hich
skirts the way in the direction of Evora. It is called Monte Almo; a
brook brawls at its base, and as I passed it the sun was shining
gloriously on the green herbage, on which flocks of goats were feeding
with their bells ringing merrily, so that the _tout ensemble_ resembled a
fairy scene; and that nothing might be wanted to complete the picture, I
here met a man, a goat-herd, beneath an _azineiria_ whose appearance
recalled to my mind the Brute-man mentioned in an ancient Danish poem:

'A wild swine on his shoulders he kept,
And upon his bosom a black bear slept,
And about his fingers with hair o'erhung
The squirrel sported and weasel clung.'

Upon the shoulders of the goat-herd was a beast, which he told me was a
_lontra_ or otter, which he had lately caught in the neighbouring brook,
it had a string round its neck which was attached to his arm; at his left
side was a bag from the top of which peeped the heads of two or three
singular-looking animals; and beside him was squatted the sullen cub of a
wolf, which he was endeavouring to tame. His whole appearance was to the
last degree savage and wild. After a little conversation, such as those
who meet on the road frequently hold, I asked him if he could read; but
he made no answer. I then enquired if he knew anything of God or Jesus
Christ; he looked me fixedly in the face for a moment, and then turned
his countenance towards the sun which was beginning to sink, nodded to
it, and then again looked fixedly upon me. I believed I understood this
mute reply, which probably was, that it was God who made that glorious
light which illumines and gladdens all creation; and gratified with this
belief I left him, and hastened after my companions who were, by this
time, a considerable way in advance.

I have always found amongst the children of the fields a more determined
tendency to religion and piety than amongst the inhabitants of towns and
cities, and the reason is obvious; they are less acquainted with the
works of man's hands than with those of God; their occupations are
simple, and requiring less of ingenuity and skill than those which engage
the intention of the other portion of their fellow-creatures, are less
favourable to the engendering of self-conceit and sufficiency, so utterly
at variance with that lowliness of spirit which constitutes the best test
of piety. The sneerers and scoffers at religion do not spring from
amongst the simple c