The evening times., 1899-09-18
PoRTUGAL's SEASIDE RESORT.
Ancestral Fashions Are Observed at
Quaint Cascaes.
(From Chambers Journal.)

Ahdilbrio SOuihaA-t
AT Cascaes everybody who is anybody
gets up at 5 O'Clock, and-in fannels of
every shade and style, white linen coats
and frocks, and such like easy and airy
garments-wanders 1 down to the little
sandy bay to battle. sHere the arrangements
are very primitive Little fimsy cotton
tents, too small for an average English
man TO stand UP OF turn about IN, are
pitched anyhow in "a compact mass; they
are nearly transparent, and collapse at
puff of wind or an ihcautious foot treading
on a guyrope. Their discomfort is intense,
yet although several Frenchmen have
tried to get concession to put up bathing
cabins, TO be removed in winter, they are
always refused and things go on in the
old happy way. However the gayety Of
the bathers is in no way affected by the
wretched accommodation. Everybody
knows everybody. and the chatter and
laughter are incessant. The royalties
bathe with everybody else. splashing and
skyiarking in the water without restraint
with their subjects, and all the world
seems to enjoy the early dip amazingly.
At Estoril you may see the garments
of Trouville and Dieppe, but at Cascaes
the old fashioned blue serge shapeless gar
ment of our ancestors is de rigueur. By
all is over, the beach deserted and the
tents struck, and the good folk betake
themselves home to breakfast, and then,
with closed sun blinds. sleep away the
heat of the day. AT least this is the pre-
yalent idea, but should you get a peep
behind the jealously closed green shutters
/ fancy you might see many merry card
party, in light and airy costume, in the
cool and shady north rooms, iced drinks
being much in evidence. Your "Portugee'
is an inveterate gambler, dice being his
chosen method. During these playing
L.
pearance, dead; stray dog or an English
tourist the sole living thing that may ven
ture out.
About o'clock in the afternoon the hui
man ant heap wakes, and the one drive,
level stretch of road along the top of the
cliffs to the north, extending about a mile
and catching every stray breath from the
Atlantic is crowded. But the mornings
simplicity has changed, at least as far as
the ladies are concerned The latest
Partisan creations dazzle the eye; even
the men. while still sporting fiannels and
white ducks, have them cut in the latest
fashion, and the ties must be seen to be
believed. A Portuguese swell devotes his
! whole attention to his linen and his tie;
both are beautiful to behold. But-alas
that I have to write it,-fne feathers do
not in this case make fine birds. The Por-
tuguese are ugly-very. OF all the we'll
people, the Queen stands out a brilliant
exception, as she skillfully guides her four
in-hand through the throng, tall, COM
! manding figure, acknowledging her sub
jects' salutes with dignified sweetness. She
IS not Portuguese. The King with a straw
hat on his nose and most enormous cigar
protruding from under it-he has these
specially made-drives a pair, with an
! aide dec camp beside him; but his brother,
| Don Alfonso, tears along full pelt, driving
| four huge black mules in a high brake,
| with rope harness and many bells and red
! tassels. He stands up on the box, fiogging
| them mercilessly with short handled,
! long lashed stockwhip, now and again
rapping out weird swear words at those
| who do not get out of his way fast enough.
| It is not one of the most edifying sights of
| Cascaes. 1T
| Just before o'clock all the carriages are
pulled up close to the palace; their occu-
pants get out, and everybody stands about
! In groups, sossiping and shaking hands,
| on a long terrace that overhangs the sea
| and catches the setting sun full The
King talks confidenIially to his friends,
and everybody has the right to kiss the
| Queens hand; and at all disperse to
! dress for dinner.
At o'clock the military band that plays
| during the royal dinner comes out into the
| big yard of the fort and plays there; and
| then all who wish-fishermen, townspeo-
| pie, tourists, and all--are admitted over
the drawbridge and through the big gates
| and crowd and perspire and jostle to their
| hearts content, while the royal party looks
| down and grins at them from the breezy
| heights of the battlemeEts. This is called
pece frito, or fried fish, and it expresses
the idea exactly.