92 Mr. F. Du Cane Godman on the Birds of the Azores. 



and we were all three pulled safely on shore. This was at Lar- 

 gens, a small town at the south point of the island; and from 

 the ship it appeared the most sheltered spot we could find ; but 

 it was several miles distant from Sta. Cruz, the village we wanted 

 to go to, and where we had letters of introduction to Dr. Mackay, 

 H.B.M. Consul. My first idea was, that when once safely 

 landed I should have no more boating; but this notion I 

 was obliged to give up ; for, on inquiry, I found the way by 

 land was very bad and circuitous and that no beasts could be 

 procured. More than this, the track being in many places 

 along the ledge of the cliff" overhanging the sea, I felt sure that 

 my companion, who had not a good head for such places, would 

 be unable to pass, even if I could do so. 



After not a little bargaining, we agreed with some boatmen to 

 row us to Sta. Cruz, in a large boat with eight oarsmen, the dis- 

 tance by water being about sixteen miles. Having transferred 

 all our luggage to our new craft, and wished our late captain 

 farewell, we started, keeping as near the shore as the breakers 

 would allow. Sometimes we were on the crest of the wave, 

 within a few feet of where it was actually breaking, and almost 

 the moment we were over it the whole line of it where we had 

 passed broke with a fearful roar behind us. Had the boatmen 

 misjudged their distance once, nothing could have saved us. 

 They certainly understand what they are about, but the way 

 they do things is not such as to inspire strangers with confi- 

 dence. When a larger and more ugly wave than usual comes, 

 all talk at once, and each man gives his opinion as to what ought 

 to be done, instead of obeying the master ; and they will as soon 

 listen to a boy of twelve years of age as to an old and expe- 

 rienced seaman. We reached Sta. Cruz in about four hours, but 

 at first it was uncertain whether we could land here ; however, 

 some of the crew said we could, and, after watching our oppor- 

 tunity much in the same way as we did at Largens, the boat 

 was run ashore behind the rocks. We proceeded at once to 

 Mr. Mackay's house, accompanied by a large number of the in- 

 habitants, and he soon found us a comfortable lodging in the* 

 town. Flores is much better watered than most of the islands, 

 but less of the land is cultivated. In the mountains are several 



