OUTWARD BOUND. 



are pretty, and they are mostly very dark. Being cooped 

 up below like hens in a basket, most of them are on deck 

 all day. 



On the Atlantic. 



June 13, 1883. — Now I must tell you a little about 

 our stay at Lisbon yesterday. At nine we passed Cape 

 Roca, and near Cintra, which latter is about fourteen miles 

 by road from Lisbon. Entering the Tagus at 10.30, the 

 colour of the water changed, in a well-defined line, from 

 deep blue to yellow-green. The north bank is low, bare of 

 trees, and slightly undulating ; the rugged range of hills by 

 Cintra rising from the plains on the horizon. The south 

 bank is also low and sandy, uninteresting and uncultivated. 

 There is a lighthouse built on a spit of land on the south 

 side ; and on the north bank is a fine fort, built on rocks 

 detached from the shore and standing in the water. The 

 Tower of B^lem on the north bank is the boundary of the 

 town, which extends thence some miles to the east. This 

 tower, a very handsome old stone building at the entrance 

 of the harbour, was built by Joao V., and is covered with 

 shields and coats of arms carved in stone. 



The city is beautifully situated on high, rapidly rising, 

 and undulating ground ; it contains an immense number of 

 very fine buildings, both new and old. Cathedral, churches, 

 monasteries, convents, and arsenal, are all seen from the 

 river ; the chief edifice, however, on which the eye rests is 

 the Royal Palace, a large square building, standing on very 

 high ground, and rising far above the other houses. The 

 deep blue sky, brilliant sun, and perfectly clear atmosphere 

 added to the beauty of the scene ; the glaring white of the 

 houses being relieved by the green Venetian blinds, the 

 olive trees, the cypresses (in the cemeteries), and the vines. 



