1880 Facts about Port and Madeira by Henry Vizetelly

Off to the Upper Douro: the Qiunta da Boa Vista. 33

the modest consideration of a copper vhdem. Shortly after vrc ■commence the descent evening gathers in, and the remainder of our journey is performed almost in darkness. Spite of appeals, oaths, and promises, varied by smart applications of the whip, our horses, although homeward bound, only succeed in reaching Eegoa at nine o'clock at night. Kegoa is pleasantly situatedon theDouro, or "GoldenRiver," in the heart of what was formerly Imown as " the Feitoria," the privileged district whence all the Port-wine sent to England was obliged to come. Since this absurd line of demarcation was abo lishedin1833, Port-wine shippers have been in thehabit of going above instead of below the point where the Corgo falls into the Douro for their finest wines. The district which yields the wine known to us as Port comprises not only the Upper Douro from Basquieros, about a couple of leagues below Eegoa, but may be said to extend as highup as the Quinta do Silho, on the Superior Douro as it is called, where, however, only second-class wine is vintaged. The lofty vine-clad hills which rise up around Eegoa have their sides scored over with stone terraces,built up inorder to keep the loose argillaceous schistose soil in which the vines are planted from being washed away by heavy rains. The vines, which are placed wide apart, look like so many straggling ■currant-bushes provided with stakes for support. Crossing the Douro over the Eegoa bridge, we rode along a well-made road on the left bank of the river, in the direction of the Quinta da Boa Vista, having,in the course of a few huncDed yards, the valley of the Corgo on oui* left hand and the little river Baroza on our right; after which we pass the Mil Lobos andCeira streamlets, andfinaUy the rivers Tedo and Tavora, with the ancient town of Taboaco crowning the summit of the moun- the latter riler takes its rise. Beneath ns the murmuring Douro courses swiftly over its rock-strewn bed, rendering the passage of the one or two high-prowed, flat- bottomed boats, laden with pipes of wine and steered with huge rudders, that are sweeping swiftly down withthe current, difficult, ifnot exactly hazardous. A rudely-paintedpicturebeneathalittle