The Two Principal
Edifices Are The See, Or Cathedral, And The Convent Of San
Francisco, In The Square Before The Latter Of Which Was Situated
The Posada Where I Had Taken Up My Abode.
A large barrack for
cavalry stands on the right-hand side, on entering the south-west
gate.
To the south-east, at the distance of six leagues, is to be
seen a blue chain of hills, the highest of which is called Serra
Dorso; it is picturesquely beautiful, and contains within its
recesses wolves and wild boars in numbers. About a league and a
half on the other side of this hill is Estremos.
I passed the day succeeding my arrival principally in examining the
town and its environs, and, as I strolled about, entering into
conversation with various people that I met; several of these were
of the middle class, shopkeepers and professional men; they were
all Constitutionalists, or pretended to be so, but had very little
to say except a few commonplace remarks on the way of living of the
friars, their hypocrisy and laziness. I endeavoured to obtain some
information respecting the state of instruction in the place, and
from their answers was led to believe that it must be at the lowest
ebb, for it seemed that there was neither book-shop nor school.
When I spoke of religion, they exhibited the utmost apathy for the
subject, and making their bows left me as soon as possible.
Having a letter of introduction to a person who kept a shop in the
market-place, I went thither and delivered it to him as he stood
behind his counter.
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