

116 



INTRUDO. 



thus they dined a second time. The evening 

 ended rather boisterously, but good-humouredly ; 

 the wine was poured out into tumblers, and 

 these being as frequently emptied as if they had 

 been smaller, only a few of the guests returned 

 home the same night ; but those who remained 

 crept off early and quietly on the following 

 morning. 



I accompanied the vicar to Pillar to pass the 

 intrudo at that place. We set off on the Satur- 

 day afternoon, and on our arrival found that 

 the whole clan from Macaxeira and St. Joam 

 had taken up their quarters close to the house 

 which we were to inhabit. In the evening a 

 tight rope-dancer was to exhibit in the open air, 

 and at the appointed hour he took his station, 

 and went through several of the common feats 

 of activity with considerable neatness. He was 

 paid in a singular manner. Before he began to 

 dance, the clown cried out, " Here goes to the 

 health of the vicar," then, after the performer 

 had danced for a few minutes, he stopped, and 

 the clown came to our party, and with many 

 jokes and much pretended ignorance of the 

 vicar's person, he found him out and asked for 

 a donation, as is the custom ; this being acceded 

 to, and the vicar having given what he thought 

 proper, the clown returned to the rope-dancer, 

 upon which a shout was set up by those who 

 were round about him, which was intended as 



