IV 



My Log z67 



the king and ruining the constitutions of his brothers. 

 I have an idea that in the Peninsular War we lost a 

 large number of men who were encamped here, and 

 I think that Trail used to lecture on it at Edinburgh. 

 The theory is that there is a large mass of decaying 

 vegetable matter, deposited by the river, covered by 

 drifting sand through which the malaria percolates. 



On the battle-water of Cape St. Vincent, 1 6t}i Nov. 

 1862. — Though not critically speaking handsome, 

 there is certainly something very bright and pleasant 

 about Lisbon, particularly in the lovely weather we 

 have been lately having. The town is partly built 

 on a projection into the river, and stretches its wings 

 for three or four miles along the shore. The white 

 houses bask and blink in the bright November sun, 

 and though there are no public buildings of any 

 particular prominence or beauty, the height and regu- 

 larity of the houses prevent anything like meanness. 

 In front of the town the river expands into a broad 

 lake, through which the yellow water of the golden 

 Tagus and the clear blue sea -water pursue their 

 respective courses without intermingling. The 

 southern horizon on the other side of this is well 

 closed in by the striking rock-fortress of Palmetta, 

 and a range of hills which are now of the most 

 delicate and tender blue. 



The clear, well-paved streets of Lisbon make a 

 very pleasant lounge. Three of the principal ones, 

 — Gold Street, Cloth Street, and Silver Street, so 

 called from the industries carried on in them — run 



