CHAPTER XX.
LISBON AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.
The room in the Hotel Braganza occupied bySheridan and Murray was an excellent one, sofar as the situation was concerned; for it commanded abeautiful view of the Tagus and the surrounding country.
“I should think this hotel had been a fort sometime,” said Sheridan, when they rose in the morning.“Those windows look like port–holes for cannon.”
“It is the house of Braganza, and ought to be aroyal hotel; but it is not very elegantly furnished.There are no towels here. Where is the bell?”
“I noticed that there was one outside of each roomon this floor. Here is the bell–pull. It is an originalway to fix the bells,” added Sheridan. “The bell–boysmust come up three flights of stairs in order to hearthem ring.”
“But, if the waiter don’t speak English, what will youask for?” laughed Murray.
“I have a book of four languages that I picked up inMadrid,—French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese,”said the captain, as he took the volume from his bag.“Here it is. ‘_Une serviette_,’—that’s a napkin, but itwill do as well,—‘_um guardinapo_.’”
The bell was rung, and a chambermaid answered it.The word brought the towels, but Sheridan pointedto the wash–stand; and the pantomime would have answeredjust as well as speech, for the woman could seewhat was wanting. When they were dressed, Dr. Winstockcame to the door, and invited them to visit thetop of the house, which commanded a view even moreextensive than the window.
“The Tagus runs about east and west here,” said he.“It is about a mile wide, but widens out into a broadbay opposite the city. There is no finer harbor in theworld. The old part of the city, between the castleand the river, was not destroyed by the earthquake.Between us and the castle is a small region of straightstreets; and this is the part that was destroyed. Onthe river below us are the marine arsenal and thecustom–house, with the _Praca do Commercio_ betweenthem.”
“The what?” asked Murray.
“_Praca_ is the Portuguese for ‘square;’ ‘CommercialSquare’ in English will cover it. This one has severalnames; and the English, who are in great force inLisbon, call it Black Horse Square. There is verylittle to see in Lisbon. Orders have come up for allhands to be on the quay at nine o’clock, to go onboard the Prince for the lecture; and we must breakfastfirst.”
After the lecture the Princes went on shore again.The doctor with his pupils took a carriage, and proceededto “do” the city. Their first point was thesquare they had seen from the housetop. On one sideof it was an arch supporting a clock–tower. In thecentre was an equestrian statue of Joseph I., erectedby the inhabitants out of gratitude to the king andthe Marquis of Pombal for their efforts to rebuild thecity after the great earthquake. On the pedestal is aneffigy of the marquis, who was the king’s minister, aspowerful as he was unpopular. The populace cut hishead out of the statue when the king died, but it wasrestored fifty years later.
“This street,” said the doctor, indicating the oneover which the ornamental arch was extended, “is the_Rua Augusta_.”
“I think the Commercial is as fine a square as Ihave seen in Europe,” added Sheridan.
“Most people agree with you. Now, if we passthrough the _Rua Augusta_, we shall come to the _Pracado Rocio_, which is also a beautiful square. There arethree other streets running parallel with this; on oneside is Gold, and on the other Silver Street.”
“They build their houses very high for an earthquakycountry,” said Murray.
“And this is the very spot which was sunk. I supposethey don’t expect to have another convulsion.”
The carriage proceeded into the square, and thento another, only a couple of blocks from it, in whichwas the fruit–market. It was lined with trees, with afountain in the centre. All around it were men andwomen selling fruit and other commodities. It was alively scene. In this square they saw a Portuguesecart of the model that was probably used by theMoors. The wheels do not revolve on the axle, butthe axle turns with the wheels, as in a child’s tinwagon, and creak and groan fearfully as they do so.As they passed through the Campo Santa Anna, thedoctor pointed out the _Circo dos Touros_, or bull–ring.
“But a bull–fight here is a tame affair compared withthose in Spain,” he explained. “They do not kill thebull, nor are any horses gored to death; for the hornsof the animal are tipped with large wooden balls. It isa rather lively affair, and will answer very well if youhave not seen the real thing. It is said that there areseven hills in Lisbon, as in Rome; but this is a vanityof many other cities. There are many hills in Lisbon,however; and there seems to be a church or a conventon every one of them. This is the _Passio Publico_; andit is crowded with people on a warm evening,” continuedthe doctor, as they came to a long and narrow park.“It is the _prado_ of Lisbon.
“I shall ask you to visit only one church in this city,unless you desire to see more; and this is the one,”said the doctor, as the carriage stopped at a plain building.“This is St. Roque. It is said that Dom JohnV., when he visited this church, was greatly mortifiedat the mean appearance of the chapel of his patronsaint. He ordered one to be prepared in Rome, of therichest materials. When it was done, mass was said init by the pope, Benedict XIV.; and then it was takento pieces, and sent to Lisbon, where it was again set upas you will find it.”
The party entered the church, and the attendantgave each of them a printed sheet on which was adescription of the chapel. It proved to be a rathersmall recess; but the mosaics of the baptism of Christin the Jordan by John, and other scriptural designs, areof the highest order of merit. The floor, ceiling, andsides are of the same costly work, the richest marblesand gems being used. The chapel contains eight columnsof lapis–lazuli. The whole of this is said tohave cost fourteen million _crusados_, over eight milliondollars; but others say only one million _crusados_, andprobably the last sum is nearer the truth.
The next day was Sunday; and in the morning theUnited States steamer Franklin—the largest in theservice—came into the river. There was a Portuguesefrigate off the marine arsenal; and what withsaluting the flag of Portugal, and the return–salute,saluting Mr. Lewis the American minister, and salutingMr. Diamond the American consul, when each visitedthe ship, the guns of the great vessel were blazingaway about all the forenoon. But the students wereproud of the ship; and they did not object to anyamount of gun–firing, even on Sunday. In the afternoon,some of them went to the cathedral, which wasformerly a mosque, and to some of the other churches.All hands attended service on board of the AmericanPrince at eleven.
The next morning the Josephines and Tritoniasstarted on their tour through the peninsula to Barcelona;and the ship’s company went on board of thesteamer. Regular discipline was restored; but thebusiness of sight–seeing was continued for two daysmore. The doctor conducted his little party to thepalace of the _Necessidades_.
“What a name for a palace!” exclaimed Murray.“I suppose that jaw–breaker means ‘necessities.’”
“That is just what it means. Circumstances oftengive names to palaces and other things; and it was soin this case. A weaver brought an image of the BlessedVirgin from a place on the west coast, from which hefled to escape the plague. With money he begged ofthe pious, he built a small chapel for the image, nearthis spot. Like so many of these virgins, it wroughtthe most wonderful miracles, healing the sick, restoringthe lame, and opening the eyes of the blind; and manypeople came to it in their ‘necessities,’ for relief. DomJohn V. believed in it, and built a handsome church,with a convent attached to it, for the blessed image.It had restored his health once, and he built this palacenear it, that it might be handy for his ‘necessities.’During the long sickness preceding his death, he hadit brought to the palace with royal honors, and kept itthere in state, taking it with him wherever he went.
“This square is the _Fraca Alcantara_,” continued thedoctor, when they came from the palace. “There areplenty of fountains in the city, nearly every publicsquare being supplied with one. Wh
en I was herebefore, there were more water–carriers than now; andthey were all men of Gallicia, as in Madrid. Threethousand of them used to be employed in supplyingthe inhabitants with water; but now it is probably conveyedinto most of the houses in pipes. You can tellthese men from the native Portuguese, because theycarry their burden, whatever it may be, on their shouldersinstead of their heads. A proverb here is to theeffect that God made the Portuguese first, and thenthe Gallego to wait upon him. Most of the maleservants in houses come from Gallicia. They arelargely the porters and laborers, for the natives are tooproud to carry burdens: it is too near like the workof a mule or a donkey. It is said, that when the Frenchapproached Coimbra in the peninsular war, and thepeople deserted the city, the men would not carry theirvaluables with them, so great was their prejudiceagainst bundles; and every thing was lost except whatthe women could take with them. They could notdisgrace themselves to save their property.”
“No wonder the country is poor,” added Sheridan.
“Now we will cross the bridge, and ride throughBuenos Ayres, where many of the wealthy people live,and some of the ambassadors,” continued the doctor.
They had a pleasant ride, passing the English cemeteryin which Henry Fielding and Dr. Doddridge wereburied. On the return, they passed the principal cemeteryof the city. It is called the _Prazeres_, whichmeans “pleasures;” a name it obtained by accident,and not because it was considered appropriate.
The following day was set apart for an excursion toCintra and Mafra, and a sufficient number of omnibuseswere sent to a point on the north–west road; forthe students were to walk over the aqueduct in orderto see that wonderful work. The party ascended somestone steps to a large hall which contains the reservoir.It is near the _Praca do Rato_, and not far from the centreof the city. The party then entered the archedgallery, eight feet high and five feet wide, throughwhich the water–ways are led. In the middle is apaved pathway for foot–passengers. On either side ofit is a channel in the masonry, nine inches wide anda foot deep in the centre, rounded at the bottom.It looked like a small affair for the supply of a greatcity. The aqueduct is carried on a range of archesover the valley of the Alcantara, which is the name ofthe little stream that flows into the Tagus near the_Necessidades_. The highest of these arches are two hundredand sixty–three feet above the river. A causewaywas built on each side of it, forming a bridge to thevillages in the suburbs; but its use was discontinuedbecause so many people committed suicide by throwingthemselves from the dizzy height, or were possiblymurdered by robbers. This aqueduct was erected byDom John V., and it is the pride of the city. Thewater comes from springs six miles away.
“Why did we have those water–jars in the hotel ifthey have spring–water?” asked Sheridan, as theywalked along the gallery.
“They think the water is better kept in those jars,”replied Dr. Winstock; “and I believe they are right;at least, they would be if they would keep the ants outof them.”
On the other side of the valley the excursionistsloaded themselves into the omnibuses, and were soonon their way to Cintra, which is fourteen miles fromLisbon. It is a sort of Versailles, Potsdam, or Windsor,where the court resides during a part of the year,and where all the wealthy and fashionable peoplespend their summers. It is a beautiful drive, withmany pleasant villages, palaces, country–seats, groves,and gardens by the way.
“Here we are,” said the doctor to his young companions,when the carriage in which they had comestopped before Victor’s Hotel. “Southey said this wasthe most blessed spot in the habitable world. Byronsang with equal enthusiasm; and the words of thesepoets have made the place famous in England. OurAmerican guide–book does not even mention it.”
Cintra is a town of forty–five hundred inhabitants.It is built on the southern end of the Estrella Mountains,at an elevation of from eighteen hundred to threethousand feet. It is only a few miles from the seashore,and the Atlantic may be seen from its hills.The party of the doctor first went to the royal palace.It was the Alhambra of the Moorish monarchs, and hasbeen a favorite residence of the Christian kings. DomSebastian held his last court here when he left forAfrica. The students wandered through its numerousapartments, laughed at its magpie saloon, and thoughtof the kings who had dwelt within its walls. Theywere more pleased with the gardens, though it waswinter; for there was a great deal in them that wascurious and interesting.
The Pena Convent was the next attraction. All conventshave been suppressed in Portugal, as in Spain;but the Gothic building has been repaired, and it looksmore like a castle than a religious house. Its gardenand grounds must be magnificent in the proper season.The view from the highest point presents an almostboundless panorama of country, river, and ocean. TheMoorish castle that commands the town was examined;and the next thing was the Cork Convent. It is anedifice built in and on the rock, and contains twentycells, each of which is lined with cork to keep out thedampness of the rock on which it is founded. Thesecells are dungeons five feet square, with doors so lowthat even the shortest of the students had to stoop toenter them.
A country–house in Portugal is a _quinta_; and thatof Dom John de Castro, the great navigator and theviceroy of the Indies, is called _Penha Verda_, and isstill in the hands of his descendants. The gardensare very pretty; and the first orange–trees set out inEurope were on this estate. In the garden is thechapel built by him on his return from the Indies, in1542, and the rock with six trees on it, which was theonly reward he desired for the conquest of the Islandof Diu, in Hindostan. He died in the arms of St.Francis Xavier, in 1548, protesting that he had spentevery thing he had in supplying the wants of his comradesin arms. He declared that he had not a changeof linen, or money enough to buy him a chicken for hisdinner. Most of the enormous wealth of the Indieshad passed through his hands; and he had not stolena _vintem_ of it. What an example for modern office–holders!When he was dead, only one _vintem_—abouttwo cents—was found in his coffers. His descendantswere prohibited from deriving any profit from the cultivationof this property.
The rest of the time was given to wandering aboutamong the estates of the wealthy men, including someof the foreign ministers, who have _quintas_ in Cintra.
After a lunch, the excursionists proceeded to Mafra,about ten miles from Cintra. This place contains anenormous pile of buildings on the plan of the Escurial,and rather larger, if any thing. It was erected byJohn V. to carry out his vow to change the poorestmonastery into the most magnificent one when Heavenwould give him a son. It contains eight hundred andsixty–six apartments; but the only one of interest tothe students was the audience–chamber, preserved as itwas when the palace was inhabited by Dom John.
It was late in the evening when the Princes returnedto Lisbon; and they were rather glad to learn that theship was to sail for Barcelona after breakfast the nextmorning.
“I am rather sorry that we do not go to Oporto,”said the doctor, when the captain informed him of theorder. “It is an old city set on a hillside; but itwould not interest the students any more than Lisbonhas.”
“By the way, doctor, we have not seen any portwine,” added Sheridan.
“It is not a great sight to look at the casks that containport wine. In Porto, not Oporto in Portugal, it isnot the black, logwood decoction which passes underthe name of port in the United States, though it isdarker than ordinary wines. It gets its color and flavorfrom the peculiarity of the grapes that grow in thevicinity of Porto.”
The officers were tired enough to turn in. Early thenext morning the fires were roaring in the furnaces ofthe Prince; at a later hour the pipe of the boatswainwas heard; and at half–past eight the steamer wasstanding down the river. As the students had notcome to Lisbon from the sea, they all gathered on thedeck and in the rigging to see the surroundings.
“That building on the height is the palace of Ajuda,where the present king ordinarily resides,” said thesurgeon, when the captain pointed it out to one of theofficers. “A temporary wooden house was built onthat hill for the royal family after the ear
thquake. Itis very large for this little kingdom, but is only one–thirdof the size it was intended to be. It was erectedby John VI.; or, rather, it was begun by him, for it isnot finished.”
“You can see the buildings on the Cintra hills,”added Murray.
“Yes; and you can see them better from the ocean.”
“That is Belem Castle,” said Sheridan, as the shipapproached the mouth of the river. “I saw a pictureof it in an illustrated paper at home.”
“It is called the Tower of Belem; and there is apalace with the same name on the shore. This is halfGothic and half Moorish. It is round, and the style isunique. What it was built for, no one knows. I supposeyou are not aware how Columbus ascertained thatthere was a Western Continent,” added the doctor,smiling.
“I know what the books say,—that he reasoned itout in his own mind,” replied the captain.
“You see that town on the north: it is Cascaes, inwhich Sanchez, the renowned pilot, was born,” continuedthe doctor. “In 1486 Sanchez was blown offin a storm; and, before he could bring up, he was carriedto an unknown land somewhere in North America. Onhis way back he stopped at Madeira, where he was theguest of Columbus. Somehow the log–book of thepilot fell into the hands of the great navigator, andfrom it he learned that there was an American Continent.”
“Do you believe that story?” asked Sheridan seriously.
“I do not. There are too many difficulties in theway of it; but it was told me by a Portuguese pilot.”
When the ship had passed the bar, the pilot was discharged,and the course laid to the south. Just at darkshe was in sight of Cape St. Vincent. The doctorrelated the story of its name, which was given to itbecause the body of St. Vincent, martyred in Rome,found its way to this cape, where it was watched overfor a long period by crows. The ship that conveyed itto Lisbon was followed by these birds; and tame crowswere afterwards kept in the cathedral, where the remainswere deposited, in memory of the miraculous care ofthese birds. Three great naval victories have beenwon by the English Navy off this cape. Rodney defeatedthe Spanish fleet in 1780; Nelson, with fifteensmall vessels, beat twenty–seven Spanish men–of–war, in1797; and Sir Charles Napier, in 1833, with six vessels,only one of them a frigate, defeated ten Portugueseships, thus putting an end to the Miguel war, andplacing Maria I. on the throne of Portugal. The nextday the Prince passed Cape Trafalgar, where, in 1805,Nelson gained his great naval victory over the combinedfleets of France and Spain.
On Sunday morning the Prince arrived at Barcelona.