The principal wallies in this province are those of Villanova, of Braga, Ponto de Porto, and of Villar de Veiga.
The valley of Villanova is extremely beautiful. Small fields of maize, and even of rye and barley, and rarely of wheat, arc encircled with lofty oaks, chesnuts, and pop lars, every tree supporting a vine, which spreads over its summit, and often reaches the top even of the highest oaks. The fields are watered by artificial brooks, which communicate an agreeable freshness to the air even in the heat of summer.
Arid mountains, covered with heath, separate the val ley of Villanova from that of Braga. The city of Braga, of which we have already given a full description in that article, is situated in a broad open vale, shaded by trees, and well cultivated, and abounding with cork trees.
The valley of Ponto de Porto, where there is a stone bridge over the Cavado, and a village of the same name, is about a league from Braga. This valley is extremely beautiful, appearing like a thick wood of high trees, though the houses, fields, and gardens, are embosomed among the trees. At the distance of two leagues from that valley, and at the foot of the mountain, stands the rich and extensive Bernardino monastery of Bouro, situ ated about 500 feet above the level of the sea On a mountain, at a great distance, is the church of Nossa Senbora de Abbadia, where there is a miraculous figure of the Virgin, which is visited by numerous pilgrims.
Into the valley of Villar de Veiga, which is the name of a large village, the rapid stream of the Rio das Cal das pours itself ever rugged rocks ; and, after climbing the mountains for abOut a league, the traveller reaches the village of Caldas de Gerez, celebrated for its warm baths. The valley is here extremely narrow. To the eastward, the houses lean against the rocks, a stream waters them to the west, and also the foot of another mountain. The valley to the northward rises rapidly up the heights; and an eminence to the.southward, before it descends, incloses this dell. The mountains are steep, lofty, and rocky, trees being found chiefly on the banks of the river, consisting of oaks, berry bearing alders, azereiros, and olives. The mountains are covered with thick bushes, especially along the brooks, and consist of strawberry trees, erica arborea, azereiros, and two new varieties of cytisus, which render the mountains impass able. Single oaks, of a remarkable kind, grow on the highest summits.
The village of Caldas de Gerez consists of 40 stone houses, which are ill built, and have but one story. The apartments are small and inconvenient, the windows have in general no glass, and the floors are so bad that one can see through them. Their only furniture consists of a rough wooden table and coarse chairs. A small square, about 200 paces in length, serves as the promenade ; but there is no place where the company can ride ; ladies, and feeble patients, being carried in litters borne by two horses. The warm springs rise to the eastward from a wall of granite rock, at the foot of a high mountain. They are four in number, and over each a square house is built, in the middle of which is a bath walled round.
One person only can bathe at a time ; and a curtain is the only screen for protecting the bathers from view. One of the springs contains hepatic gas. The heat of the warmest does not exceed 40° of Reauniur ; and the hottest may be used as a bath. The bathing season con tinues from June till August. The company, which con sists of the English from Oporto, and of the inhabitants of the small towns of the Minho, rise at four in the morn ing, bathe or drink the waters immediately, and then walk till near seven. They dine at 12, and then take a long sleep ; at four they again bathe or chink the water ; after sunset they take a second walk, and, after assem bling at a tea or card party, they sup at 10.
The mountains of Serra de Gerez, which separate this province from Spain, extend in general from east to west, but send out many arms to the south. The valley where Caldas lies, stretches in the same direction, rising continually to the north, till it again sinks towards the frontiers of Gallicia, which are only three leagues dis tant from Caldas. The valley rapidly narrows, becomes more woody and rocky, till the traveller enters a thick shade of lofty oaks. Lofty walls of rugged rocks now appear, and the mountain assumes an appearance of sub limity. Near Gallicia, the river Hosnem intersects the valley obliquely, and flows into another. In this place are the ruins of a Roman bridge and a Roman road, which the mountain torrents have in vain endeavoured to destroy. From this spot a narrow footpath leads into Spain, which commences in a pass called Portela de Homem. The highest of the mountains of Gerez is to the eastward of Caldas, towards Monta!egre ; the highest peak, which is between 30J0 and 4000 feet high, is named 0 Illurro de Burrageiro, and consists of rocks heaped together. The view to the west is extutsive, commanding the greater part of the province of Minho and the sea. The horizon in other quarters is bounded by mountains. The granite of which this range of moun tains consists, often contains bar-shcerl, and, in the clefts, and smoke topazes, and sometimes a fine rose-coloured quartz. The flora consists of Bis cayan and Pyrenean plants, and of several nondescript species. Wolves are here so numerous, as to render this range dangerous for travellers. The Caucasian goat abounds here ; it is found in the northern part of the pe ninsula: its flesh is much esteemed ; the skin is used as covers for mules, and the horns for household ornaments. Great numbers of lizards and snakes abound in this range : these are generally the Laccrta agdis of Linnxus, and the Vifiera Redi.
Between Caldas and the village of Covide, appear the remains of an old mountain fort, which the inhabitants affirm are the ruins of an old city called Macedonia. No inscription occurs among these ruins. • The chief towns of this province are Braga, Oporto, Viana, Amarante, Guimarxns, Ponte de Lima, and Pezo cie Ilegna. The principal rivers arc, the Minho, the Douro, the Lima, the Neiva, the Cavado, the Ave, &c. all of which run westward into the Atlantic.
The province contains three cities, 25 towns, 223,495 houses. and 900,000 inhabitants. (w)