Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S 50
The next day we started for Oporto, and passed the thriving little town
of Ovar, situated at the north end of the Aveiro lagoon, but having a
separate entrance from the sea, formed by a small stream passing through
the town. Our railway passed along the base of the hills, which was very
favourable. From Ovar we continued near the shore through a forest of
pines for several miles; these pines would furnish excellent sleepers for
the railway at a very moderate cost. From the forest we continued along
the shore through most favourable ground, until we reached the entrance
of the Douro: the distance from Ovar being about twenty miles. From the
entrance of the Douro there was a favourable line for the railway for two
miles along the banks to Oporto, where it would have been necessary to
cross the river by a rather expensive bridge to reach the chief part of
the city. This, however, must have been done in any case, and as all the
great wine depôts or lodges, as they are called, are on the south side,
and as the wine trade of Oporto is the most important, this would have
been a great advantage; moreover, there is on the south side, near the
entrance, a much better position for docks.
Between Ovar and the Douro stands a rock surrounded by extensive sands.
On this rock is a chapel, reputed to be of peculiar sanctity, which is
annually visited by immense numbers of pilgrims. It is very curious to
see the extent to which these devotions are carried, and the occasionally
strange results. In going one day, on foot, from Mattozenhas to Oporto
during one of these festivals, I was surprised to meet a man walking, or
rather shuffling, along in an extraordinary manner, in what appeared to
me to be a sack. I immediately stopped to look at him, and gazed on him
with astonishment. Several persons, apparently friends, accompanied him,
and I inquired what it meant; I was informed that the person whom I saw
enveloped in a sack had, during a severe illness, prayed to the Saint
of the church of Mattozenhas to deliver him from his illness, promising
that if he recovered he would annually on the Saint’s fête-day walk to
the church in his grave-clothes, to return his thanks for his delivery
from death. The poor fellow seemed to be much fatigued, and no wonder, as
travelling for two miles in such hot weather over a dusty road in such an
uncomfortable costume must have been very severe work.
Next day we were off before daylight, and reached our old quarters at
Aveiro the same night. I soon saw that it would be difficult to get
a good line for the railway over this district; it was too hilly and
expensive, and would have required long tunnels through granite rocks
and heavy embankments. I therefore gave up this line, that is as far as
Ovar. After leaving Aveiro we took a new route nearer to the hills, and
with the exception of a part of the river Vouga, it was preferable to the
coast line formerly mentioned. The summit near the Busaco hills was a
little higher, but there the line was shorter, and on the hill there was
plenty of fine limestone fit for bridges and any other works. This line
evidently therefore was the best; I ordered it to be minutely surveyed
and levelled, and the result proved that my anticipations were correct.
We reached our old quarters at Coimbra, and having examined the city
again were much more pleased with it than before. The University is
a very handsome building upon an extensive scale, with an excellent
library, museum, extensive lecture rooms, and a competent establishment
of professors and lecturers. The costume of the professors and students,
although totally different from that of our own, was very appropriate;
and the method of teaching and conferring degrees was extremely good,
although a little too much savouring of sacerdotalism, but still greatly
improved in this respect to what it was only a few years before. The
city moreover was comparatively clean, and there appeared to be a degree
of outer tranquillity and prosperity about it which pleased me much. I
have seen many foreign universities, but none delighted me more than
Coimbra. After leaving Coimbra we passed through Thomar and reached the
valley of the Tagus; this we descended until we arrived at Santarem,
which is but an inconsiderable place; it is situated on the highest point
of the ridge, and bounded by precipitous rocks which abut on the Tagus,
there being a small valley on the north, also on the east and west. Being
thus isolated, it occupies an admirable position as a fortress, and
might easily be made impregnable; commanding, as it does, the country
all around, if it were properly defended, the approach of an enemy would
be extremely difficult; and if fortified according to modern ideas, with
a sufficient garrison and provisions, it might hold its own against all
comers for almost any length of time; in fact, it may be considered as
one of the keys of the kingdom. When I saw it, its works were in a very
unfinished and dilapidated state. From Santarem we proceeded down the
river to a small place termed the White House, where we embarked on board
the steamer for Lisbon. The hills on either side of the Tagus alternately
advance and recede; but the whole scenery is very rich, the soil being
highly cultivated to the very tops of the hills, and in places abounding
with cattle. In the flat country, however, bordering on the river,
malaria and intermittent fever are very common, and indeed the whole
course of the Tagus requires regulating.
We reached the Braganza at Lisbon in the evening, after a rough but
satisfactory journey. Mr. Giles was now anxious to go to England, and
a few days after our arrival he sent in a general proposal to the
Government, on the part of Peto and Betts, for making railways, and
then started in the packet for England, leaving his assistant, Mr.
O’Neil, with me, to make any further necessary explanations. The season
was getting late, and we had no time to lose, for it was now nearly the
middle of October. I saw M. Fontes several times, and he always received
me very civilly, and said that he was determined to meet Messrs. Shaw,
Waring, and Co., fairly.
Mr. O’Neil and myself then started to survey the country for lines
suitable for railways in the east and south. After being detained for
a time by heavy rains at the White House, we reached Salvatierra, a
wretched place on the left bank of the Tagus, about seven o’clock in the
evening, fully two hours after dark; it was a nasty pestilential hole,
close by the marshes; however, bad as it was, we were very glad to get
there. There was no inn in the place, but after a little inquiry we found
a shopkeeper who was willing, for a consideration, to accommodate us. We
accordingly agreed with him, and took possession; we found the rooms full
of corn, beans, &c., which we soon cleared out, swept the floors, walls,
and ceiling as well as we could, and unpacked our things. I sent out my
man for some provisions, we got a good wood fire lighted, and after about
an hour and a half had a tolerable supper, turned into bed, and slept
soundly until the morning. In fact, I never grumbled; I took the people
as I found them; they were generally very civil, and did everything in
their power to make us as comfortable as possible. I always carried
plenty of cigarettes and cigars, and distributed them liberally, not only
to the men attending the horses, but also to the people in the house and
to any casual visitors that might come in; as I had by this time acquired
some knowledge of the Portuguese language, I made myself as agreeable
as possible, and in consequence every one did the best they could to
help me. The Portuguese are a very civil, quiet people, and if you only
treat them properly, as I always did, they will do everything they can
to accommodate you. I of course also took good care of the horses and
men, and they were so much pleased that they never grumbled, and would
do anything I required. Throughout the whole of my journeys I never
had a single squabble; we all went on merrily together, and whenever I
could get a good laugh I always did, and this was not seldom. We left
Salvatierra at daylight, and proceeded over a gently undulating country,
and in three days reached the old fortress of Estremoz. The people of the
district through which we were now travelling were extremely primitive,
and in one large village, where we halted, as usual, at midday, the whole
population, it being Sunday, turned out to have a look at us.
The country here is elevated and very well cultivated. The olive-trees
are planted in regular rows, and carefully attended to, a thing I had
not before observed in Portugal, as they are generally in forests, and
left entirely to nature. The vines also were more looked after, and
some excellent wine is made here. Upon the whole this was certainly a
thriving district. We took a ride to the ridge of mountains about ten
miles to the south, which, extending east and west, separates this
district from the southern part of the Alentejo. They are covered with
verdure to the top, afford excellent pasture for sheep and cattle, and
form a very picturesque prospect. Estremoz is in a commanding position,
but its fortifications were in a dilapidated state. After having spent a
day here, we proceeded over an elevated, fertile, cultivated country, to
Elvas, on the frontier. The Government had been employed for some time
past in making a good road here, and a considerable portion had been
finished, so that we made tolerable progress, and reached Elvas soon
after midday, and found a very clean, comfortable little hotel.
Elvas is a very strong fortress, situated upon the summit of the ridge of
hills forming the western boundary of the valley of the Guadiana, which
winds through the extensive valley below, about seven miles distant, and
the boundary or frontier line between Spain and Portugal is about half
way between Elvas and the Guadiana.
The fortifications are very extensive, and upon the whole well laid
out and tolerably well kept up. There are several large outworks,
particularly that on a hill about a mile to the north, which may be said
to be the citadel. It commands the town, being situated upon the highest
part of the ridge. The view from this is very extensive, overlooking
the dreary and bare valley of the Guadiana, with Badajoz, the Spanish
frontier fortress, about nine miles distant; and farther on the bare
bleak hills of Estramadura bound the horizon. On the west you have a fine
view of this part of Portugal, whilst north and south you command the
view of this elevated ridge, which bounds the Guadiana as far as the eye
can reach.
Having explored this part of the country, and having satisfied ourselves
that it would be difficult to get a good line here, we turned our
attention to the southward, and again leaving Estremoz, reached the poor
but considerable village of Oçana, not many miles from the frontier. I
therefore determined to stop there for the night, and to my surprise
found that there were two or three small inns. I selected the best, and
bad was the best. I was informed that Oçana was the resort of the worst
characters of all sorts, both Portuguese and Spaniards, who made this
their head quarters, from whence they could easily cross the frontier
of either country, according as either Spain or Portugal became too hot
for them. I was told that we ought to be upon our guard, for it was not
improbable that we might be attacked in the night, or waylaid on our
route the next day, for the country through which we should have to pass
was very wild and lonely. Therefore, as is always the case, I thought the
best plan would be to put a good face upon it, and to show that we had
no fear, put confidence in the people around us, and make them friends.
I therefore invited as many as I could get, men and women, to a sort of
ball, inquired for some musicians, and found half-a-dozen with guitars,
castanettes, and tambourines, and as the inn where we were would not hold
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