which the prisoners were kept, I accompanied one of the jailers. After descending a long, narrow, winding staircase, nearly blocked up by the prisoners, anxious to ascend for their rations, I found myself in a large high-vaulted apartment, with unglazed windows, but barred. The jailer climbed up and sounded each bar with a short piece of iron, to discover if any of them had been filed. There were eighty-one prisoners in the room, among whom were several deserters, young fellows in military costume; others were murderers and robbers. Some was still untried; others had long been sentenced to the galleys, or death; all were huddled together, whether their crimes were great or small.

I felt that I had got into strange company; but, although very melancholy, it was deeply interesting to be in the midst of so many human beings, whose features betrayed the violent passions which had caused the perpetration of the bloody deeds which had brought them there. Among them were some handsome men, and the variety of dress had a singular and picturesque effect. Many were well clothed, others were in straw cloaks or sheepskins, and others had nothing but a shawl for covering. Some had provided themselves with mattresses, but most of them had the bare floor for their couch. A very few were working as carpenters and weavers. All were very polite; and, on the whole, I found their quarters greatly superior to what I had been led to

imagine. From there being no glass in the windows, it must be extremely cold during the winter; but there is, however, a current of fresh air, to counteract the close atmosphere and prevent the pestilential diseases which would otherwise arise.

I was much struck by the proof which even these lawless men exhibit of the necessity for a distinction of rank and power, for they invariably elect from among themselves a judge or chief, whom all must implicitly obey; and the one whom they had selected while I was there was a very tall, gentleman-like man, who had committed some half-dozen murders. On receiving permission, the whole, provided with ration-cans, mounted the steps, ranged themselves in the hall, and one by one marched past the man dealing out the soup and the bread, and again immediately descended.

Some had complaints to make; and one man became violently excited, and gesticulated with an elegance and energy which would have called down rounds of applause, had he been on the stage. I afterwards descended into another room where there were about fifty men, and into another with the same number of women. Many of them had children, and the rations for all were served out in the same way as to the men. We then proceeded up another staircase, and entered various rooms occupied by those who could afford to pay for superior accommodation, many of them being gentlemen and trades

men who had been arrested in consequence of the existing insurrection. I had reason to believe that some of the prisoners were kept concealed from visitors; and, on a small door being opened by the jailer, I entered (though at first held back by one of the assistants) a cell so dark that at first I could see nothing; but, shortly, I observed an object, covered with a white cloth, moving in the corner. This man was no doubt a political prisoner; and, without a syllable being uttered, his rations were left with him, and the door closed.

While waiting in the hall, a man, apparently a farmer, was brought in, upon suspicion of being connected with the rebels, and underwent a most minute examination, in order to discover if he was the bearer of any treasonable papers; and so searching was this scrutiny, that his shoes were actually taken off, and the soles ripped open. Nothing suspicious was found; yet the jailer ordered one of the trap-doors to be raised, and closed over this unfortunate creature, who, unless he had some friend with influence, or with money to bribe the officers or judges, would probably remain in prison for years; but, even if condemned to death, he might have the execution deferred as long as money was 'judiciously' applied.

Within the last two or three years, the town and country police has been rendered so efficient that murders or robberies are comparatively rare in the

neighbourhood; and the prison is not nearly so full as formerly, when frequently, owing to its crowded state, the wretched creatures became so excited and violent that it was thought necessary to order the sentries to fire through the windows indiscriminately among them.

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During the time of Don Miguel's usurpation,time still spoken of with horror by the inhabitants of Oporto, the prison was crammed so full that it was represented to the governor of the town (the notorious Telles Jourdão) that there was no space for more.

Is it full to the ceiling?' he demanded. 'No.' 'Then,' added he, 'don't tell me that it is full.' At that dreadful period there was scarcely a respectable family in the town who had not relatives in this prison, and many of them were beheaded in the adjoining square. When Don Pedro entered Oporto, the doors of the jail were broken open, and all were liberated; with the exception of the jailer, whose skull was fractured by the mob as he tried to escape.

Since the period of my visit to this horrible place of confinement, the Portuguese legislature has had under consideration the state of the national prisons, and the establishment of penitentiaries; but I have not heard that any improvement has yet resulted from these deliberations.

The beautiful Douro becomes very turbid and high after much rain in the upper country, and

MANUEL'S NOTIONS OF FIGHTING.

189

in Spain; and as it had risen so much that no boat would venture to cross the bar to meet the mail steamer, I had the prospect of a long detention before me.

There was much kind hospitality in the evenings; and it was easy to pass the forenoons, when not engaged in the lodges, in rambling over the beautiful and interesting neighbourhood. There were few parts with which historical associations of the old war were not connected; while the town itself, and every spot around, showed the marks of the memorable siege ten years before my visit. The effects of round shot and musketry, and of fire, were visible everywhere; and I looked with deep interest on many a field and building of which I had had vivid descriptions from a dear relative who had received many wounds in their defence against the usurper, Don Miguel. In the enthusiasm of the moment, I exclaimed to my guide, 'Manuel, would not you like to be a soldier?' and he replied, Yes, sar, ver much I like fight, but no like be fighted.'

One morning, however, I received a warning that made me very cautious afterwards. Having climbed over several walls, I was sauntering through a field, when I was startled by a loud voice, and, on turning round, was horrified to see a soldier holding his rifle straight at me, and looking very angry. Not knowing what he said, I held up my hands in the most supplicatory manner,