Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S., Past President of the Institute of Civil Engineers
Sir John Rennie
and if we had known it, we certainly should have done so. For although, considering all things, we were not badly off at Aveiro, still we should have been much better off at Messrs. Pinto and Basto’s establishment, and should have been saved the severe fatigue of the last ten miles of our journey. The next day we started for Oporto, and passed the thriving little town of Ovar, situated at the north end of the Aveiro lagoon, but having a separate entrance from the sea, formed by a small stream passing through the town. Our railway passed along the base of the hills, which was very favourable. From Ovar we continued near the shore through a forest of pines for several miles; these pines would furnish excellent sleepers for the railway at a very moderate cost. From the forest we continued along the shore through most favourable ground, until we reached the entrance of the Douro: the distance from Ovar being about twenty miles. From the entrance of the Douro there was a favourable line for the railway for two miles along the banks to Oporto, where it would have been necessary to cross the river by a rather expensive bridge to reach the chief part of the city. This, however, must have been done in any case, and as all the great wine depôts or lodges, as they are called, are on the south side, and as the wine trade of Oporto is the most important, thi
