1880 Facts about Port and Madeira by Henry Vizetelly

32

In the PoH Wine Country.

tlaey say,to feed the crowd of workmen he had assembled to build the bridge over that river, which got sadly knocked about by French cannon-balls some three-quarters of a century ago. Crossing the stream,after atime we come to a halt,and bullocks having been yoked to our carriage we commence ascending the hills, to the shaiq) shelving sides of which chestnut-trees are clinging, while farms and villages dot the green wooded valley do^vn below. Asthe road windsand mounts higherand higher hugerounded boulders and sharp jutting crags rise up among the gorse and heather; and when, eventually, our bullocks are unyoked and we dip down into the valley, a wall of mountains fading into ■deep shadowy grey and vapoury blue seems to shut us completely in. We cross one bridge after another over the ravine, and come upon vines again growing up the trees, with parties of women, mormted on long light ladders, gathering the grapes, while others convey the heavy baskets of fruit to some neigh bouring lagar. The ascent now becomes much steeper; and, •our horses being fastened to the rear of the vehicle, bullocks •are again yoked to it to drag us to the summit of the Quintilla pass, over the lofty Serra do Marao, 4,400 feet above the sea level. A chubby young urchin, with a pink-check handkerchief tied round his head and his jacket slung over his shoulder, marches proudly at the animals' heads waving his long goad to direct their course. Waterfalls dash over steep precipices, feed ing the stream that turns the mill in the valley below, and cen tenarian chestnut-trees stretch their long arms across the road, untU higher up the mountain oaks and ash-trees take their place. Gradually the trees become fewer and fewer until only 'huge granite boulders are to be seen in the midst of the russet bracken; and in another half-hour the summit of the pass is reached, when the eye lights upon hills with smooth green surfaces and soft wavy outlines, instead of sharp granite peaks with barren sides. Here, while the bullocks are being removed .and the horses are beingharnessed to, a troop of whiningbeggars surround our vehicle and promise us their perpetual prayers for