890 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



THi: ROYAL SUMMER PALACK AT CINTRA, NKAR LISBON, THE) CASTLE PENHA 



Originally a Jeronomite monastery built by King Emmanuel to commemorate the voyage of 



Vasco da Gama (see page 894) 



tears" is the spot called to this day, and 

 a crumbling little gothic convent founded 

 by the lover king between this and the 

 river bears the name of "the convent of 

 tears" (see illustration, p. 872). 



Coimbra is famous as the seat of learn- 

 ing for all Portugal — for many centu- 

 ries, and still, the only university town 

 in the realm. The huge square bulk of 

 the university buildings on the crest of 

 the hill overlooking the town typify the 

 absolute domination of the place by the 

 academical tradition. The hotel on the 

 Alameda, like other hostelries of its sort, 

 has no lack of commercial customers, 

 but even they, assertive as they are, are 

 swamped by the university professors, 

 stafif, and graduates who flock to its 

 tables for their meals, whilst in the 

 streets bookshops jostle each other, all 

 filled with text-books, and the unmis- 

 takable students are everywhere. 



There was some stay at Pombal, where 

 it was a feast day, and the peasant cos- 



tumes were seen at their best — good, up- 

 standing people these, gaily clad, sober, 

 and orderly, coming to the railway sta- 

 tions in good time and unhurried, but not 

 hours before -the train starts, as the 

 peasants do in Spain. 



In the market, under the shadow of 

 the great mediaeval castle ruins on the 

 hill, they do their buying and selling, 

 livestock for the most part today, with- 

 out vociferation, but with an earnest 

 quietness which is as far as possible from 

 depression. Here at Pombal, and at Al- 

 bergaria, near, the men wear brown, 

 undyed homespun jackets and trousers 

 girt with red sashes. The bag cap is 

 almost universal, and mutton-chop whis- 

 kers are the rule, but what will attract a 

 foreign visitor most in their dress are 

 the curious triple-caped ulsters, made of 

 layers of grass, seen in many places in 

 Portugal in wet weather, but especially 

 in this neighborhood. These garments, 

 bulky as they look, are not heavy, and are 



