Morning journal and courier., 1892-01-16
wAKEHIAN,s WANDERINGs.

-
A Tramp in Observation-Disclosures of
the Road and n Disquisition on
|. Donkeys-Charming Pen Pictures
of Solemn Processionals, Ancient
Inns and Portuguese Country
Homes.
BEJA, Portugal, Dec. %, 1891.
To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
We came to ancient Evora, where are
found the most striking Roman remains in
Portugal, by rail. But 1 can never forget
the look of anguish and commiseration
which came over the face of Dobrado, my
good Gallegan guide and servant, as 1 an
nounced that henceforth our journey was
to be pursued on foot. The honest fellow
finally wept SO copiously that compro-
mise was effected upon donkeys as far as
Beja, when should he not wish to accom-
psny me on foot he was to return to Lis
bon.
The genuine grief of Dobrado drew my
attention to two facts of some Importance
to travellers in Portugal. One is that such
firm suspicion of the character of any one
groveling enough to travel on foot is 30
fixed and prefxed in the Portuguese mind
that the sentimental tramp labors under
the great possible disadvantage. The
humblest farmer is attended by his still
humber servant; and there is not a peas
ant in the entire kingdom SO desperately
impoverished as to be without his patient
beast of burden.
The other stubborn fact is the Portu-
guese donkey itself, and the variety of
uses to which the little animal is put
Thousands of them can be found in all the
larger cities, doing all manner of labor and
service. Every human being in the coun.
try districts seems to possess from one to
a score. In front of every church, in eve
ry pracs or square, and huddled in every
crumbling archway, are dozens and scores,
the most of them accompanied by bare
footed drive with an iron-pointed gosd as
long as a hoe-handle, capsrisoned with q
rope around its shaggy neck, in lieu of
| halter or bride, and huge wooden saddle
with upturned wooden yokes at 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, sit
| ting sideways with your legs dangling over
| the donkey's right side, and, in moments
/ of peril, with your two hands violently
clutching the front yoke. You will make
sad business of it if you undertake rig
| id and stately posture; but observing the
/ native Portuguese doubled upon his dom
key into the form of printers reverse
mark of interrogation, and faithfully
| copying his riding, which is chiefly upon
| the under sides of the knee joints, you
| may always do almost as well as to-walk.
They are brought into rsquisition for
the most trihing journeys. The padre
will not walk a rod if his own or any 9TH
er PERSONS donkey is within call. The
| goatherd ON the mountains has him for an
| inseparable companion. The bull-herders
who care for the black bull which are bred
and furnished for bull-fghting at Lisbon
and Oporto, which, by the way, is not al
| like the repulsive Spanish butchery, but il
| veritable skill and sport combined, are al
| ways found with more donkeys than bulls
If q sheep herder's ground is shifted bui
half mile, all the preparations for long
journey are made and the shepherd rides
in state to his new station among the
rocks. So if a peasant laborer is engaged
for a days service on an adjoining farm
if he has occasion to go from one field to
another, or If women in the country wist
bit of gossip at the next cabin or cross
| roads, each sets out with bouudless prepa
ration, arrives as from a ten days pilgrim
age, and giving the donkey a kick or ,
whack in admonition of self-support, new
er recalls 80 trifiing a matter as the beas
until it is wanted for the return trip
Then all any one has to do to get his don
key is to express a wish for it. hord
of lads, whooping and bowling, hunt him
capture him, and rush him to his owner II
perfect hurricane of dust, goads and ho
rid Portuguese msledictions, when his du
, ties are deInurely and faithfully resumed
Other extraordinary ways in which tn
| donkey is here employed were illustrates
on our way from Evors to Beja. The road
seemed constantly filed with them Her
| is q procession ridden by peasant wome
on their way to Evora with all manner @
: country produce swaying from the woode
saddle-yokes. A lone donkey laden wit
water-casks plods along without compar
ion or driver, sent from somewhere I
somewhere over his oft travelled way an
with pitiful look of responsibility in hi
gray old face. Here comes a bevy CON
pletely hidden by piles of corn-leave
| heaped 80 high that the stacks appear
be tremulously waltzing into Evora on il
, visible legs. Bells jangle in a mufied wa
/! beneath the fodder; and barefooted Lad
d. prod the bobbing mysteries viciousl!
y along a slender pathway beneath hug
t wall of rock, laden with rye and corn
0 casks and paniers. Two are met sustain
ing a strong beam across their backs, an
!, to this beam tree-trunk, ready for MANI
y facture into lumber in the city, is attache
! for conveyance in this outlandish way.
But this oldest burden of all was owe
taken as we were nearing Beja-haviu
3 wended our way past fountains where dol
= keys, peasants and water-carriers all 10
tered to bray, babble and gossip, ov'
: hills. down valleys, past roadside shrine
and through half dozen struggling sleeI
!. | villages. 1t was q patient having m
d with some accident with which villa
= skill was unable to cope, being transport,
= to ''da Misericordia" at Beja, where . So
t gical operation must be performed. Tv
X timbers were fastened lengthwise along q
donkeys' backs. From the ends of the
I, other timbers extended across from ba'
y to back, securely fastened with thong
and from the latter ropes depended, 50
tanning a rude hemlock of pine staye
,e which were covered with the stout lin
woven by the peasantry. The suffers
~ smoking a cigar with great relish and CO
seriousness of his temporary importsnS
AZ was thus being quite comfortably borne
the hospital, accompanied by large de
"A CATION of neighbors and relatives, all up
a donkeys and all prompted by their symT
thetic natures to continually give expr'
sion to grievsus meanings and lamen
an | tions.
On the way many interesting experien'
and incidents illustrative of the custol
e5 of the country and the characteristics
40 the people were enjoyed. Near one Lit
Il hamlet named, think, Wanna, we n
e, the procession of "Nosso Senhor,n as
|, Host or last sacrament to the dying
u called. We dismounted from our donk,
IS and knelt with the peasants about MS
at the solemn procession went by. II '
preceded by villagers who scattered q
is matte leaves in the road before It,
ID white-frocked acolyte was In advance q
ing o strangely toned bell in measul
In strokes. The priest, clad In 9 gorge
chasublr, walking under red silk eane
he held in its place by four supporting yout
followed. He bore in his hand q sil
8 vessel containing the sacred emblem
consolation. At his side marched wi
-.-u..d ohar; sfara and acolyteg oarry