1880 Facts about Port and Madeira by Henry Vizetelly

In the Port Wine Country,

56

The Douro boatmen are very chatty and cheerful, and fi-equently converse among themselves in song,the words of which they improvise as occasion may reqmre. They are very strict in the observance of their religious duties, and whenever the image of a saint is passed, perched on the summit of the cliffs bordering the river, they bare their heads and repeat a short prayer.

LOADINO A DOUEO WINE-BOAT.

Before commencing a meal,too,they will stand up and uncover themselves, and devoutly say grace. Their hardest toil is in ascending the river with a cargo of empty pipes,as then the boat has to be towed against the powerful current. The unloading and reloading of the cargo, too, whenever the vessel gets aground,or the numerous rapids have to be ascended, is both a tedious and laborious affair.