ESTREMADURA, a province of Portugal, the only
one in that kingdom which does not in some of its borders join to Spain. Though Lisbon and its great population forms part of this province, it is not so thickly peopled as either Entre-Douro-e-Minho or La Beyra. Its extent is 823 square leagues, and its inhabitants amount to 826,680 souls. The province of La Beyra surrounds Estremadura, excepting where the sea or the river Tagus are its limits. The soil produces some wheat, maize, and millet, much wine and oil, and abundance of fruits and culinary vegetables. Its shores abound with fish, as well as the fresh-water rivers. On the coast great quantities of salt are made by the evaporating power of the sun alone, and consequently much cheaper and better than in our more northern climate. The only river besides the Tagus that runs into the sea is the Lis, which empties itself near Leyria. The Tagus, which crosses Estremadura, has its course so interrupted by rocks and cascades, as to be incapable of navigation above Abrantes; but from that city to Lisbon, a distance of thirty leagues, shallows regularly navigate. The right bank, after the Tagus enters Portugal, is mountainous; but the left bank is marshy, sterile land. From Santarem there is a constant gradual declivity to the city of Lisbon, and, though fourteen leagues asunder, the capital may be seen from the former city. The rivers which from the north increase the waters of the Tagus, are the Pouzat, the Lysa or Laca, and the Cecere. These descending from the mountains of La Beyra, have an unequal and sometimes dangerous degree of rapidity, being at one time mere rivulets, almost dry, and at others rapid torrents, which inundate the country; but when they do so, they afford means of defence against an invading enemy. Some ranges of high mountains run northward from the Tagus towards Busaco. One spot in these will be long celebrated. The lines of Torres Vedras will not be forgotten as the place where Lord Wellington made his successful stand, and caused to roll back on the invaders the desolation they had spread in their advancing course.