Cintra. Childe Harold, long ago, confessed | after drinking a glass of vinho de Collares, at the his inability to describe the munificence of nature's riches in this region: "Lo! Cintra's glorious Eden intervenes In variegated maze of mount and glen. Ah, me! what hand can pencil guide, or pen, To follow half on which the eye dilates, Through views more dazzling unto mortal ken Than those whereof such things the bard relates, Who to the awe-struck world unlock'd Elysium's gates. "The horrid crags by toppling convent crown'd, village where it is made, a long and tiresome The cork-trees hoar that clothe the shaggy steep, The mountain-moss by scorching skies imbrown'd, The sunken glen, whose sunless shrubs must weep, The tender azure of the unruffled deep, The orange tints that gild the greenest bough, The torrents that from cliff to valley leap, The vine on high, the willow branch below, Mix'd in one mighty scene, with varied beauty glow." Surmounting the loftiest peak of the coast range at an elevation of nineteen hundred feet stands Penha Castle, an old convent converted into a quinta by Dom Fernando II., the father of the late and reigning kings and regent during their minority. He is personally the most popular individual in Lisbon. Whenever his tall form is recognized people hasten to throw themselves in his way to receive the salutation he is always prompt to return. When political disputes raged so fiercely that civil government was almost completely suspended, Dom Fernando was the only person who could safely walk the streets at night without a guard. His late Royalty is an expensive luxury. It cost a refusal of the crown of Greece has considerably million of dollars to marry the boy and girl augmented his popularity, though it would have who sit upon the throne before which this nabeen a most unwise act for a man, who is re- tion bows down. Groaning with want, it spends garded as clear-headed as his cousin, the late millions annually in feeding and clothing the Prince Albert, to surrender his present enor- relatives, parasites, and mistresses of the royal mous incomes and kingly comforts for the an- family. Yet the people are loyal. Though noyances and anxieties of an insecure throne. they retail the scandal of the court they doff Exceedingly well educated, able to address their hats and bend obsequiously to the very seven or eight foreign Ministers in their own spendthrifts and libertines whose flagrant violanguages, accomplished as a musician and art-lations of propriety they condemn without havist, he has identified himself with the progress-ing the independence to punish. Two families ive movements of the age, patronizes institutions of learning, and has filled his palace at Cintra with works of art, which are open to the inspection of visitors whenever His Majesty is not occupying it. The architecture of the build-ing on board a man-of-war. Though not oring and its internal arrangements are peculiar, and the grounds are laid out with taste and elegance. This vicinity is replete with interest to tourists. On an adjacent peak is an old Moorish Castle and strong-hold in admirable preservation, and near by, the celebrated Convento da Cortica, or Cork Convent, instituted by Joao de Castro, who, though once Viceroy of India, died a beggar. It. derives its name from the material which has replaced wood in its construction, and which is furnished abundantly by a grove of cork-oaks in the neighborhood. The hole in front of the convent still remains, in which poor Honorius dwelt sixteen years, In hope to merit Heaven by making earth a Hell." After exhausting Cintra, which is not done without visiting Monserrat, the gorgeous residence of Beckford, author of "Vathek," and enjoy the privilege of keeping on their hats in the presence of royalty, and Vasco da Gama's descendant, the Marquis of Niza, as hereditary Admiral of the Indies, precedes the King in go dinarily included among public sights, Americans should not neglect to visit the collection of state coaches at the Calvario, as a part of their study of the peculiarities of royalty. Here are stowed away the huge, lumbering gilded coaches in which the kings and queens have for centuries, on all state occasions, been drawn through the streets for the dazzling of the vulgar. The oldest coach, as well as the simplest and least absurd, belonged to Affonso Henriques, who established the kingdom of Portugal in 1132, and who was the first of the line of thirty-one sovereigns that have occupied its throne. Of kindred interest, as illustrating the senseless extravagance entailed by monarchical institutions, are the royal stables, with a population of one hundred and twenty horses and half as many mules. Farther on, in the suburb of the same name, is the pretty Tower of Belem, from which an and again on its return. The Tower of Belem over-zealous sergeant fired those shots at the was built on an islet, but the rising of the rivNiagara, which for a moment caused the na-er-bank has left it a considerable distance from tional Eagle to ruff his feathers. A single shell the water's edge. would have demolished the fort, but at the same time would have destroyed a beautiful relic of the art of three hundred and fifty years ago. Its guns are as harmless for offensive as its walls are powerless for defensive purposes. It was once used as a prison for female offenders against the state, but is now merely a station from which the sunset gun, and signals for vessels to heave to for the health-officer's visit, are fired. Its battery does saluting service, with half a dozen others, on all these royal and religious festivals which require the burning of powder, that most grateful incense to Portuguese and Spanish dignitaries. Guns have to be fired whenever the King or any of the royal family embark or disembark, on the anniversaries of their births, baptism, marriage, and death; and when a new heir appears the salutes are repeated day after day according to the caprice of the moment. The Cortes, in an ebullition of revolutionary fervor, declared that sovereignty resided in the people, and enacted that the title of Majesty should be applied to their own collective body, at the same time requiring the King to swear himself as the first citizen of the kingdom; hence their assembling and dissolution have likewise to be saluted; but the custom appears most absurd, when all the men-of-war and forts fire salvos on the day of Corpus Christi as the Host is taken from the church for its procession through the streets, Nothing, however, in or about Lisbon will so much excite the astonishment and admiration of strangers as the great arch of the aqueduct of Agoastiores, which supplies the city with water brought ten miles from the village of Bellas. This marvelous creation of man ranks higher as a wonder of the world than the Colossus of Rhodes or the Pharos of Alexandria. The aqueduct is partly underground; and modern science would have conducted it so all the way, but the architects of Joao V. carried it across the valley of the Alcantara, in the suburb of that name, over a series of thirty arches, the largest of which, at the point of lowest depression of the dry bed of the streamlet, is two hundred and sixty-four feet high, and has a width from pier to pier of one hundred and seven. Its symmetry and simplicity, at the first view, disappoint the spectator, who does not fully realize the immensity of the work until he compares it with surrounding heights, and, standing directly beneath it, follows its piers upward until they lose themselves in the narrow line of stone overhead. The corridor is only five feet wide, and is traversed by three channels of thirteen inches each, of which two are ever running, and the third used only when the others are being cleaned or repaired. The water is poured into an immense covered reservoir, whence it is conducted to the several public chafariz or fountains. A famil them in mantles of snow. Sometimes in the autumn the dried leaves and woods would ignite, and for weeks the bright chain of the "fire in the mountains," circling around peak, knoll, and precipice, was a splendid spectacle as seen through the black night. A village far removed from the great marts of commerce and thoroughfares has but little to disturb its quiet. Often through the whole length of our principal street not a moving thing was to be seen. A few loungers were usually to be found about the corners, whittling the empty boxes which served them as seats; and a cluster of village politicians at times oscillated on the hinder legs of chairs at the tavern door, iar experiment in acoustics may be performed | mer, as the silvery morning mists curtained these by whispering close to one of the abutments mountain barriers, or as the cloud-shadows of the great arch in a tone too low to be heard moved along them, or as the storm came sweepby a by-stander, but perfectly intelligible to a ing over them, they were very beautiful and third person whose ear presses the opposite abut-grand; and hardly less so when winter draped ment, more than a hundred feet distant, and even a more interesting cataphonic effect is observed by standing directly beneath the centre of the arch and beginning to speak aloud, each word will be repeated distinctly four several times, in different tones as the voice is reflected from side to side, until it is lost nearly three hundred feet above. Guides may be obtained at the Deposito das Agoastiores, who, for a cruzado, will take the visitor as far as he wishes to walk inside the corridor, and also upon the top of the aqueduct over the great arch, which has been closed as a highway on account of the temptation it offered to the commission of suicides and murders, at one time so alarmingly frequent that a fresh victim was looked for ev-discussing the affairs of the nation. If a travery morning on the rocky bottom of the valley. Lisbon is being rapidly brought within communication with other portions of the continent. A line of French steamers coasts around the peninsula from Brest to Marseilles, and makes weekly stoppages going and returning. Railroads are being projected all over the kingdom, and connects its interior with the capital. An hour's ride, after ferrying across the river, which widens to four miles at the upper end of the city, carries you to Setúbal (Anglicè, St. Ubes, famous for salt), a city so old, say its admirers, that it derives its name from Tubal Cain. It stands on the shore of a lagoon, covering the site of the Roman town of Cedobriga, where lights were seen one night by a sentinel on a neighboring height to wave to and fro and then disappear. Coins and pieces of tesselated pavement reward the patient seeker after relics, who is content to dig an hour or two among the sands at low-tide. The lines of Torres Vedras, by which Wellington defended Lisbon against the French in 1810, are only a pleasant drive from the city. eling horseman happened to arrive he was keenly scanned, and his name, residence, and destination carefully searched out. In the summer season tourists came along, regaling their city eyes amidst our fine scenery, and were treated with no little deference and hospitality. Great droves of horned cattle from the counties beyond us, on their way to distant markets, also not unfrequently relieved the monotony, some inquisitive soul always calling out, "Whose drove is that? How many have you in your drove ?" If the stupid and perverse drove ❝ broke" in the street and got into higgledy-piggledy, running in the wrong direction and in all directions, it was most inspiriting to behold. No railroad with its shriek and clatter, no steamboat disgorging impatient throngs, no rumbling omnibuses or noisy, insolent cabmen, no bustle and din of trade invaded our quiet. The only link connecting us with the rest of mankind was a tri-weekly mail stage-a long, ponderous, yellow wagon. The body sat low on the axles, as a preventive against upsets, and the driver's seat inside. Slowly and with great toil it made If the traveler examines attentively all the its way over the long, precipitous hills, over the objects and places of interest which have here great boulders and ridges of limestone which obbeen cursorily enumerated, and the many oth-structed the ill-made and dangerous roads. As ers of scarcely less attraction, with which this it was the custom to condemn intractable horses city is so full, he will find occupation for many weeks, and will depart well satisfied with the manner in which he has employed his time, and quite disposed to agree with the boast of its citizens, that "Quem não tem visto Lisboa, HIGH DAYS IN A VIRGINIAN VILLAGE. to stage service, there were sometimes terrible accidents-the desperate beasts, taking fright on some hill-top and dashing like so many furies, would drag the pitching vehicle down the long descent and at last hurl it bottom upward on the rocks, a mass of rubbish, maiming the passengers, and perhaps killing the driver. Some of these perils of stage-travel were the theme of oft-repeated narrative to intensely interested and dismayed young auditors in the nursery, or around the winter evening's fire. The difficul UR village was ensconced among the Vir- ties of communication made every where else we now write was considerably over a third of a century ago. The Blue Ridge on the one side, and the Alleghanies on the other, seemed to shut us out from all the world. In the sum days would laugh at our ideas of distances. For instance, I remember that when one of our villagers was on one occasion about setting off for Alabama, he went around from house to house, with great solemnity and tenderness telling every body farewell. comfortable leather helmets with horse-tail pendants, and glittering swords, dashed through scampering crowds on sleek, fat, prancing steeds. Drums rattled, fifes shrieked, captains and subordinates roared "Fall into ranks!" "Dress by the right!" "Mark time!" with a dignity and fervor reflecting upon them and their county the highest credit. Then appeared in all his majesty the Colonel, with plumed chapeau, the observed of all observers, a noble looking man, said to resemble the great Washington; there, too, was the stirring, lively, ardent adjutant; and the spruce young surgeon, But the stirring times for our village were certain public days of annual occurrence when the country people flocked in, filling the tavern and crowding the street. "Court days" were seasons of general convocation. With few occasions for personal intercourse, the people from different sections availed themselves of these opportunities for settling up business matters. Then customers were dunned, bills paid, the public crier sold worthless horses with high eulogiums on their matchless qualities, and the sheriff brought down his ruthless hammer on the house-casting furtive glances at the pretty faces and hold effects of some poor unfortunate who had failed to make both ends meet, while his busy deputy called the names of tardy jurors or witnesses three times over from the court-house steps; farmers poured doleful plaints into each other's ears over backward seasons, droughts, short crops, and low prices, while family affairs and gossip in general were not neglected. Rich were the stores of news carried at the close of such days to country homes. Oft were the references for weeks afterward to what the goodman had "heard at court." 66 'Election-day," however, was one of our high days. All the voters of the county then assembled, and great was the bustle and the throng. Candidates for Congress and the Legislature, in their best Sunday clothes, were conspicuous— shaking hands with young and old, inquiring about the good-wife and children, hoping all were well. On the hustings, too, they stood in imposing array, pouring out their well-conned speeches-some with stammering tongue, others facetious and humorous, making the sober farmers shake their sides over happy hits and oft-told jokes, others polished, classical, eloquent; for some of our orators were men whose splendid declamation thrilled the councils of the nation. Eager were the eyes turned upon each voter, as, according to the custom there, the sheriff grasped his hand, called aloud his name, and demanded, "Whom do you vote for?” And when at last the setting sun gave the signal for closing the polls, and the result was announced, great was the joy, and great the disappointment too. Long and deep were the potations of the victors; long and deep were the potations of the vanquished. But "General Muster" was the day of days. For us young folk, at least, it was first in the calendar. Then from early dawn the crowds began to gather-pouring in from every road and by-way, from farm-house and secluded mountain valley. The court-house sidewalk and the public corners were the property for the time being of thrifty country dames, whose tables were laden with small-beer, apples, chestnuts, and piles of ginger-cakes-particularly aggravating to penniless urchins-round ones a cent apiece, square ones, artistically embossed, four cents. Horse cakes were not yet introduced. bright eyes in those upper windows. "Forward, march!" at last echoes along the line, and our warriors defile through the village and move off to the parade-ground on a neighboring hill. Let us review them. John Falstaff, what a regiment! Sixteen of the sixty troopers in the full panoply of horse-tail helmets and bullet buttons, the remainder arrayed each as seemed best in his own eyes. Horses jogging along as if going to church, horses standing on their hind legs, horses trotting sidewise, horses with their heads where their tails should have been, horses incontinently charging on applewomen and cake tables. The infantry perform fewer evolutions, but they are fit match for the troopers. Here is a uniform (sic!) coat with short waist and long, narrow skirts that may be a relic of historic Yorktown; here is another of scarlet, probably captured from some unlucky Britisher at the same eventful locality; and there is a jaunty one fresh from a Northern city tailor. Here are all varieties of "citizens" costume; black coats, blue coats, green coats, linsey-woolsey coats, gingham coats, no coats, round jackets, and hunting shorts. Here are shot guns, rifles, old muskets, rusty swords, bludgeons, pea-sticks, and no sticks. Some are keeping step, some running to catch up; talking, laughing, playing tricks, and eating gingercakes. Once on the neighboring hill-our Champs de Mars-our regiment" spreads itself." Its manœuvres are miscellaneous and original, not to say impromptu. For a while it stands at rest, "grand, gloomy, and peculiar." Some tired of standing lie down on the grass; some achieve various practical jokes. They march, they counter-march; they form hollow squares that are not at all square; the lively adjutant gallops and vociferates in intense excitement; the troopers scour the hill-side and parts adjacent with a desperation and expenditure of horse-flesh and horse-perspiration worthy of the highest admira tion. What prodigies of valor would such soldiers not perform had they only the chance! Our regiment having displayed its powers and prowess to the satisfaction of the admiring public and its own, wound up the eventful day by an extemporaneous charge on the cake-stands and on the taverns too. Some of the heroes not But the soldiers. What an array! Troopers having exhausted their valor, undertook indiwith stub-tailed coats profusely buttoned, un-vidual adventures, or what is popularly known as 'on their own hook," the consequence of which were many black eyes and bloody noses. From the effects of the various "charges" not a few found it difficult to mount their horses when the time came for turning their faces homeward, or to sit erect in their saddles. Wild whoops and hurrahs disturbed our usually quiet village long after nightfall. Not a few of the sturdy countrymen reached their mountain homes through no small perils, and not a little the worse for "General Muster Day." Another of our village high days was the 22d of February, the birth-day of Washington, for we were a patriotic people. How it was that the Fourth of July was not equally esteemed I can not explain, but such was the fact. On one of the beautiful hills overlooking the village was an institution of learning which had done much toward diffusing the intelligence of which we were no little proud, and which had enabled us to furnish men of renown for both Church and State. Washington's birthday was always the occasion of a grand celebration. Orations were delivered, our cannon was fired-especially the "butt," the remains of an exploded iron cannon -the best music we could command discoursed its enlivening strains, country people came in to gaze and admire, and the young maidens mustered in strength, their rich mountain complexions set off to the best advantage by the latest city fashions. The village belles were accustomed to befriend their respective college favorites by making for them ribbon rosettes, with long streamers, the society badges, blue for the one, white for the other. Fastened to the lapel they decidedly added to the effectiveness of a young gentleman's presence. glories. Our village at this time, so far as my But it must not be supposed that our village was given up to "the pomps and vanities of the world." On the contrary, we were rather uncommonly religious. Hence I must not fail to mention among our high days the meetings of Presbytery and Synod-for our population was chiefly of Scotch-Irish descent, and consequently Presbyterian--Synod did not come except after intervals of some years; but when it did, it was worth while to be there. The writer of this was not much of a judge of the preaching in those With these preliminaries, if the 22d happened days; but of the eating he felt himself authorto be a fair, bright day, not always to be reck-ized to speak in terms of the most unqualified oned upon in February, we were sure of a good approbation. "The big pot was put in the littime. At the appointed hour the societies tle one." Every house was filled with guests, formed in column, two abreast, and marched from the classic halls on College Hill to the court-house in the midst of the town. The band by which they were preceded usually comprised the very modest allowance of two flutes, and nothing else, played by amateurs. But that procession, that music, those blue-and-white streamers flying in the mountain breezes, the patriotic orations, the throng of bright faces, and the rounds of rapturous applause, if ever human glory had reached its culminating point, it seemed to us youngsters that this must be it. It has fallen to my lot since to see Kossuth's reception into New York, and Queen Victoria's reception into Edinburgh, with the review of 80,000 troops by the Emperor and Empress of France, with numerous other pageants; but these were tame and small affairs compared with that 22d of February turn-out, as I used to see it in our mountain village. This grand gala occasion usually wound up with a ball, which was, of course, in harmony with the splendors of the day-in fact, the very blossom and flower of its VOL. XXXIII.-No. 194.-N on the principle of the largest hospitality. Ministers, laymen, and ladies were alike welcome; and they came from every part of the Statefrom hundreds of miles away. Great were the crowds. The old church was too small to contain them; and when Sunday came, "the great day of the feast," the throng surpassed all description. And very good times these were; many the pleasant acquaintances formed, many the genial hours passed, many the fine sermons, many the pious impressions—to last, it was to be hoped, forever. It was worth going a very long way to participate in these good things. But the times of which I write are long since passed. Our mountain village has so changed that we of the by-gone days returning there would hardly know it. Modern fashions and modern airs have usurped the place of the former simplicity. But it is questionable whether any advance has been made on the real enjoyment of life which attended those unsophisticated "high days" of "auld lang syne." |