BEIRA. 



BEIRUT. 



o;o 



river Douro ; S. and S.W. by Alemtejo and Estremadura ; E. by Leon 

 and Spanish Estremadura ; and W. by the Atlantic Ocean. The 

 greatest length north to south is about 120 miles ; the greatest width 

 east to west is about 115 miles ; the length of coast is about 80 miles. 

 The area is 9765 square miles : the population in 1841 was 1,455,146. 

 The province is divided into three parts, or minor provinces, and six 

 districts, which, with their respective areas and populations, are as 

 follows : 



Provinces. 



Beira Alta . Vizeu 

 Beira Bai*a . 



Districts 



Sq. Miles. Pop. in 1841. 



Douro 



, 

 Castello Branco 



Porto . 



Aveiro 



Coiffibra 



1291 

 2128 

 2474 

 1037 

 1458 

 1327 



9765 



289,038 

 197,470 

 128,730 

 361,600 

 233,945 

 244,303 



1,455,140 



Beira Alta (High Beira) is comprised between the river Douro and 

 the Serra de Estrella, with the Serra de Alcoba for its western limit ; 

 Beira Buixa (Low Beira), between the Serra de Estrella and the Tagus ; 

 and Douro, between the Serra de Alcoba and the coast formerly 

 called Beira Mar, or Maritime Beira. 



The 6 districts are subdivided into 45 comarcas, or judiciary divi- 

 sions, 164 concelhos, or communal divisions, and 1575 parishes, as 

 follows : 



Districts. 



Comarcas. Concclhos. 



Vizeu 10 40 



Guarda ...... 7 30 



Castello Branco .... 5 17 



Porto 9 21 



Aveiro ...... 7 24 



Coimbra ...... 7 32 



45 1G4 



Parishes. 

 344 

 344 

 151 

 371 

 172 

 193 



1575 



Surface. Two mountain ranges occupy the central parts of this 

 province the Serra de Eatrella and the Serra de Alcoba; besides 

 which the Sierra de Gato enters from Spain, and fills up much of the 

 southern part. The Serra de Estrella, which at some points has an 

 elevation of 7500 feet above the sea, rises in the northern part of the 

 province, and crossing it in a direction from north-west to south-east, 

 enters Estremadura, where it takes the names of Serra de LouzaO and 

 Serra do Junto, and terminates on the coast between Torres Vedras 

 and Lisbon. On the highest part of the Serra de Estrella is a plain 

 9 miles long and 3 miles wide, covered with snow till the month of 

 June, and containing several deep lakes. The Serra de Estrella is 

 chiefly composed of a gray granite. It is the Mons Henninius of the 

 Romans. The other mountain range, the Serra de Alcoba, commences 

 at the banks of the Douro ; it extends in a southern direction, and 

 then turning to the west terminates at Cape Mondego. The highest 

 part of this serra, called the Cabeca do C'afl (Dog's Head), is 1760 feet 

 above the level of the sea. Cape Mondego is 696 feet high. The 

 Serin de Estrella slopes rapidly on both flanks ; on the south-east iuto 

 I ley of the Zezere, which separates it from the branches of the 

 Siurni de Gato ; on the north-west into the valley of the Mondego, 

 which separates it from the Serra de Alcoba. The eastern flank of 

 the Serra de Alcoba is steep, but the western sinks gradually down 

 Into a wide plain, sometimes sandy and sometimes swampy, which 

 extends to the coast. The valley of the Mondego is generally wide, 

 very fertile, and abundantly watered. It is one of the richest and 

 iiiii.^t beautiful valleys in the peninsula. The other valleys are small, 

 md run irregularly among the numerous offsets which branch out from 

 the main mountain ranges and cover the greater part of the province. 



Rivers. The Douro flows along the whole of the northern boundaiy 

 of Beira, and the Tagus forms the lowest part of its southern boundary. 

 The eastern boundary is formed partly by the Elgas, which flows 

 southward into the Tagus, and partly by the Turoues, which flows 

 northward into the Douro. The Mondego is the largest river of the 

 interior. It riaes in the Lago Escura of the Serra de Estrella, and 

 flown to the north-west as far as the small town of Fornos, when it 

 turns to the south-west, and afterwards to the south ; it then takes 

 an eastern course and flows past Coimbra to the sea, which it enters 

 by an lestuary at Figueira. The Mondego receives numerous affluents 

 on the left bank from the Serra de Estrella, and a few on the right 

 from the Serra de Alcoba. Its whole course is about 100 miles. The 

 head-streams of the Coa rise partly in the Sierra de Gato and partly 

 in the Serra de Estrella ; the river flows northward to the Douro, 

 receiving on the west bank the Pinhel and the Lamegal. The Vouga 

 flows in a west-north-west direction to the sea between Aveiro and 

 Orar. The Zezere traverses the south-eastern flank of the Serra 

 de Estrella ; it afterwards flows southward, enters Estremadura, and 

 falls into the Tagus. The smaller rivers are very immerous. 



Climate and Productions. The general character of Beira is moun- 

 tainous and hilly. The highest parts of the mountains are covered 

 with snow during a great part of the year ; but the slopes afford 

 abundant pasturage to great numbers of cattle and sheep, whilst 

 forests of oaks and chestnuts supply plenty of nourishment to herds 

 of nwine. The low districts are hot, and in some parts damp and 

 unhealthy, but they produce abundant crops of maize. In the upland 



levels extensive fields of wheat, barley, and rye afford evidence of 

 fertile soil and industrious cultivation. The valley of the Moudego 

 produces oranges, lemons, figs, and other fruits, and the terraces of 

 the mountains which inclose it are planted with vines and olive- 

 trees. The honey of Beira is in great repute. Small game is in 

 abundance, and the streams as well as the coast supply plenty of 

 fish. Salt is made from sea-water on the coast. The inhabitants are 

 generally employed in agriculture, the pasturing of cattle, sheep, and 

 swine, and in the fisheries oil the coast ; and a tolerable trade is 

 carried on in olive-oil, maize, oranges, lemons, wool, honey, wax, salt, 

 hams, ewe-milk cheese, and other products. Some coarse earthen- 

 ware is made. 



Towns. Coimbra is the capital of Beira. [COIMBKA.] Almeida, & 

 fortified town, is situated on a hill between the Coa and the Turones, 

 95 miles N.E. from Coimbra. Ita strong position near the frontier, 

 only 30 miles from the Spanish fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo, has made 

 it a place of considerable military importance. It was taken by the 

 French under Massena in 1810, and retaken by the Anglo-Spanish 

 army in 1811 : population, 6000. Areiro, 30 miles N.N.W. from 

 Coimbra, is situated on the southern shore of the rcstuary of the 

 Vouga. The town is encircled by an ancient wall, outside of which 

 are four suburbs. Aveiro is separated from the sea by a bar of sand- 

 hills formed by the tide at the mouth of the Vouga, which forms a 

 small haven. Over this bar vessels that do not draw above 8 or 9 feet 

 of water may safely pass. The small gulf opposite the town is 

 covered with little islands, on which the inhabitants make great 

 quantities of common salt; this article, oranges, and salt-fish form 

 their principal branch of export. The lampreys of the Vuuga, and 

 the shell-fish of that part of the coast are in great request. Castello 

 Branco, 64 miles E.S.E. from Coimbra, stands on a hill encircled by 

 walls and crowned by a ruined castle (the ' White Castle,' which gives 

 name to the town) : population, 6000. Oaslcl Jiodriyo is a small 

 fortified town near the Spanish frontier, 18 miles K. from Almeida. 

 Feira, 14 miles S. by E. from Oporto, stands in a fertile plain. It 

 contains a church and an hospital : population, 2000. Figueira, 

 24 miles W.S.W. from Coimbra, of which it is the port, stands on 

 the north bank of the sestuary of the Mondego. The harbour is 

 difficult for large vessels to enter. It has an active commerce, arising 

 chiefly from the export of salt, olive-oil, wine, raisins, oranges, and 

 other products of the province ; and is a favourite bathing-plaoe : 

 population, 6500. Guarda, a fortified town, built on the site of the 

 Lancia Oppidana of the Romans, 66 miles N.E. from Coimbra, stands 

 on the northern slope of the Serra de Estrella. It is the see of a 

 bishop, suffragan of the patriarch of Lisbon. It is surrounded by 

 ancient walls flanked with towers, and is further defended by a citadel. 

 It contains a handsome cathedral and a large bishop's palace : popu- 

 lation, 3000. San Joan da Pesqueira, a fortified town on the south 

 bank of the Douro, 70 miles E. from Oporto, stands at the head of 

 the navigation of the Douro, the river here having a fall which 

 prevents further progress upwards: population, 1700. Lamrgo, 

 46 miles E. from Oporto, and 36 miles N.N.E. from Viseu, stands at 

 the foot of the Serra Penuda, near the west bank of the Balsamao, 

 a small affluent of the Douro. It is surrounded by walls, and lias 

 an old castle. It is the see of a bishop, suffragan of the patriarch of 

 Lisbon, and contains a cathedral and a large bishop's palace. It has 

 some good streets and handsome houses, and there are some inter- 

 esting remains, Roman and Moorish : population, 9000. Montemor-o- 

 Viitho, 12 miles W.S.W. from Coimbra, stands on the right bank of 

 the Mondego. It is surrounded by walls and defended by a fortress : 

 population, 2500. Ocar, 16 miles N. from Aveiro, stands at the 

 mouth of the river Ovar which enters the sestuary of tho Vouga. It 

 is a well-built town, with well-paved and clean streets. The harbour 

 is protected by a mole. The inhabitants carry on an active fishery, 

 and have also some foreign commerce : population, 10,500. Pinhel, 

 12 miles N.N.W. from Almeida, and 26 miles N.N.E. from Guarda, 

 stands on the west bank of the river Pinhel, near its entrance iuto 

 the Coa. It is surrounded by walls. It is the see of a bishop, 

 suffragan of the archbishop of Braga, and contains a cathedral, a 

 bishop's palace, a town-hall, and schools of Latin and Rhetoric. It 

 is ornamented with handsome fountains : population, 2500. Trancoso, 

 26 miles E. from Viseu, stands in a plain, and is surrounded by 

 ancient walls flanked with towers, and entered by four large gates 

 and three small ones. It is also defended by an old fortress : popu- 

 lation, 1300. Viseu, 50 miles N.N.E. from Coimbra, stands on 

 elevated ground, which is covered with vines, olive-trees, and various 

 kinds of fruit-trees. The town is not well built. It is the seat of a 

 bishop, suffragan of the archbishop of Braga, and contains a cathedral. 

 It has a college preparatory for the university of Coimbra, and a 

 larv;: liN.ipital. It has two large si|imivs, in MIIC uf which is annually 

 held one of the largest fairs in Portugal. It is an ancient town, and 

 contains remains of Roman and gothic buildings, and some of the 

 houses are of Moorish architecture : population, 7000. 



(Map of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knoioledye ; 

 Antillou ; Bory de St. Vincent, Resume tjini/rn/i/ii'/ue de la Peninsule 

 Jbcrique, Paris, 1827; Miuano, Diccionario Geoyrajico ; Dictionnairc 

 Geoyraphique f/nivcrsel.) 



BEIRUT, or BEYRUT, is a town of Syria, iii the pashalio of Acre, 

 on the shores of the Mediterranean, situated on tho south side of an 



