1880 Facts about Port and Madeira by Henry Vizetelly

14

Lisbon Wines.

and Gateways adorned with Pictured Tiles—Changein the Pastoral Aspect of the Country in the neighbourhood ofthe turbid llibiera da Beniposta— The Village of Bucellas—Visit to a Wine-Parmer—His Home and his Belongiugs—The Bucellas Vineyards—The Vintage and the Vintagers— The Casa do Lagar and how the Grapes are Pressed—Visit to the Adegas of Sandeman Brothers at the Quinta de Cabo lluivo—Varieties of Lisbon Wines there Stored,including the fresh-tasting Bucellas Hock. We made a long round on our voyage to Portugal, whither we were hound to tvitness the vintage in the broad j)laias aroimd Lisbon and on the rugged slopes of the Alto Pouro, for we had decided ujjon taking Madeira on our way in order to be present at the earlier vintaging of the wine which derives its name from the so-called Island ofthe Blessed'of the ancients. After the necessary sojourn at Madeira we intended proceeding direct to Lisbon, but found that steamers plying between the island and the mother country were sofew and far between as to render a detour to the CanaryIslands requisite. Here a steamer, we were assured, would sooner or later be found to convey us to Cadiz, whence the journey to Lisbon could be readily accom plished either by sea or overland. After several days'enforced sojourn at Tenerife we steamed -out of the harbour of Santa Cruz late one afternoon, and skirted the island for several hours until the sun commenced to set, streaking sky and sea alike with long fantastic bands of gold and crimson. For a time in the twiUght we could distinguish the tall dark cliffs of Tenerife, but soon the stars came out,the moon tipped the rippling waves with silver, and the island gradually fadedfrom our view as our vessel sped swiftly onwards for the Spanish shores. Among our fellow-passengers was the ex-Captain-General of Teneiife, who had just been superseded, and who for a grandee and an ofiBcer high in command was about as ill-mannered an hidalgo as it was ever our fortune to come in contact with. Another jjassenger was a wiry little Frenchman with well-waxed moustaches—a merchant trading between Marseilles and the •Slave Coast, where he hved the life of a native prince among his harem of sable favourites and his body-guard of woolly-headed