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 P