Portugal -- History -- Joseph, 1750-1777 -- Fiction
yellow-sided Dutchman, laden with cheeses in the shape of cannon balls.
Among them were seen, in strong contrast, the graceful, high-pointed
lateen sails of the Portuguese Rasca, used chiefly in the coasting
trade; and the native schooner, or Hiate, with hulls not destitute of
beauty, but rigged with masts raking at different angles, and their
gaffs peaked at unequal heights; and also the curious Lisbon
fishing-boat, shaped like a bean-pod, curving up at stem and stern, with
a short rounded deck at each end, and a single high lateen sail. Then
there were sloops, schooners, etc., etc., but all made way for the royal
cruiser, as she proudly sailed up the stream, lowering their flags as
she passed them in mark of respect. Passing close to the white tower of
Belem and its gothic church at the westernmost part of Lisbon, they at
length dropped their anchor opposite to that picturesquely-beautiful
city, which rises on many hills from the shores of the wide-flowing
Tagus, the white buildings glittering in the sun, crowned by the dark
frowning castle, surrounded by suburbs intermixed with gardens filled
with the richly-tinted orange-trees; but it was in those days very
inferior in point of size and beauty to what it is now, and, alas! on
entering it, its outward promise was found to be sadly deceptive; the
streets were narrow, ill ventilated, and badly constructed, with a
degree of dirt far surpassing that of any other European city; the
extraordinary healthiness of the climate, and the heavy rains, aided by
the canine scavengers which swarmed in it, and contributed to carry off
the impurities, alone preventing it from being yearly visited by the
plague, which the inhabitants took no other means to avoid. Amid this
collection of dirt were, however, to be found numerous fine palaces,
rich convents for both sexes, highly adorned churches of elegant
architecture, and various other public buildings surpassed by few cities
of the time. The river is here several miles in breadth; and on the
opposite shore, which is composed of rugged cliffs, once stood old
Lisbon, [Note], the ancient capital of Lusitania; while, looking up the
stream, it has, from its wide extent, the appearance of a magnificent
lake, which diminishes considerably the apparent height of its banks.
As it is not our intention to give a topographical description of
Lisbon, we will return to the more interesting subject, we doubt not, of
our narrative. No sooner were the sails furled, and the anchor had
touched the ground, than, as the gallant bark rode securely on the
smooth surface of the Tagus, she was surrounded by hundreds of boats,
filled with eager and questioning passengers, and such shouts, cries,
and vociferations, filled the air, that it was difficult to hear an
order given or a reply made.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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