Senry 0. Forbes — Denudation — Rain and River. 213 



nificent site of the present Coimbra ; and ere long the steep slope 

 was clothed with bviildings down to the water's edge. Among other 

 works Ataces built a bridge over the river, " probably of one arch, 

 as the river was narrower and very deep." In 1132, this structure 

 having perished beneath the sand, a second was ordered to be 

 erected over it by Count Affonso, in whose person the monarchy of 

 Portugal was soon after established ; and the historian further re- 

 lates, "that in the first years of the monarchy, during which the 

 Count resided in Coimbra, fleets of ships, men of war, and galleys 

 of great size (de grandeza Capaz) came up from the mouth as far 

 as the city, for the river did not then overflow its banks so much 

 nor bring down so much sand as now " [1600-1650], " Its waters," 

 he adds too, " when kept for some time, though sharp, were not 

 unpleasant to the taste ; but their effect on the complexion, or if 

 used in confections for the face, are most prejudicial, because they 

 spoil the skin and make it to wrinkle too soon." This, if fact, 

 would lead us to suspect some chemical impurity in the water, 

 which was not, however, injurious to animal life, for we are further 

 informed that "there was good fishing in the river of chad, lam- 

 preys and eels." The aguadeiras, or water carriers, of the present 

 day, must be ignorant of its injurious properties, or disregard them, 

 for I saw them busily engaged in carrying it into the town for 

 household purposes. The sage historian attempts no explanation of 

 the facts he asserts, as he is "simply a recorder, and knows nothing 

 of medicine." I was unaware of this peculiarity in the water at 

 the time, otherwise I should have obtained some for analysis. I 

 hope, however, to hear in a short time from my friend Dr. Paulino 

 d'Oliveira, Professor of Analytical Chemistry in the University, the 

 result of his examination, and whether there is any gold to be found 

 now in the sand, for " anciently there was much gold taken out 

 close to the river ; and at the top of Pena Cova, there are in many 

 places evident signs whence it has been been got out, and many 

 heaps of stones which the workers have collected." 



In 1438 Affonso V., alarmed at the ravages made by the river, 

 which had before this carried away many of the low-lying houses 

 built by Ataces, and ruined the monastery of Santa Clara on the 

 northern bank, prohibited under heavy penalties the clearing of the 

 undergrowth from the banks for a distance of a league on each side 

 between Cea, at the foot of the Estrella Mountains, and Coimbra. 

 The farmers, however, envious of the rich harvests which could be 

 grown there, by and bye disregarded with impunity this law, and 

 burned down the vegetation which checked the progress of the sand, 

 ploughed and cultivated the lands much to their own advantage, but 

 to the irrevocable devastation of the valley for their successors. 



In 1513, the bridge of 1132 having almost disappeared, a third 

 was added to the two already swallowed up, which has in time sunk 

 down to give place to the goodly structure now uniting the two 

 banks. 



At present nearly the whole plain is covered with sand from 

 Coimbra to the sea ; while year after year recently fertile fields are 



