CHAP. IV.] THE VOYAGE HOME. 231 



dny we lauded and revisited the " sights" of the town and neigh- 

 borhood. In the evening we weighed, and proceeded under 

 steam and sail toward Porto Grande, in San Vicente, where we 

 anchored on the evening of the IStli. 



Irrigation, Porto Praya. 



We remained a week at Porto Grande, as the good old ship 

 had to be put all to rights for inspection and pajing-off; and 

 we had some pleasant rides among the hills. The town was 

 wonderfully improved since our former visit, many new houses 

 built, the whole place cleaned up and made more tidy, and in 

 many places trees planted along the streets. In main features, 

 however, San Vicente was just the same — the same barren, 

 unlovely wilderness, and the same fervent heat, and the vult- 

 ures still gorging themselves on the putrid flesh of the car- 

 casses half buried in the sand outside the town. 



On the morning of the 26th we weighed and left Porto 

 Grande. Toward midday we rounded the southern part of 

 the Island of San Antonio, and shaped our course toward the 

 Azores, w^ith a good breeze from the north. For the next week 

 we proceeded on our course, the weather fine, with light winds ; 



