On the following morning I rose at seven, and found that the party from Estremoz had started several hours previously.  I breakfasted with my acquaintance of the preceding night, and we set out to accomplish what remained of our journey.  The sun had now arisen; and all his fears had left him—­he breathed defiance against all the robbers of the Alemtejo.  When we had advanced about a league, the boy who attended us said he saw heads of men amongst the brushwood.  Our cavalier instantly seized his gun, and causing his horse to make two or three lofty bounds, held it in one hand, the muzzle pointed in the direction indicated, but the heads did not again make their appearance, and it was probably but a false alarm.

We resumed our way, and the conversation turned, as might be expected, upon robbers.  My companion, who seemed to be acquainted with every inch of ground over which we passed, had a legend to tell of every dingle and every pine-clump.  We reached a slight eminence, on the top of which grew three stately pines:  about half a league farther on was another similar one:  these two eminences commanded a view of the road from Pegoens and Vendas Novas, so that all people going and coming could be descried, whilst yet at a distance.  My friend told me that these heights were favourite stations of robbers.  Some two years since, a band of six mounted banditti remained there three days, and plundered whomsoever approached from either quarter:  their horses, saddled and bridled, stood picqueted at the foot of the trees, and two scouts, one for each eminence, continually sat in the topmost branches and gave notice of the approach of travellers:  when at a proper distance the robbers below sprang upon their horses, and putting them to full gallop, made at their prey, shouting Rendete, Picaro!  Rendete, Picaro! (Surrender, scoundrel, surrender!) We, however, passed unmolested, and, about a quarter of a mile before we reached Pegoens, overtook the family of the Fidalgo.

Had they been conveying the wealth of Ind through the deserts of Arabia, they could not have travelled with more precaution.  The nephew, with drawn sabre, rode in front; pistols at his holsters, and the usual Spanish gun slung at his saddle.  Behind him tramped six men in a rank, with muskets shouldered, and each of them wore at his girdle a hatchet, which was probably intended to cleave the thieves to the brisket should they venture to come to close quarters.  There were six vehicles, two of them calashes, in which latter rode the Fidalgo and his daughters; the others were covered carts, and seemed to be filled with household furniture; each of these vehicles had an armed rustic on either side; and the son, a lad about sixteen, brought up the rear with a squad equal to that of his cousin in the van.  The soldiers, who by good fortune were light horse, and admirably mounted, were galloping about in all directions, for the purpose of driving the enemy from cover, should they happen to be lurking in the neighbourhood.