situated at the narrowest part of the river, guard the approach to the
capital by sea; and all vessels arriving at its port have their papers
examined at Belem Castle. The salutes of ships of war are, in like
manner, answered by its guns. Proceeding onward, we pass the Convent of
St. Geronymo, a splendid pile of Moorish architecture, "the picturesque
appearance of the scene being heightened by groups of boats peculiar in
their construction to the Tagus." From Belem we trace a range of
buildings, connecting it with Alcantara and Buenos Ayres, and finally
with the ancient city of Lisbon. Alcantara is situated at the mouth of a
narrow valley opening upon the Tagus. Upon the brow of the hill, on the
eastern side, is another of the royal residences, called the palace of
Necessiades; and, stretching across the valley, about a mile above this
point, is the far-famed aqueduct, which conveys the chief supply of
water to the capital. The new and populous quarter of Buenos Ayres
(so called from its being considered the healthiest situation around
the capital,) covers the steep hills situated in the angle formed by
the Alcantara valley and the Tagus. Miss Baillie, in her amusing
_Letters_, describes Buenos Ayres as "a suburb of Lisbon, standing
upon higher ground than the city itself, and a favourite resort of the
English, being generally considered as a cooler and more cleanly (or
rather a _less filthy_) situation than the latter." The splendid
river scenery from Belem to Lisbon, the luxuriant prospect from the
adjoining heights; the city itself, with its domes, and towers, and
gorgeous buildings--all this proud assemblage of nature and art--remind
us that

It is a goodly sight to see
What Heaven hath done for this delicious land!
What fruits of fragrance blush on ev'ry tree!
What goodly prospects o'er the hill expand;