Narrative of a Spring Tour in Portugal

Front matter

A SPKING TOUE IN PORTUGAL LONDON: PRINTED BT SrOTUSWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUABK AND PARLIAMENT STBJiHT NARRATIVE OF A SPRING TOUR IN PORTUGAL. BT REV. ALFRED CHARLES SMITH, M.A. CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD : RECTOR OP YATKSBURY, WILTS : AUTHOR OF 'THE ATTRACTIONS OF THE NILE' ETC. PORTUGUESE BULLOCK-CART {from a Photograph by Rev. A. Smith), LONDON : LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. 1870. TO MY VERY DEAR MOTHER | jStbitatr tbrs JJolumc as a slight token of mt 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 pjassion 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 journeys, 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

PREFACE.

. VIII 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 tbe 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 1850, 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-

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IX men who, during that year, reached the capital, amounted to twelve, as I was informed by the excellent British Consul at Christiania. With Spain again, since the opening of railways within the last few years, communication 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 whose 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

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. X 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 ! 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 accessible, 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 without 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, though very much

PREFACE.

. 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 pensions which had sprung up on the eastern and western bay, and was resorted to by our countrymen to the number of from six to seven hundred ; while farther on, Bordighera and San Remo 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 English 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 Remo, 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- FREFACE. 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

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. 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 exclusively 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 by tourists.

When we had once bethought 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 hill3 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

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. XIV of satisfaction, 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 carried 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 : — £ s. d. £ _. d. For each tourist, passage out by steamer ; 1 everything included . . . .12 10 0 1 Journey home by land, by rail, first class, f (hotels not included ) . . . . 12 10 OJ Hotels ; seven weeks, at an average of about -i six shillings per day . . . . 15 0 0 L . Journeying through the country, by rail, diligence, mule, or boat . . . . 10 0 0 ■ £50 0

PREFACE.

. XV With these preliminary remarks on the advantages which the sunny little kingdom of Portugal offers, and with the desire to make known the delights which we have experienced there, so that others of our countrymen may be 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. Yatest-CBY Recto by : Feb. 1870. CONTENTS.

Chapter I. Introductory

PAGB 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

Chapter II

Lisbon (general view). First impressions generally indelible — Landing— The Custom-house — Curiosity of officials — The G-allegos as porters and water-carriers — Carts of Lisbon — Street cries — Cleanness of the city — Largos and public gardens — Warmth — Gentle emeute . . . . .12

Chapter III

Lisbon (continued). Results of the great earthquake — Castello di San Jorge — The cathedral — Portuguese churches — Tenets of the Portuguese church — Church and monastery of Belem — Cloisters and casa pia, or orphanage — Tower of Belem — Palace of the Ajuda — The aqueduct — English church and cemetery — Gardens of the Estrella ... 23

Chapter IV

Lisbon (continued). The opening of the Cortes — Character of the Portuguese — Portuguese bull-fights — The markets at Lisbon — Fishes — Molluscs — Game — Birds — Fruit — Vegetables — Gardens and quintas round Lisbon — Trees, shrubs, and climbing plants .... 35 a CONTENTS. XVIII FJ6B

Chapter V

cintra. Expectations too highly raised — General aspect of Cintra — Montserrat — Other villas and quintas — The rocks above — The Penha convent — The royal palace — Cork trees — Olive trees — Abundance of springs — Return to Lisbon — A country fair and holiday costumes 48

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 59

Chapter VII

ALCOBA9A. Journey by rail to Carregado — Stranded at the station — A moonlight drive — Cereal — Caldas de Rainha — Arrive at Alcobaca — The monastery ; its church, gardens, library, kitchen, buttery, refectory — Benefits conferred by the monks 76

Chapter VIII. Batalha

Recollections of the monks — Drive to Batalha — Magnificence of ths monastery — Its general aspect ; the church, western doorway, Founders' chapel, cloisters, chapter-house, roof, Capella imperfetta — A wander through the forest ........ 90

Chapter IX. Coimbra

Drive to Pombal — Leiria — 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 — The great hall — The Museum of Natural History — CONTEXTS. XIX PAGfe 117 129 154 Church and convent of Santa Cruz — The old cathedral — The new cathedral — Fruit market — Fonte dos Amores, and Quinta das lagrimas 103

Chapter X. Oporto

Reflections on the University of Coimbra — Railway journey to Oporto — Custom-house — View of the city — Fireworks — Religious procession through the streets — The cathedral — The church of San Francisco — The Torre dos Clerigos — The English church and cemetery — The public library — The Crystal Palace — Bar at the mouth of the Douro — Road towards Foz — Serra convent — Name ' Oporto '

Chapter XI

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

Chapter XII. Bkaga 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 genett — The ibex — The mouflon — Drive to Ponte do Lima 139 CHAPTER XHI. THE RIVER LIMA AND VIANNA. Pretty scenery — Quiet peaceful river — A long voyage in a grain boat Slow progress— Floating with the stream — Aground on a sandbank — Reach Vianna at last — Long wooden bridge — Origin of name of Vianna do Castello — Its churches — Our proposal to alter the 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 XX CONTENTS. PAGE

Chapter XIV. Journey Home By Land

The direct way to France by no means straight — 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 Real — Biarritz — The Landes — Bordeaux — Paris — Home . . . . . . . . . .168