SWABEY DIARY. 187. 
Portugal, but being prepared it did not give us so much trouble as some. 
we have had. 
Bull having halted at Nisa, I dined with him, and met Colonel Hlley 
and Lord H. Somerset.! 
2nd March.—March to Alpalhio. The cultivation here assumes an 
aspect more indicative of industry; so much so, that I am willing to ad- 
mit, as an excuse for the country I have hitherto seen, the much greater 
proportion in which it has suffered from the French. I must still call 
this side of the Tagus the best cultivated. The town, where we had: 
excellent houses, was different from the usual sort, cleanliness and con- 
venience more consulted, chimneys in every house, and the floors, 
upstairs and down, neatly paved with brick without any support but 
the rafters, which are slight and without beams; the rooms are neatly 
painted, though taste does not hold her reign in these performances. 
This town will hold 1,000 cavalry. 
3rd March.—Shot my way with Colonel Hlley to Altar de Chao which 
was our roule. We had excellent quarters, the towns still improving 
as we go. On our ride we saw several storks, which at Nisa are as 
domestic as crows in a rookery and perch on the tops of the houses. 
We passed Crato where there is an extensive pottery, the first manu- 
factory I have seen in Portugal in which the ware is glazed. Crato is 
calculated to hold 1,100 cavalry, Altar de Chao 1,500, Nisa 1,100, 
Alkains 800. 
4th March.—March to Fronteira, another commodious and clean 
town, the people and their habitations considerably improved, shops 
for the sale of linens, etc. Our horses got some chaft here, a seasonable 
assistant to rye-grass. 
5th March.—Marched to Estremoz, which is a spacious and well- 
built town, with shops and trade of almost every description. Oranges. 
in abundance, ripe and cheap, six and seven for I$d. This place has 
been formerly fortified, the walls now stand, but the situation is of too 
little importance for it to be repaired or garrisoned; the works are 
weak and ill-constructed. here is a citadel placed in a commanding 
situation, many convents, etc. It is no less true than remarkable that 
in the dry weather no water is to be had between this place and Altar 
de Chio. The cultivation is good, and country productive. 
6th March.—Marched through Borba to Villa Vicosa, the end of our 
long route. Both these towns justify the preference given to this part 
of Portugal. The 5th Dragoon Guards and part of the 7th division 
occupy the town with us. Our men and horses are lodged in the 
palace. Captain Bull’s troop is in the castle, looking out of windows 
up three pair of stairs. Last night some of the horses fell through the 
ceiling, to the great astonishment of their fellow brutes in the storey 
below them. 
7th March.—Spent my day at the troop stables endeavouring to cure 
the sore backs of which, in this march, we have more than our share. 
Sth March.—Went in the morning to see Sir Stapleton Cotton inspect 
1 Lieut.-Colonel 4th Dragoon Guards. 
