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On　my　leaving　him；　the　boy　came　from　his　hiding…place　and　rejoined　　me；　he　said　his　reason　for　hiding　himself　was　fear　that　his　master　　might　know　that　it　was　he　who　brought　me　to　him；　for　that　the　old　　man　was　ashamed　of　appearing　in　the　character　of　a　schoolmaster。　　I　　asked　the　boy　whether　he　or　his　parents　were　acquainted　with　the　　Scripture　and　ever　read　it；　but　he　did　not　understand　me。　　I　must　　here　observe　that　the　boy　was　fifteen　years　of　age；　and　that　he　was　　in　many　respects　very　intelligent　and　had　some　knowledge　of　the　　Latin　language；　nevertheless　he　knew　not　the　Scripture　even　by　　name；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　at　least　one　half　of　his　countrymen　　are；　in　that　respect；　no　wiser　than　himself。　　I　have　questioned　the　　children　of　Portugal　at　the　doors　of　village　inns；　at　the　hearths　　of　their　cottages；　in　the　fields　where　they　labour；　at　the　stone　　Mountains　by　the　way…sides　where　they　water　their　cattle；　about　the　　Scripture；　the　Bible；　the　Old　and　New　Testament；　and　in　scarcely　　one　instance　have　they　known　what　I　was　alluding　to　or　could　return　　me　a　rational　answer；　though　in　all　other　instances　I　had　no　reason　　to　complain　of　their　want　of　apprehension。　　Indeed　nothing　has　　surprised　me　more　than　the　free　and　unembarrassed　manner　with　which　　the　Portuguese　peasantry　sustain　a　conversation；　and　the　purity　of　　the　language　in　which　they　express　their　thoughts；　and　yet　very　few　　of　them　can　write　or　read；　whereas　the　peasantry　of　our　own　　country；　whose　education　is　in　general　much　superior；　are　in　their　　conversation　coarse　and　dull　almost　to　brutality；　and　absurdly　　ungrammatical　in　the　language　which　they　use；　though　the　English　　tongue；　upon　the　whole；　is　more　simple　in　its　grammar　than　the　　Portuguese。

On　my　way　back　from　Mafra　to　Cintra　I　very　nearly　lost　my　life。　　As　　the　night　was　closing　in　fast；　we　left　the　regular　road　by　the　　advice　of　the　guide；　and　descending　the　hill　on　which　Mafra　stands　　reached　the　bottom　of　the　valley；　from　which　there　is　a　narrow　　pathway　winding　round　the　next　hill；　exceedingly　steep；　with　a　　precipice　on　the　left　side；　the　horse　on　which　I　was　mounted；　and　　which　was　by　no　means　suited　for　such　climbing；　in　his　violent　　struggles　to　accomplish　the　ascent　burst　the　girth　of　the　saddle；　　so　that　I　was　cast　violently　off；　with　the　saddle　beneath　me。　　　Fortunately；　I　fell　on　the　right　side；　or　I　should　have　rolled　down　　the　hill　and　probably　have　been　killed；　as　it　was；　I　remained　　stunned　and　senseless　for　two　or　three　minutes；　when　I　revived；　and　　with　the　assistance　of　the　guide　and　the　man　who　waits　on　me；　　walked　up　the　remaining　part　of　the　hill；　when；　the　saddle　being　　readjusted；　I　mounted　again。　　I　was　very　drowsy　and　stupid　for　two　　or　three　days；　from　the　influence　of　the　fall；　but　I　am　happy　to　　say　at　present；　thanks　to　the　Almighty；　I　have　long　ceased　to　feel　　any　inconvenience　from　it。

On　my　return　to　Lisbon　I　saw　Mr。　Wilby；　who　received　me　with　great　　kindness；　the　next　ten　days　were　exceedingly　rainy　and　prevented　me　　from　making　any　excursions　into　the　country；　and　during　this　time　I　　saw　him　frequently　and　had　a　good　deal　of　conversation　with　him；　　concerning　the　best　means　of　causing　God's　glorious　Gospel　to　be　　read　in　Portugal。　　He　informed　me　that　four　hundred　copies　of　the　　Bible　and　New　Testament　were　arrived；　and　he　thought　that　we　could　　do　no　better　than　put　them　into　the　hands　of　the　booksellers；　but　I　　strongly　advised　that　at　least　half　of　them　should　be　entrusted　to　　colporteurs；　to　hawk　about；　upon　receiving　a　certain　profit　on　　every　copy　they　sold。　　He　thought　the　idea　a　good　one；　as　far　as　　regards　Lisbon；　but　said　that　no　colporteur　would　venture　to　carry　　them　about　the　country；　as　the　fanatical　priests　would　probably　　cause　him　to　be　assassinated。　　He　was　kind　enough　to　promise　to　　look　out　for　people　suited　to　make　the　essay　in　the　streets　of　　Lisbon；　and　as　the　lower　orders　are　very　poor　I　wrote　to　Mr。　　Whiteley　at　Oporto；　requesting　to　be　informed　whether　he　had　any　　objection　to　our　selling　the　books　to　the　populace　at　Lisbon　at　a　　lower　price　than　a　CRUZADO　NOVO；　which　he　had　determined　to　sell　　them　at。　　I　thought　it　but　right　to　consult　him　on　the　subject；　as　　the　Society　are　under　great　obligations　to　him；　and　I　was　unwilling　　to　do　anything　at　which　he　could　possibly　take　umbrage。　　During　one　　of　my　conversations　with　Mr。　Wilby　I　enquired　which　was　the　　province　of　Portugal；　the　population　of　which　he　considered　to　be　　the　most　ignorant　and　benighted：　　he　replied；　'The　Alemtejo。'　　The　　Alemtejo　means　'the　other　side　of　the　Tagus。'　　This　province　is　not　　beautiful　and　picturesque　like　the　other　portions　of　Portugal；　it　　has　few　hills　or　mountains；　the　greatest　part　of　it　consists　of　　heaths；　broken　by　knolls　and　gloomy　dingles；　swamps；　and　forests　of　　stunted　pine。　　These　places　are　infested　with　banditti；　and　not　a　　week　passes　by　without　horrible　murders　and　desperate　robberies　　occurring。　　The　principal　town　is　Evora；　one　of　the　most　ancient　　cities　in　Portugal；　and　formerly　the　seat　of　an　Inquisition　far　　more　cruel　and　baneful　than　the　terrible　one　of　Lisbon。　　Evora　lies　　about　sixty　miles　from　the　farther　bank　of　the　Tagus；　which　is　at　　Lisbon　three　leagues　broad；　and　to　Evora　I　determined　on　going　with　　a　small　cargo　of　Testaments　and　Bibles。　　My　reasons　I　need　not　　state；　as　they　must　be　manifest　to　every　Christian；　but　I　cannot　　help　thinking　that　it　was　the　Lord　who　inspired　me　with　the　idea　of　　going　thither；　as　by　so　doing　I　have　introduced　the　Scriptures　into　　the　worst　part　of　the　Peninsula；　and　have　acquired　lights　and　　formed　connections　（some　of　the　latter　most　singular　ones；　I　admit）　　which　if　turned　to　proper　account　will　wonderfully　assist　us　in　our　　object　of　making　the　heathen　of　Portugal　and　Spain　acquainted　with　　God's　holy　word。　　My　journey　to　Evora　and　my　success　there　shall　be　　detailed　in　my　next　letter。

G。　BORROW。



LETTER：　8th　January；　1836



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Feb。　15；　1836）　Badajoz；　JANRY。　8；　1836。

JOURNEY　TO　EVORA

AN　EXTRACT　FROM　MY　JOURNAL

ON　the　afternoon　of　the　sixth　of　December　I　set　out　for　this　place；　　accompanied　by　my　servant　Anthonio。　　I　had　been　informed　that　the　　tide　would　serve　for　the　FELOUKS；　or　passage…boats；　employed　in　　crossing　the　Tagus；　at　about　four　o'clock；　but　on　reaching　the　　river's　side　opposite　Aldea　Gallega；　between　which　place　and　Lisbon　　they　ply；　I　found　that　the　tide　would　not　permit　them　to　start　　before　eight　o'clock。　　Had　I　waited　for　them　I　should　probably　have　　landed　at　Aldea　Gallega　at　midnight；　and　I　felt　little　inclination　　to　make　my　ENTREE　in　the　Alemtejo　at　that　hour；　therefore　as　I　saw　　small　boats　which　can　push　off　at　any　time　lying　near　in　abundance；　　I　determined　upon　hiring　one　of　them　for　the　passage；　though　the　　expense　would　be　thus　considerably　increased。　　I　soon　agreed　with　a　　wild…looking　lad　to　take　us　over；　who　told　me　that　he　was　in　part　　owner　of　one　of　the　boats。　　I　was　not　aware　of　the　danger　in　　crossing　the　Tagus　at　any　time　in　these　small　boats　at　its　broadest　　part；　which　is　between　Lisbon　and　Aldea　Gallega；　but　especially　at　　close　of　day　in　the　winter　season；　or　I　should　certainly　not　have　　ventured。　　The　lad　and　his　comrade；　a　miserable　object；　whose　only　　clothing；　notwithstanding　the　severity　of　the　weather；　was　a　　battered　jerkin　and　trousers；　rowed　until　we　had　advanced　about　　half　a　mile　from　the　land；　they　then　hoisted　a　large　sail；　and　the　　lad；　who　seemed　to　be　the　principal　and　to　direct　everything；　took　　the　helm　and　steered。　　The　evening　was　now　setting　in；　the　sun　was　　not　far　from　its　bourne　in　the　horizon；　the　air　was　very　cold；　the　　wind　was　rising；　and　the　waves　of　the　noble　Tagus　began　to　be　　crested　with　foam。　　I　told　the　boy　that　it　was　scarcely　possible　　for　the　boat　to　carry　so　much　sail　without　upsetting；　upon　which　he　　laughed；　and　began　to　gabble　in　a　most　incoherent　manner。　　He　had　　the　most　harsh　and　rapid　articulation　that　has　ever　come　under　my　　observation；　it　was　the　scream　of　the　hyena　blended　with　the　bark　　of　the　terrier；　but　it　was　by　no　means　an　index　of　his　disposition；　　which　I　soon　found　to　be　light；　merry；　and　anything　but　malevolent；　　for　when　I；　in　order　to　show　him　that　I　cared　little　about　him；　　began　to　hum：　　'EU　QUE　SOU　CONTRABANDISTA'　（'I；　who　am　a　　smuggler'）；　he　laughed　heartily；　and　clapping　me　on　the　shoulder　　said　that　he　would　not　drown　us　if　he　could　help　it。　　The　other　　poor　fellow　seemed　by　no　means　averse　to　go　to　the　bottom；　he　sat　　at　the　forepart　of　the　boat　looking　the　image　of　famine；　and　only　　smiled　when　the　waters　broke　over　the　side　and　drenched　his　scanty　　clothing。　　In　a　little　time　I　had　made　up　my　mind　that　our　last　　hour　was　come；　the　wind　was　becoming　higher；　the　short　dangerous　　waves　were　more　foamy；　the　boat　was　frequently　on　its　beam…ends；　　and　the　water　came　over　the　lee　side　in　torrents；　but　still　the　　wild　lad　at　the　helm　held　on；　laughing　and　chattering；　and　　occasionally　yelling　out　parts　of　the　Miguelite　air　'QUANDO　EL　REY　　CHEGOU'　＇'When　the　King　arrived'＇；　the　singing　of　which　in　Lisbon　　is　punished　with　imprisonment。　　The　stream　was　against　us；　but　the　　wind　was　in　our　favour；　and　we　sprang　along　at　a　wonderful　rate。　　I　　saw　that　our　only　chance　of　escape　was　in　speedily　getting　under　　the　shelter　of　that　part　of　the　farther　bank　of　the　Tagus；　where　　the　bight　or　bay　commences　at　the　extremity　of　which　stands　Aldea　　Gallega；　as　we　should　not　then　have　to　battle　with　the　waves　of　the　　adverse　stream；　which　the　wind　lashed　into　fury。　　It　was　the　will　　of　the　Almighty　to　permit　us　speedily　to　gain　this　shelter；　but　not　　before　the　boat　was　nearly　filled　with　water；　and　we　were　all　wet　　to　the　skin。　　At　about　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening　we　reached　　Aldea　Gallega；　shivering　with　cold　and　in　a　most　deplorable　plight。

Aldea　Gallega；　or　the　Galician　Village；　for　the　two　words　have　that　　signification；　is　a　place　containing；　I　should　think；　about　four　　thousand　inhabitants。　　It　was　pitchy　dark　when　we　landed；　but　　rockets　soon　began　to　fly　about　in　all　directions；　illumining　the　　air　far　and　wide。　　As　we　passed　along　the　dirty　unpaved　street　　which　leads　to　the　LARGO　or　square　in　which　the　town　is　situated；　a　　horrible