I was
presented to many ladies and thought them the handsomest I had seen in
any part of Spain.
"I started early next morning and a short distance below, came to the
point where the river is bordered on one side by Portugal, and I soon
noticed a Portuguese flag flying from a mast and heard loud vivas from
the crew of a flat bottomed boat with a cabin, which I ran alongside of
and was informed that the boat had been sent by the Portuguese
government to meet me. The captain also carried a letter from the
Minister of Marine stating that the boat had been placed at my
disposal. At this I felt wonderfully relieved. The hard work was now all
over, as I simply followed the government craft for the remainder of
the journey. It was quite a novelty at first to begin taking my meals
regularly again and as there was an abundance of everything, I began to
thoroughly enjoy the trip. We would tie up every night and I occupied
the cabin.
"At Portes de Rodas, the first town we struck in Portugal, I met with a
peculiarly Portuguese reception. Every person was supplied with
detonating rockets which were fired off in showers and that was the
manner of showing good will at every place in the country. There were
no rocks in the river now.
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