THE MW'VM LIMA AND VIAXNA. IH:] 



n\ir requirements, iiiasmuch as we specially desired to see 

 the beautiful country tliroiif,di wliich our route lay; and 

 moreover, I was bound to reach Oporto on the evening of 

 the follovvinu^ day, which was Saturday, as I had engaii^ed to 

 preach at the English church in that city on the Sunday 

 morning; so we renewed our application at the public 

 office, and persuaded the very obliging clerk in charge 

 (what would certainly never have been listened to for a 

 moment in any less primitive country) to send round to all 

 the passengers who were booked for the following after- 

 noon for Oporto, and invite them to start at an early hour 

 in the morning instead. Tliis was, in fact, carried out, as 

 there was no objection raised by any of our most accom- 

 modating fellow-travellers ; and late in the evening, a 

 message was brought to our hotel, that all had been 

 arranged according to our desire, and one of the public 

 coaches would start the following morning at 4 a.m. 

 This was indeed taking us at our word, and we had hardly 

 bargained for so early a move : however, we were on the 

 alert at 3, and after a rapid breakfast of biscuits and 

 milk, we were out in the square before the diligence office 

 at a quarter to 4, where we found several other sleepy 

 passengers assembled, but no vestige of coach or horses. 

 We all walked up and down in the bright starlight, 

 grumbled and waited, and in half an hour were informed 

 by a hostler that 5 was the hour fixed for the start, but that, 

 in order to ensure punctuality on the part of the passen- 

 gers, it was usual to name an earlier hour. This expla- 

 nation was not calculated to pacify our indignation, but as 

 our Portuguese friends received the information placidly, 

 and merely shrugged their shoulders in reply, we imitated 

 their example, and walked about for another half-hour. 

 During this time a church bell attracted our notice, and 

 on making our way in the direction to which the bell 

 guided us, we were surprised to find at that early hour, 



