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the　cause　of　their　　going　thus　armed；　he　answered　that　the　roads　were　very　bad　（meaning　　that　they　abounded　with　robbers）；　and　that　these　people　carried　　arms　for　their　defence。　　They　soon　turned　off　to　the　right　towards　　Palmella。

We　reached　a　sandy　plain　studded　with　stunted　pine；　the　road　was　　little　more　than　a　footpath；　and　as　we　proceeded　the　trees　　thickened　and　became　a　wood；　which　extended　for　two　leagues　with　　clear　spaces　at　intervals；　in　which　herds　of　cattle　and　sheep　were　　feeding。　　The　sun　was　just　beginning　to　show　itself；　but　the　　morning　was　misty　and　dreary；　which　together　with　the　aspect　of　　desolation　which　the　country　exhibited　had　an　unfavourable　effect　　on　my　spirits。　　I　got　down　and　walked；　entering　into　conversation　　with　the　man。　　He　seemed　to　have　but　one　theme　of　conversation；　　'the　robbers'　and　the　atrocities　they　were　in　the　habit　of　　practising　in　the　very　spots　we　were　passing。　　The　tales　he　related　　were　truly　horrible；　and　to　avoid　them　I　mounted　again　and　rode　on　　considerably　in　front。

In　about　an　hour　and　a　half　we　emerged　from　the　forest　and　entered　　upon　wild　broken　ground　covered　with　MATO　or　brushwood。　　The　mules　　stopped　to　drink　at　a　shallow　pool；　and　on　looking　to　the　right　I　　saw　a　ruined　wall。　　This；　the　guide　informed　me；　was　the　remains　of　　the　Vendal　Velhas；　or　the　old　inn；　formerly　the　haunt　of　the　　celebrated　robber　Sabocha。　　This　Sabocha；　it　seems；　had；　about　　sixteen　years　since；　a　band　of　forty　ruffians　at　his　command；　who　　infested　these　wilds；　and　supported　themselves　by　plunder。　　For　a　　considerable　time　Sabocha　pursued　his　atrocious　trade　unsuspected；　　and　many　an　unfortunate　traveller　was　murdered；　in　the　dead　of　　night；　at　the　solitary　inn　by　the　wood's　side；　which　he　kept；　　indeed　a　more　fit　situation　for　plunder　and　murder　I　never　saw。　　　The　gang　were　in　the　habit　of　watering　their　horses　at　the　pool；　　and　perhaps　of　washing　therein　their　hands　stained　with　the　blood　　of　their　victims。　　The　brother　of　Sabocha　was　the　lieutenant　of　the　　troop；　a　fellow　of　great　strength　and　ferocity；　particularly　famous　　for　the　skill　he　possessed　in　darting　a　long　knife　and　transfixing　　his　opponents。　　Sabocha's　connection　with　the　gang　at　last　became　　known；　and　he　fled　with　the　greatest　part　of　his　associates　across　　the　Tagus；　to　the　northern　provinces。　　He　and　his　brother　　eventually　lost　their　lives　on　the　road　to　Coimbra；　in　an　　engagement　with　the　military。　　His　house　was　razed　by　order　of　the　　Government。

The　ruins　of　this　house　are　still　frequently　visited　by　banditti；　　who　eat　and　drink　amongst　the　stones　and　look　out　for　prey；　as　the　　place　commands　a　view　of　the　road。　　The　old　man　assured　me　that　　about　two　months　previous；　on　returning　from　Aldea　Gallega　with　his　　mules　from　accompanying　some　travellers；　he　had　been　knocked　down；　　stript　naked；　and　had　all　his　money　taken　from　him；　by　a　fellow　　who；　he　believed；　came　from　this　murderers'　nest。　　He　said　that　he　　was　an　exceedingly　powerful　young　man　with　immense　moustaches　and　　whiskers；　and　was　armed　with　an　ESPINGARDA　or　musket。　　About　ten　　days　subsequently　he　saw　the　robber　at　Vendas　Novas；　where　we　were　　to　pass　the　night。　　The　fellow　on　recognising　him　took　him　aside　　and　threatened；　with　horrid　imprecations；　that　he　should　never　be　　permitted　to　return　home　if　he　attempted　to　discover　him；　he　　therefore　held　his　peace；　as　he　said　there　was　little　to　be　gained　　and　everything　to　be　lost　by　apprehending　him；　as　he　would　have　　been　speedily　set　at　liberty　for　want　of　evidence　to　criminate　him；　　and　then　he　would　not　have　failed　to　have　his　revenge；　or　would　　have　been　anticipated　therein　by　his　comrades。

I　dismounted　and　went　up　to　the　place；　and　saw　the　vestiges　of　a　　fire　and　a　broken　bottle。　　The　sons　of　plunder　had　been　there　very　　lately。　　I　left　a　New　Testament　and　some　tracts　amongst　the　ruins；　　and　hastened　away。

The　sun　had　dispelled　the　mists　and　was　beaming　very　hot；　we　rode　　on　for　about　an　hour；　when　I　heard　the　neighing　of　a　horse　in　our　　rear；　and　our　guide　said　that　there　was　a　party　of　horsemen　behind。　　　Our　mules　were　good；　and　they　did　not　overtake　us　for　at　least　　twenty　minutes。　　The　foremost　rider　was　a　gentleman　in　a　　fashionable　travelling　dress；　a　little　way　behind　were　an　officer；　　two　soldiers；　and　a　servant　in　livery。　　I　heard　the　principal　　horseman；　on　overtaking　Anthonio；　enquiring　who　I　was；　and　whether　　I　was　French　or　English。　　He　was　told　I　was　an　English　gentleman；　　travelling。　　He　then　asked　whether　I　understood　Portuguese；　the　man　　said　I　understood　it；　but　that　he　believed　I　spoke　French　and　　Italian　better。　　The　gentleman　then　spurred　on　his　horse　and　　accosted　me；　not　in　Portuguese；　or　in　French；　or　Italian；　but　in　　the　purest　English　that　I　have　ever　heard　spoken　by　a　foreigner。　　　It　had　indeed　nothing　of　foreign　accent　or　pronunciation　in　it；　and　　had　I　not　known　by　the　countenance　of　the　speaker　that　he　was　no　　Englishman　（for　there　is　a　peculiarity　in　the　English　countenance　　which；　though　it　cannot　be　described；　is　sure　to　betray　the　　Englishman）；　I　should　have　concluded　that　I　was　conversing　with　a　　countryman。　　He　continued　in　company　and　discourse　until　we　arrived　　at　Pegoens。

Pegoens　consists　of　about　two　or　three　houses　and　an　inn；　there　is　　likewise　a　species　of　barrack；　where　half　a　dozen　soldiers　are　　stationed。　　In　the　whole　of　Portugal　there　is　no　place　of　worse　　reputation；　and　the　inn　is　nicknamed　ESTALAGEM　DE　LADROENS；　or　the　　hostelry　of　thieves；　for　it　is　there　that　the　banditti　of　the　　wilderness；　which　extends　around　it　on　every　side　for　leagues；　are　　in　the　habit　of　coming　and　spending　the　fruits　of　their　criminal　　daring；　there　they　dance　and　sing；　feast　on　fricasseed　rabbits　and　　olives；　and　drink　the　muddy　but　strong　wine　of　the　Alemtejo。　　An　　enormous　fire；　fed　by　the　trunk　of　a　cork…tree；　was　blazing　in　a　　niche　on　the　left　hand　on　entering　the　spacious　kitchen；　by　it；　　seething；　were　several　large　jars；　which　emitted　no　disagreeable　　odour；　and　reminded　me　that　I　had　not　yet　broken　my　fast；　although　　it　was　now　nearly　one　o'clock　and　I　had　ridden　five　leagues。　　Some　　wild…looking　men；　who；　if　they　were　not　banditti；　might　easily　be　　mistaken　for　such；　were　seated　on　logs　about　the　fire；　I　asked　them　　some　unimportant　question；　to　which　they　replied　with　readiness　and　　civility；　and　one　of　them；　who　said　he　could　read；　accepted　a　tract　　which　I　offered　him。

My　new　friend；　who　had　been　bespeaking　dinner；　or　rather　breakfast；　　now　with　great　civility　invited　me　to　partake　of　it；　and　at　the　　same　time　introduced　me　to　the　officer　who　accompanied　him；　and　who　　was　his　brother；　and　also　spoke　English；　though　not　so　well　as　　himself。　　I　found　I　had　become　acquainted　with　Don　Geronimo　Joze　　d'Azveto；　Secretary　to　the　Government　at　Evora。　　His　brother　　belonged　to　a　regiment　of　hussars；　whose　headquarters　were　at　　Evora；　but　which　had　outlying　parties　along　the　road；　for　example；　　at　the　place　where　we　were　stopping。　　Rabbits　at　Pegoens　seem　to　be　　a　standard　article　of　food；　being　produced　in　abundance　on　the　　moors　around。　　We　had　one　fricasseed；　the　gravy　of　which　was　　delicious；　and　afterwards　a　roasted　one；　which　was　brought　up　on　a　　dish　entire。　　The　hostess　having　first　washed　her　hands　proceeded　　to　tear　the　animal　to　pieces；　which　having　accomplished　she　poured　　over　the　fragments　a　sweet　sauce。　　I　ate　remarkably　heartily　of　　both　dishes；　particularly　of　the　last；　owing　perhaps　to　the　novel　　and　curious　manner　in　which　it　was　served　up。　　Excellent　figs　from　　the　Algarves　and　apples　completed　our　repast；　which　we　ate　in　a　　little　side　room　with　a　mud…floor；　which　sent　such　a　piercing　chill　　into　my　system　as　prevented　me　from　deriving　that　pleasure　from　my　　good　fare　and　agreeable　companions　which　I　might　otherwise　have　　experienced。　　Don　Joze　d'Azveto　had　been　educated　in　England；　in　　which　country　he　passed　his　boyhood；　which　to　a　certain　degree　　accounted　for　his　proficiency　in　the　English　language；　the　idioms　　and　pronunciation　of　which　can　only　be　acquired　by　a　residence　in　　the　country　at　that　period　of　one's　life。　　He　had　also　fled　thither　　shortly　after　the　usurpation　of　the　throne　of　Portugal　by　Don　　Miguel；　and　from　thence　had　passed　over　to　the　Brazils；　where　he　　had　devoted　himself　to　the　service　of　Don　Pedro；　and　had　followed　　him　in　that　expedition　which　terminated　in　the　downfall　of　the　　Usurper　and　the　establishment　of　the　constitutional　government　in　　Portugal。　　Our　conversation　rolled　chiefly　on　literary　and　　political　subjects；　and　my　acquaintance　with　the　writings　of　the　　most　celebrated　authors　of　Portugal　was　hailed　with　surprise　and　　delight；　for　nothing　is　more　gratifying　to　a　well…educated　　Portuguese　than　to　observe　a　foreigner　taking　an　interest　in　the　　literature　of　his　nation；　of　which　he　is　so　justly　proud。

About　two　o'clock　we　were　once　more　in　the　saddle；　and　pursued　our　　way　through　a　country　exactly　resembling　that　which　we　had　　previously　been　traversing；　rugged　and　broken；　with　here　and　there　　a　clump　of　pines。　　The　afternoon　was　exceedingly　fine；　and　the　　bright　rays　of　the　sun　relieved　the　desolation　of　the　scene。　　　Having　advanced　about　two　leagues；　I　caught　sight　of　a　large　　edifice　in　the　distanc