Portugal was ultimately unable to sustain all of its
possessions, especially in Asia. But around the world, elements
of the Portuguese language and Portuguese family and place names
live on, a legacy of a relaxed colonial style -- religious zeal
apart. Portugal, unlike others, did not frown on intermarriage
with local populations. ''There was no color line,'' said
Professor Pye. ''No exclusive clubs. No insults. The Portuguese
didn't lord it over as much. They were gentler, more tolerant.''
''I think the sad thing is what they left or didn't leave
behind,'' he said. ''They left behind religion, culture. But
they never left behind anything that was political. They never
had a vision for their colonies. They never had the British
white man's burden. They never had the task of modernizing. They
didn't have a sense of mission. There was no grand design.
Certainly there was no end game. It just sort of came to an end
because of the Portuguese revolution back in Lisbon.'' THAT
revolution in 1974 unexpectedly cut lo