ISLAND OF FATAL. 11:1 



Fayal rising- to the heig'ht of 3000 feet, its sides 

 gradually sloping' towards a rang*e of maritime cliffs, 

 while the lower g'rounds, in full cultivation, indi- 

 cated— aloni>- with numbers of neat white-washed 

 cottag'es and occasional villag'es — a Avell peopled 

 and fertile country, contrasting strong'ly with those 

 from AAliich we had lately returned. To the right 

 was Pico — with the summit of its peak (stated to he 

 7613 feet in heig"ht) peeping" out from a mass of 

 snowy clouds descending" almost to the shore— and 

 the centre was occupied by the more distant island of 

 St. Jorg"e with a portion of Graciosa dimly seen 

 projecting" beyond its western end. 



After having* been for two months cooped up on 

 board ship, I was glad to have a quiet walk on 

 shore. In a ravine at one end of the town it was 

 pleasing" to see immbers of old acquaintances among" 

 the birds, bringing* vividly to my recollection that 

 home which we had no^v approached so closely. 

 Martins were hawking" about, the ^^'hitethroat 

 Avarbled his short snatches of song- among" the bushes, 

 and blackbirds and starling"s flew past. And al- 

 thoug"h eng'aged in the matter-of-fact occupation of 

 searching- for land-shells, by turning- over the stones, 

 I could not help being" struck with the beauty of 

 the terraced walks and overhanging" g-ardens ; the 

 beautiful belladonna lily — here run wild in g-reat 

 abundance — made a fine show. At Point Greta 

 the rock pigeons — the original stock of the domesti- 

 cated race— were flying" about in larg-e flocks or 



VOL. II. I 



