ated, having been the residence of the early kings of Portugal, and the birth-place of Alphonso Henrique, its first sovereign. The Collegiate Church, before it was Italianized, was very beautiful in the interior; its collection of antiquities, of a given kind, is valuable. From its tower is a pleasant view. The Moorish (or, as some think, the Roman) towers, which yet remain, deserve attention; the old palace is now a barrack. The inn opposite to the church is pretty good. In times past Guimarãens was a place of importance; it was the capital of those parts of Portugal which were being gradually rescued from the hands of the Moors, but now it has

"A palace without a king,

A cathedral without a prelate,
And a bridge without a river."

From Guimarãens to Amarante is a ride of a very pleasing character, through scenery of every kind of beauty and splendour.

From Guimaraens to the Caldas de Vizella is a very agreeable ride of about six miles. These caldas are often marvellous in their effects on rheumatic invalids; one of them is nearly at boiling heat; all are more or less impregnated with sulphur. The Romans knew their value, and used them, as is gathered from some remains and from

ancient authors. From the residence of an English gentleman, who always shows it with courtesy, there is a charming view of the river and mountains of this interesting place. From Vizella to Penafiel is a beautiful ride, if the traveller do not prefer going to Oporto by the Agrella Mountain, which latter road is about 6 leagues in extent.

From Oporto to S. Thirso and Guimaraens is an attractive day's journey, the distance being 7 leagues, over five of which the traveller can go with great comfort, the road having been but lately made, and being yet in a good state of preservation: most of the scenery is of a beautiful and striking character, especially in the neighbourhood of S. Thirso, with its fine convent. The Inn of Senhora Joanna, opposite to the Collegiate Church at Guimarãens, is recommended.

From Guimaraens the traveller can either go to Bom Jesus, or he can at once proceed to the Caldas do Gerez by way of N. Sa. do Porto and S. Torquato, taking with him a guide as far as Pardieiros, and such provision as may be needful for the way, with which he can be well supplied at Guimarãens. The scenery is as beautiful as it is of never-ending variety.

From Braga to Pinheiro the country is “beautiful exceedingly," the traveller ascending first to Carvalho, and descending to Pinheiro, with the Val do Gerez on his left. At Pinheiro there are the remains of an old castle, in a picturesque position, to which castle Don Affonso Henrique consigned his mother, Donna Thereza, after defeating her at the battle of St. Mamede, in 1128; and in which she expired about two years afterwards. At the Pinheiro Inn a guide should be procured to conduct the traveller to St. Mamede, where is a chapel only; the view from the summit is magnificent indeed, embracing, towards the west, the valley of the Cavado and the ocean; to the north, the Gerez; and to the east, the Cabreira Mountain, like a huge whale in shape. The rocks beyond the chapel are of stupendous size, and unitedly give at a distance the

idea of an enormous fortification, seen from every quarter of the country. From St. Mamede the guide should accompany the traveller to the Caldas do Gerez, as St. Mamede is not in the high road to those caldas, close to which caldas is a village of many houses, inhabited only in the summer, by persons from all parts resorting thither for the restoration of their health. In the winter, or in spring, it is needful to engage a person at Villar de Veiga, to go up to the caldas to open one of the houses, and to carry provender for the cattle and food for the travellers, who at that season may visit the Gerez, though at Villar de Veiga accommodation is afforded, in the most obliging manner, by some of the farmers, to foreigners who wish to remain a few days in that delightful vicinity, and from which some excursions can be made with greater ease than from the caldas; viz., the excursion to Salamonde, to Nossa Senhora d'Abbadia, and to the Outeiro-Maior by way of Freitas and Covide, instead of going up the fearfully steep mountain directly west of the caldas. The waters of these Caldas do Gerez are chiefly beneficial in cases of diseased liver, or in strengthening the digestive organs; they are of considerable heat, and tasteless. From this village many delightful excursions could be made.

1. To Portella de Homem, a distance of two leagues, but no less than four hours being required to arrive at it; the ascent to the highest part of the path leading into Spain is wild and singularly beautiful, especially to him who ever and anon turns his head to the south, to witness the increasing loveliness of the apparent amphitheatre which he previously traversed on his way to the Cavado, before arriving at Villar de Veiga; and when the path downwards to the Spanish frontier is followed, between trees and shrubs of every variety, the view becomes more and more majestic, the rivulet cheering the wanderer with its music, till it enters the Rio Homem, or filling him with astonishment, when, in rainy weather, it swells into an overwhelming torrent. At its union with the Rio Homem, the traveller can turn to the left into the valley through which that river runs, and ramble over the Roman road to Braga, in which there are yet many milliaria and remains of Roman stations; or he can examine the two portions of arches which yet exist of bridges which that conquering people built over the confluent streams, which in their courses directed them how to enter into Lusitania. It is, however, always worth the trouble to go to the boundary of Spain and Portugal, and there will be seen the columns