The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-08-11
Facts about 0 Porto.

its superior in magnitude. 1t is stua-
ted on the left bank of the river DOurO,
and contains population of 10000
bodies or more. From the village of
Saint John at the mouth of the river up
to o Porto, the river runs between
mountain banks rising precipitately
from the water to a height of several
hundred feet, and these banks present a
beautiful appearance at this season of
the year. From bottom to top, terrace
upon terrace rises covered with grape
vines, fig and orange trees, and shrub
berry of various kinds, while upon every
favorable spot a house clings to the
mountain side as closely as the ivy
clings to it's sides in turn. Everywhere
the appearance bears to the eye of the
behOlder the impression of antiquity
Here and there q building looks as if it
had been newly painted in red and
white, yellow and white, or green and
white, but on the most of them there is
a uniformity of old, faded, worn colors,
and stone walls blackened by time.
The ride up the river is one full of ro-
mantle interest. Once in the city, Gu
riosity multiplies. Along the riverside
is solid stone wall, built, no one
knows how long ago, which at one time
enclosed the city. 1t is said by some to
have been built by the Moors, who
once inhabitated the country, and of
whose presence some ancient land
marks still remain. Long ago, how
ever, the city Outgrew the limit of the
stone wall, and it remains only along
the river front, and in several points in
accessible to builders upon the noun
tain sides. From the water two prin-
cipal streets lead directly up into the
Ill i
with huge stones, and one wonders if
ever loaded team attempts to climb
them. A late improvement was the
building of new street for long dis
tance upon gradual inclination along
the elevation of the hills. But there is
no possible way of getting up into the
city without climbing, sometimes up
long flights of stone stairs, sometimes
up narrow, crooked streets, but always
up until you obtain the desired alti-
tude. Then, if you wish to move in an
easterly or westerly direction up or
down the length of the city, you must
either climb or descend, or both, again,
for the city covers these high hills.
There is, one might say, no manufacture
ing done here at all. Cloths, silks, cot
tons, etc., are all imported from
England and France. All of their coal
is brought on ship-board. Vessels
bring fish from Newfoundland, al
though there are plenty of fish in the
river and sea but few miles away.
Wheat and corn are imported from the
United States, and but for this supply
of late years, L am told, there must have
been a famine in Portugal. Oak wood
and slaves and sulphur are also i'm
ported. In fact, about all that is needed
RI ms lra u nifNy 10 hrnnOrlnt ba
sea. The country produces a great
abundance of nuts of various kinds, and
oranges, olives, onions, grapes, wine,
and cattle. All of these are exported
largely. But it is the country, and not
the city that produces, and that should
be benefited by them. The fact is,
however, that here we have what is
cursing our own land-a very large COM
munity living entirely upon the mere
work of exchanging for the farmers and
shippers what they should exchange for
themselves. The people are, however,
not so poor as they are in our country
under similar conditions. There is an
abundance of ignorance aud poverty
everywhere to be seen; but, having
made it my conscientious aim to see
life here as it is, so that l might speak
of it confidently, am compelled to say
that, in any city OF the same size in our
country, one will see far more of abject
poverty, Ignorance, degradation, and
real misery, than can be found here.
Why is this? The answer must be,
not that the system of education or the
government of the country is inferior to
what exists here, but that the cost of
living is so much less. With us, the
worst degradation and poverty aud ig-
nOrance is to be found among imml-
grants who are Catholics, 50 that it can
not be said that it is Catholicism that
makes the difference. Put these same
people into country where the cost of
living would be doubled, and they
would sink speedily into what we see in
all large communities, such as Boston,
New York, or London.
The very highest wages paid for labor
here is seventy-five cents per day, and
the average wages is thirty-five cents
for the women still less than that.
There are many church holidays when
all work is suspended. And most of
the working people are without any reg
ular trades, there being but few trades,
and they pick up work wherever and
whatever they can get. The loading
and unloading of vessels furnishes en-
ployment for many of them, because
the city hasn't a single wharf by the
side OF which ship can lie to discharge
her cargo. She is mOOred in the stream,
and long heavy plank from the stone
quay along the river to the rail is tho
bridge over which the entire load is
carried upon the heads of men, and often
women, 100, when the cargo is anything
in bulk that can be taken up in cOnven-
lent loads. 1t is astonishing to see what
all enormous load one of these porters
will carry. Our grain is in bags weigh
ing 222 pounds each, and one man will
take one of these bags on his head and
shoulders and carry it ashore with ease,
and will keep at it all day long, too.
The women also carry burdens that
would frighten one of our delicate
American girls into consumption i'm
mediately. Butthey are hardy, healthy
looking people, though quite small in
stature, as a general thing. 1t is anus
ing to go out upon the roads leading
into the country morning or evening
and meet the women as they trudge to
or fro from home to market. Huge
baskets that would make a good-sized
wigwam, full of oranges, pears, cher
ries, cabbages, onions, salad, peas, beans,
chickens, ETC., as firm upon the top of
the head as if they grew there, the arms
swinging free by their sides, while,
barefOoted and barelegged, they tramp
away with long, steady swing that
Would task an old camDaigner. Some