The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-01-16
a Tramp In P1rluxnl-No.
tcorYElGnT, 1877, ny EDGARl. wAHEMAS.l

q p.
to ancient Eyora, where arc found the
mos striking Roman remains in Port.
ugal, by rail. But l can never forget
tho look Of anguish and c9mmiseration
which came over tho face OF. Dobrado,
my good Gallcgan guide and servant, rs
y Iannounced that henceiorth our jour.
ncy was TO DO pursued on foot. Tho
honest follow finally wept 30 copiously
that compromise was effected upon
donkeys as far as Beja, when should he
not wish TO accompany MO on loot he
was to return TO Lisbon.
Tho genuine grief OF Dobrado drew
my attention TO two facts Of some i'm.
I portance to travellers in Portugal. Ono
is that such firm suspicion OF the char
:, acter OF any ono groveling enough. 10
travel on foot Is so fixed and preiixcd
in the Portuguese mind, that the senti-
mental tramp labors under tho greatest
possible disadvantage. The humblest
farmer is attended by his still humber
Z servant and there Is not q peasant in
tho entire kingdom 30 desperately in-
poyerished as TO be without this patient
beast Of burden.
The other stubborn fact IS the Portu-
guese donkey itself, and the variety OF
uses to which the little animal 10 put.
Thousands ,of them can be found in all
the larger cities, doing all manner OF
labor and service. Every human being
in the country districts seem 10 po2sess
from one 10 q scofc. In irpntSof every
church, in every place orsquare. and
1huddled in every crumblinS archway,
arc dozens and scores, tho most OF them
accompanied by a barcfoo;cd driver
with an iron.pointed goad as long as 4
hoc-handlc, caparisonGd with rope
$ around its shaggy neck, in Leu OF halter
or bride, and hugo wooden saddle
with upturned wooden yokes NJ the
front and back.
You, do not sit astride these little
beasts. You ride them something as
you do the wild and vaulting Irish
jaunting car. sitting sideways with
yourlcgs dangling over the donkey's
right side, and, in moments OF peril,
with your two hands violently clutch
ing tho front yok,. You will make sad
business OF itif you undertake rigid
and stately posture; but observing the
native Portuguese doubled upon his
donkey into the form OF printer'I re-
sSversedmark Interrogation, and faith
fully copy his riding, which is chiefly
upon the under sides OF the knee joints,
You may always do almost as well us to
walk,
q They are brought into requisition for
the most trihing journeys. The padre
will not walk rood ii, his own or any
other persons donkey is within call.
The goat-hcrd on the mountains has him
for an inseparable companion. The
bull-herders who care for the black bulls
{ which are bred and furnished for bull.
fighting at Lisbon and Oporto, which,
Z by the way, is not ut all like the repul.
sive Spanish butchery, but is veritable
skill and sport combined, are always
S found with more donkeys than bulls.
Ii a sheep herder's ground is shifted but
half a mile, all the preparations for a
long journey are made and the shepherd
rides in state to his new station among
( the rocks. So il peasant laborer is en-
gagged for days service on an adjoin-
ingifarm, il he has occasion to 90 from
one field to another, or If women in the
country wish bit OF gossip ut the next
cabin or crossroads, each sets out with
boundless preparation, arrives us from
ten days pilgrimage. and giving the
donkey kick or whack in admoni-
ton OF self-support, never recalls so tri-
fling matter as the beast until it is
wanted for the return trip. Then all
any one has to do to get his donkey is to
z express a wish for it. A horde OF lads,
: whooping and bowling, hunt him, cap.
turc him, and rush him to his owner in
a perfect hurricane Of dust, goads and
ford Portuguese maledictions, when
duties are demurely and faithfully re-.
sumed.
SOME PEN PICTURES.
Other extraordinary ways in which
the donkey is hero employed wero il
: Illustrated on our way from tEvora to
Beja. The roads seemed constantly
filled with them. Here is procession
ridden by peasant women on their way
s to ;rEvora with all manner OF country
produce swayine from the wooden sad
die yokes. A lone donkey laden with
= water casks plods along without com.
panion or driver, sent from somewhere
to somewhere over his oft-travclcd way
and with a pitiiul look OF responsibility
in his gray old face. Here comes q bnvy
completely hidden by piles OF corn
leaves helped SO high that tho stacks
appear TO DO TREMENDOUSLY waltzirg into
I Evora on invisible legs. Bells jangle in
amutfied way beneath the fodder; and
4 barefooted lads prod tho bobbing mys-
teries viciously. Again score como
I tripping and mincing along slender
pathway beneath a huge wall OF rock,
laden with rye and corn in casks and
{ panlers. Two aroS met sustaining n
( strong beam across their backs, and to
this beam tree trunk, ready for man
uiacture into lumber in tho city, Is at
tached for conveyance in this cutland-
ish way.
But this oldest burden OF all was
81 overtaken rs we were nearing Beja--
having wendell our way past fountains
where donkeys, peasants and water
carriers all loiterei 10 bray, babble and
gossip, over hills, down valleys, past
' roadside shrines and through a half
dozen struggling sleepy villages. 1t was
! a patient having met with some acct
dent with which village skill was un-
{ able to, cope, being transported to ida
Misericordia" at Beia, where q surgical
operation must be performed. Two
timbers we're fastened lengthwise along
the donkeys backs. From tho ends Of
these other tinibers extended from
1 back to back, securely fastened with
thongs, and from tho latter ropes de-
pended, sustaining q rude hammock OF
pine stayesi which were covered with
2 tho stout linen woven blythe peasant
Try. The sufferer, smoking a cigar with
great relish and consciousness OF his