Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-01-23
wAKEMAN,S wANDERINGS.

Traveller in tho Homes of the Por-
tuguese Peasantry-Boundle Hos
pitality, Lfghtsome Labor and Joy.
Gus Content - Charming Studies
Among the Lowly.
TAvIRA, Portugal, Jan 2.
To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
Ny Gallegan guide, servant, companion
and friend, honest Dobrado, became 30 en-
amored of our lettering sort of wander
ings that, on leaving Beja. had no diff
Guilty in overcoming his scruples against
travelling on foot. And so our way to the
southern seacoast of Portugal, perhaps one
hundred and fifty miles by the windings
of the quaint old thoroughfares of the
country, was made from Bija in this de-
ightful manner.
In no strange land have I walked that
distance with such q continuous sense of
elation of interest. There are early Octo-
Der days in our own land which all these
days and nights recalled days when the
verdure is still rich npon the trees; when
the aftermath has pushed above the stub
BILE of the fields and spread an emerald
Garnet above the after-harvest sere; when
skies are cloudless and of wondrous depth
fruit or of wine is in the brscing air; even
iugs when the whole sky is ablsze from
the setting of round red suns that seem to
wait huge and glorious before plunging be-
meath the purple pillows of the west; and
nights when the cleaning of lights from
farms and hsmlets quickens the footstep
of belated wanderers, and unconsciously
makes more erger all home gatherings
where fresides are already taking on bit
of the winter glow.
This is the only winter central and south
ern Portugal know. There is a tender ella
tiob in it.. You unconsciously breathe
great draughts of the exhilirating air.
Your head is erect and You walk in fine
strong strides. Then there are countless
| sights and scenes which charm and en-
thrall: of Handicapped sierra, of heath
covered moor, of boundless forest, of val
| ley-landscape, of mountain-side hamlets
strung together as on a gaudy thread by
strange professions; of huge old wind
mills as in Holland, of gigantic water
wheels creaking and swinging and oxen
circling about them in endless tread, of
walled-in farm houses built as If to with
stand seige; and of every form of peasant
labor and pastime, always of deepest in
| terest because telling the story of every
day life and living of the humble folk of
| apy land, upon whose labor and lives. af-
| ter all, the entire social and governmental
superstructure of any nation is laid.
| a SUMMER land in which to travel does
not exist. Hospitality is universal and in
tense. 1t is so extraordinary q character
istic among all classes that it often be-
comes an impediment to progress in trsv.
el. Between Evora and Tsvira, about two
hundred and fifty miles by road, we were
literally compelled to enter more than one
| hundred homes. In q dozen of these we
were quartered for the night, and in all
the others refreshments were offered and
partaksn of. Most interesting of all were
the visits to ruinous old monasteries.
1t often seemed that We must have been
eepied at distance of miles; for in many
instances some ambling old servitor was
sent to meet us, or again q kindly-fsced
friar halted us at the roadside, and, pre-
cisely as if the visit were prearranged,
conducted us to his monastery, often q
little and pinched habitation where less
than a score of the order seemed to be
gaining livelihood. The welcome and
benediction at parting were always of q
character to convey the idea that our COM
ing had placed our host under inexpressi-
BILE obligations; while the eagerness Of
these mountainside monks to gather the
mergerest knowledge or the outer worlds
affairs and activities was often touching
and pathetic in the extreme.
Friar, farmer and peasant were alike In
punctilious observance of one pleasant
custom. At our departure they always
accompanied us some distance, and fire.
auently for miles, on our way. Then
standing by the roadside until we wer,
quite out of hearing and sight, they sent
. after us all manner of friendly bensdic
tions interspersed with "Bos visgemi-boi
: viagem" Good voyage!-good voyagei
: until they must have returned to monas
, terry, villeggistura or cabin, hoarse from
their kindly called farewells.
2 Dobrado tells me this boundless hospi
) tality is a changeless part of the Portu
{ Ruese religion; that they have as com
{ mon saying, Courses follow illy-welcome'
i Travellers" and that the belief is geners
I here that good fortune comes in degree B
q the bountiful entertainment of stranger