of  Lisbon.] 

210.  fCoLYMBUS  glacialis  (Linn.),  '  Great  Northern  Diver.' 
217.  fCoLYMBUS  septentrionalis  (Linn.),  '  Red-throated  Diver.' 
Of  the  former  but  few  individuals  have  been  seen  on  the 


214  A    SPEING   TOUE    IX   POETUGAL. 

Portuguese  coast  in  'winter ;  of  the  latter  a  larger  number  : 
and  it  is  confidently  asserted  that  C.  akcticus  (Linn.)  occa- 
sionally makes  its  appearance. 

218.  fllEiA  TROiLE  (Linn.),  '  Common  Guillemot,'  Airo. 

Abundant  in  suitable  localities ;  much  more  rarely,  but 
occasionally  seen  is  Alca  toiida  (Linn.),  known  to  the 
natives  as  I'orda  mergulheira. 

[219.  jFjiATERCULA  ARCTiCA  (Linn.),  ^  ^uSin,'  Fapagaio  do 
mar. 
There  are  three  specimens  of  this  bird  in  the  Museum  ; 
all  immature,  and  all  captured  in  different  years  on  the 
Lake  of  Albufeira,  south  of  the  Tagus.J 
There  is  also  a  fine  specimen  in  the  Museum  at  Lisbon  of 
Alca  impennis,  the  '  Great  Auk  ; '  but  this  has  no  pretence 
to  Portuguese  origin,  as  it  was  coaxed  by  the  present  king 
from  his  fathor-in-law,  Victor  Emmanuel,  and  was  brought 
from  Turin.    I  may  here  add  that  the  late  king,  Dom  Pedro, 
was  an  enthusiastic  Ornithologist,  and  to  his  exertions,  ably 
seconded  by  Professor  du  Bocage,  the  present  very  satis- 
factory state  of  the  Museum  at  Lisbon  is  due.     The  late 
king's  collection  of  birds  is  now  incorporated  in  the  national 
collection,  of  which  the  present  king,  Dom  Luiz,  is  a  muni- 
ficent patron. 

220.  jPhalacrocorax  carbo    (Linn.),  '  Cormorant,'   Corvo   ma- 

rinJio. 

221.  •j-Phalacrocorax  graculus  (Linn.), '  Shag,'  Corvo  marinho. 

222.  fSuLA  BASSANA  (Linn.),  '  Gannet,'  Ganso  patola. 

All  three  species  found  in  various  parts  of  the  coast. 
Pelicanus  onocra'tulus  (Linn.),  '  The  White  Pelican,'  Peli- 
cano,  is  also,  li-om  time  to  time,  seen  in  Portugal. 

223.  -fSTERNA    fluviatilis    (Naum.),  '  Common    Tern,'  Ando- 

rinlia  do  mar. 

224.  -j-Sterna  MiNUTA  (Linn.), 'Lesser  Tern.' 

225.  fSxERNA  CANTiACA  (Lath.),  *  Sandwicli  Tern.' 

These  tliree  species  are  well  known  in  Portugal. 


THE    BIRDS    OF    TORTUGAL.  215 

[226.  Stekna  fissipks  (Linn.),  '  Black  Tern.' 
Is  also  common.] 

227.  *Larus  ridibundus  (Linn.),  *  Black-headed  Gull,'  Gaivota. 

228.  *Larus  rissa  (Linn.),  *  Kittiwake  Gull,'  Gaivota. 

229.  *Larus  fuscus    (Linn.),  'Lesser  Black-backed   Gull,'  Al- 

catraz. 

230.  *Larus  argentatus     (Gmel.),    '  Herring   Gull,'    Alcatraz, 

Gaivota. 

23L  jLarus  MARiNUS  (Linn.), '  Great  Black-backed  Gull.' 

These  five  species  are  all  in  the  Portuguese  collection  of 
the  Lisbon  Museum ;  the  four  first  are  reported  to  be  com- 
mon, the  last  rare.  I  had  a  good  opportunity  while  in 
Lisbon  of  watching  the  Gulls  on  the  Tagus,  from  my  win- 
dows in  the  Hotel  Braganza,  situated  in  a  commanding 
position  overlooking  the  river,  and,  with  the  glass,  identified 
to  my  own  satisfliction  L.  ridibundus,  L.  rissa,  and  L.  ar- 

GENTATUS. 

[232.  f  Stercorarius  pomarinus  (Temm.), '  Pomarine  Skua.' 
Not   common.     There   is  a  single   specimen  of  this 
species  in  the  Museum  at  Lisbon  ;  it  is  an  adult  female, 
in  winter  plumage.] 

233.  fTHALAssiDROMA  Leachi  (Temm.),  *  Forked-tailed  Petrel.' 

234.  friiALASSiDROMA  TELAGiCA    (Linn.),  '  Storiu  Petrel,'    Alma 

de  mestre. 
Both  species  are  considered  rare  in  Portugal,  the  former 
more  especially ;  and  yet,  if  there  be  truth  in  the  popular 
tale  of  the  love  of  storms  which  these  birds  evince,  unques- 
tionably the  proximity  to  Portugal  of  the  tempest-tossed 
Bay  of  Biscay  should  attract  the  whole  race  of  such  bois- 
terous spirits  to  its  shores. 

[235.  PuFFixus  MAJOR  (Fabcr), '  Greater  Shearwater.' 
Bare.] 

Lastly,  I  would  add  that  Puffinus  Anglorum  (Boie), 
*  ;Manx  Shearwater,'  is  said  to  be  well  known  in  Portugal, 
and  to  be  often  seen  on  the  Tagus. 


216  A   SPRING   TOUR   IN   PORTUGAL. 

I  have  but  one  remark  to  make  in  conclusion  ;  and  that 
is  in  reference  to  the  extremely  dark  hue  which  almost 
universally  seems  to  characterise  the  birds  of  Portugal. 
This  peculiarity  struck  me  on  my  first  arrival  in  the  coun- 
try, and  its  existence  was  confirmed  with  every  day's  further 
observation,  while  the  notes  given  above  of  Mr.  Tristram, 
on  the  skins  which  I  submitted  to  him,  amply  confirm 
my  own  previous  impression.  Whether  such  deepening 
of  colour  arises  from  the  intense  heat  of  Portugal,  and, 
like  the  inhabitants  of  that  sultry  clime,  they  are  simply 
sun-burnt  and  bronzed,  or  whatever  be  the  cause,  I  must 
leave  it  to  others  to  determine ;  enough  for  me  to  call 
attention  to  the  fact. 

And,  as  a  last  word,  let  me  heartily  recommend,  not 
only  to  tourists  generally,  but  especially  to  my  brother  Orni- 
thologists, a  trip  to  that  same  extreme  south-western 
corner  of  Europe,  now  so  accessible  both  by  sea  and  land, 
and  which  offers  so  many  and  so  various  attractions, — a 
warm  and  dry  climate  to  the  health-seeker;  unrivalled 
ecclesiastical  and  conventual  remains,  of  a  unique  character, 
to  the  ecclesiologist  and  the  architect;  beautiful  scenery 
to  the  artist ;  and  novel  customs,  amidst  an  obliging  and 
hospitable  people,  to  the  general  tourist  ;  while  to  the 
naturalist  in  every  branch,  the  geologist,  the  botanist,  the 
entomologist,  the  zoologist  generally,  there  is  a  rich  har- 
vest of  facts  to  be  reaped  in  a  field  which,  though  so  near 
our  shores,  and  now  so  easy  of  access,  is,  perhaps,  less 
known  to  the  travelling  public  than  any  other  region  of 
Europe. 


INDEX. 


Ajuda,  palace,  31 
Alcoba^a,  76,  82,  93 
Alemtejo,  53,  59 
Algarve,  53 
Aljubarrota,  92,  95 
Ammergau  'mystery,'  148 
Aqueduct  at  Evora,  72 

—  Lisbon,  31 
Armada,  Invincible,  10 
Aromatic  shrubs,  62 

Arimdel  Society,  pliotographs,  93 
Atlantic,  the,  7,  8,  118,  184 
Avila,  179 
A:ulejo,  34 

Badajoz,  71,  168,  171 
Bait  for  horses,  49,  58 
Bananas,  45 

Barbosa  du  Bocage,  Professor,  quo- 
ted, 112,183,  186 
Bar  of  Douro,  125 
Bar  of  Tagus,  125 
Barcellos,  166 
Barcelona,  115,  147,  180 
Barreiro,  59,  61,  75 
Batalha,  76,  92 
Beja,  63 
Bc'lem  church,  28,  93 

—  tower,  13,  31 
Bcmfica,  49 

Bernardino  Order  of  Monks,  82 
Biarritz,  179,  181 
Birds  of  Portugal,  183-216 
Bird-stuffers,  201,  203 
Biscay,  bay  of,  7,  8,  178,  181 
Bom  Jesus,  144 
Bordeaux,  130,  181 
Jjouqainville,  creeper,  46 
Braga,  140,  143 
Bull-fight  in  Portugal,  38 


Bull-fight  in  Spain,  38,  179 
Bullock  cart,  17,  141 
Burgos,  179 
Busaco.  170,  176 
Byrne,  Mrs.,  quoted,  40 
Byron,  quoted,  14,  19,  48,  79, 


175 


Caxdas  da  Raixha,  79 

Calvas  Seiior,  1 1 1 

Camellias,  47,  123,  135 

Camoes,  106,  108,  116 

Capella  imjierfetta  at  Batalha,  100 

Carmo,  church  of,  24 

Carnarvon,  Earl  of,  quoted,  40,  82 

Carts  in  Lisbon,  17 

Casa  Branca,  63,  73 

Casa  Pia  at  Bel  em,  30 

Castello  de  S.  Jorge,  25,  123 

Castile,  174 

Cathedral  at  Evora,  65 

—  Coimbra,  114 

—  Leiria,  103 

—  Lisbon,  25 

—  Oporto,  122 
Carregado,  78 

Celts  of  stone  and  bronze,  70 
Cereal,  79 

Cervantes,  quoted,  78,  170 
Chapter-house  at  Batalha,  99 

—  Santa  Cruz,  Coimbra,  114 
Character  of  Spaniards,  36 

—  Portuguese,  36,  174 
Chestnut\rees,  56,  139,  173 
Churches  of  Portugal,  27 

—  Spain,  27 

—  Lisbon,  26 

Church  of  San  Francisco,  122 

—  Carmo,  24 

Cid  at  Coimbra,  115 
Cintra,  48 


218 


INDEX. 


Cistercian  monasteiy,  81,  87 
Ciudad  Reale,  168,  177 
Cleanliness  of  Lisbon,  19 
Clergy,  28 

Climate,  10,  20,  58,  176 
Cloisters  at  Belem,  30 

—  Alcoba^a,  83,  87 

—  Batalha,  99 

—  Santa  Cruz,  Coimbra,  114 
Coimbra,  106,  117,  170 
Cohmbus,  11,  101 
Confirmation  at  English  chnrcli,  33 
Convent  of  Santa  Cruz,  Coimbra,  113 
Convention  of  Cintra,  55 
Cordilleras  of  Spain,  173 
Cordova,  180 

Cork  convent,  56 

Cork  trees,  56,  173,  189 

Cortes,  the,  35 

Corunna,  11 

Costa,  Senhor  de,  82,  94 

Court-dress,  35 

Cruz,  Santa,  at  Braga,  144 

Crystal  Palace  at  Oporto,  124 

Custom-house,  14,  118,  181 

Dagon,  76 

Degland,  quoted,  189 

Diana,  temple  of,  at  Evora,  71 

—  worship  of,  at  Vianna,  162 
Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  quoted,  131 

—  Greek   and   Roman   Antiquities, 
quoted,  18 

Diligence,  Spanish,  166,  180 

—  Portuguese,  141,  163 
Dominican  monastery,  92 

Douro  river,  119,  125, 127,  131, 173 
Drought,  158 

Earthql'akk  at  Lisbon,  23 

Elvas,  71,  171 

Emcxdcs,  21 

English  church  at  Lisbon,  32 

—  Oporto,  123,  163 
Entroncamcnto,  170 
Epernay,  130 
Escorial,  178 
Estrella  mountains,  173 

—  gardens  in  Lisbon,  32 
Evora,  59,  64 

Eyro,  ]Mis3,  quoted,  40 

Fairs,  57,  104 


Ferdinand  the  Great,  128 
Fergusson,  quoted,  84,  94,  96 
Fernando,  Dom,  54,  94,  99,  102 
Finisterre,  Cape,  8 
Fish  market  at  Vianna,  162 

—  Lisbon,  42 

Fish  of  Portugal,  42,  43,  74 

Fireworks,  120 

Flag  of  Holy  Inquisition,  69 

Flowers  of  Portugal,  45,  51,  61,  174 

Fonte  dos  Amoves,  116 

Ford,  quoted,   27,   36,  40,  84,  116, 

162,  177 
Forest,  a  Portuguese,  102,  178 
Forrester,  quoted,  40,  59,  129,  142 
Fountains  at  Lisbon,  15 
Founders'  chapel  at  Batalha,  98 
Foy,  General,  119 
Foz,  harbour  of,  125,  126 
Fruits  of  Portugal,  44 

Gaixegos,  15,  16,  131 

Game  of  Portugal,  43,  205,  206 

Gardens  of  Lisbon,  19,  45 

—  public,  20,  124 
Genett,  the,  152 

Gerez  mountains,  151,  153,  173 
Granada,  180 
Gran  Vasco,  67 
Guadarama  mountains,  179 
Guadiana,  178 
Guimaraens,  141,  143 

Hallam,  quoted,  107,  150 
Heath,  a  Portuguese,  62,  72 
Holiday  costumes,  57,  104 
Hotels,   14,   64,  73,  107,  119,   143, 
162,  177 

Ibkx,    153 

'Ibis,'  quoted,  183,  185,  188 

Ignoz.  Donna  de  Castro,  84,  116 

Inhabitants  of  Portugal,  36,  174 

Inquisition,  the,  69,  106 

Insurrection,  20 

Isabella  of  Spain,  11,  70,  175 

Jackass  bay,  60 
Japanese  apple,  116,  137 
Joanna,  Princess,  114 
Joao  I.,  95,  98,  101 

—  II.,  11 

—  IV.,  '  The  Restorer,'  175 


INDEX. 


219 


JoHo  de  Castro,  56 
Juchis  tree,  137 
Juuot,  176 

Kixo,  tho  lato,  Dom  Pedro,  214 

—  present,  Dom  Luiz,  214 
Kitchen  at  Alcoba^-a,  86 

Lahorde,  176 

Lacerta  occUata,  53 

Landos,  tlio,  181 

Landniann,  Col,  quoted,  82,  83,  95, 

99 
Largos,  19,  122 
Leiria,  103 
Library  at  Alcobaqa,  85 

—  Evora,  66 

—  Coimbra.  110 

—  Oporto,  123 

Lima  river,  154,  157,  161 
Lis  river,  104 
Lisbon,  12,  19,  176 
Lizards,  53 

'  Lodges'  of  Port  wine,  130 
Loison,  General,  119 
Lotus  eating,  160 
Lynx,  the  pardine,  152 

Machado,  quoted,  188 
Madrid,  22,  177,  180 
Mafra,  53,  93 
Magnolia,  136 
Malaga,  180 
Manoel,  Dom,  101 
Markets  in  Cuimbra,  115 

—  Lisbon,  41,  184 
Massena,  82,  176 
Merida,  171 
Miguel,  Dom,  119,  126 
Mineral  baths,  80 
Minho,  139,  143,  173 
Miracle  plays,  145,  150 
Monaco  'mysteries,'  145 
Monasteries,  87 

Mondego  river,  106,  107,  108,  116 

Montserrat,  51 

Moors  in  Portugal,  95,  174 

Moorish  remains,  55,  95,  105,  108 

Moxijlon,  153 

Murillo,  178 

Murphy,  quoted,  86,  93,  112,  122 

Museum  at  Coimbra,  111,  185 

—  Lisbon,  112,  184,  214 


Musou  Real  at  Madrid,  178 
'Mysteries,'  145,  150 

Nky,  MARsiTAr,  176 
Night  travelling,  77,  162,  170 
'Norman  Gothic'  architecture,    29, 
82,  95 

Oak  TREES,  139,  173 
Observatory  at  Coimbra,  110 
Olive  trees,  56,  81,  139,  173 
Oporto,  118,  127 
Oranges,  74,  115 
Os  Arcos,  154 
Outeiro  Major,  160 
Oxen  in  Portugal,  57,  104 

Palmella,  73 

Paris,  182 

Pedro,  Dom,  119,  214 

—  the  Cruel,  84,  116 
Peiia  convent,  54 

Peninsular  war,  39,  119,  171,  176 

Philip  II.  of  Spain,  175 

Philippa,  Donna,  of  Lancaster,   95, 

98 
Phoenicians,  10 
Pinhal  novo,  62,  73,  75 
Plains  of  Portugal,  174 
Plaustra,  17 
Pombal,  city  of,  105 

—  Marquis  of,  67,  105 
Ponte  do  Lima,  154 
Portocale,  128 
Port-wine  trade,  129 
Portugal,  first  view  of,  13 

—  frontier  of,  172,  177 

—  general  character  of,  172 
Posting  in  Portugal,  142 
Pra<;as,  19,  122 

Prescott,   quoted,   11,  92,   114,  150, 

175 
Procession,  religious,  120 
Pyrenees,  153,  180 

QuiNTAS,  45,  50,  52,  74 

Quinta  das  Lac/rimas,  116 

Railways,  60,  lOG,   118.   169,   181, 

194 
Relics,  113 

Rivers  in  Portugal,  173 
Roads  in  Portugal,  1 10,  165 


220 


INDEX. 


lioli^a,  176 

Roman  remains,  71,  171 

Sandeman,  Messrs.,  130,  131,  135 

Shannon,  steamer,  1 

Serra  convent,  126 

Service  on  board,  9 

Setubal,  74 

Seville,  180 

Sierras,  173 

Soldiers,  Portuguese,  39.  175 

Soult,  Marshal,  119,  176 

Spain,  8,  172 

Spanish  character,  36 

Stanley,  Dean,  quoted,  76,  148 

Strawberries,  45,  137 

Street  cries  in  Lisbon,  18 

Students,  109,  117 

Suche,  Dr.,  185,  207 

TAors,  11,  12,  60,  76,125,  173 
Talavera,  171 
Temminck,  quoted,  189 
Temple  of  Diana  at  Evora,  71 
Tennyson,  quoted,  102 
Torre  dos  Clerigos,  123 
Torres  Vedras,  176 
Trafalgar,  11 

Traz-os-Montes,  130,  135, 138 
Tristram,  Rev.  H.  13.,  quoted,  185 
Tulip  tree,  136 

VxiVEBSITY  OF   PORTUGAL,  108,  117 


Ushant,  7 

Vat.  de  Pen  as,  130 

Valencia,  180 

A^arallo,  144 

Valladolid,  168,  179 

Vasco  de  Gama,  10,  28,  101 

Vegetables,  20,  44 

Velasquez,  178 

Vendas  Novas,  63,  73 

Vianna  do  Castello,  155,  158,  161 

Vigo,  11 

Villa  nova  de  Pamili(,'ao,  166 

Villa  nova  de  Gaia,  118 

Villosa,  Dr.  Manoel,  61,  67 

Vimeiro,  176 

Vincente,  S.,  26 

Vines  in  Portugal,  131,  134,  142 

Vintage,  131 

Water-carriers,  16 

Wellington,  Duke  of,  quoted,  39,  175 

AVhiteley,  Rev.  E.,  136,  167 

Wilby,  Mr.,  123 

Wild-boar,  152,  206 

Wolf,  151 

Xeres,  130,  132 
Ximenes,  Cardinal,  70 

Yams,  45 

Zamora,  168,  169 


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