114 HORTA AND 



sunning- themselves on the sea difFs. A heavy 

 shower of rain^ by bringing- out the land-shells, 

 enabled me to pick up half-a-dozen species of 

 Helix, Bulimus, and Pupa, at the foot of the 

 hedg*e-rows ) I was anxious to procure some to 

 ascertain whether any were non-European forms ) 

 one was even quite a new species. On a white- 

 flowered convolvulus with succulent leaves, I found 

 numbers of the caterpillars of a larg'e hawk-moth 

 (Sphinx Convolvuli) which some rag'ged urchins 

 who followed me shewed great dread of, running- 

 away when I picked one up and shouting- to me to 

 throw it away, else I should die. One was after- 

 wards broug-ht on board by an English resident — as 

 a very venomous reptile, which had caused three or 

 four deaths during- his stay on the island. The 

 recurved horn on the tail has been reg-arded as a 

 sting-, and the poor harmless creature, having* once 

 g-ot a bad name, is now by the Fayalese, in the 

 absence of snakes or scorpions, made to supply their 

 place. 



The town of Horta contains, I was told, upwards 

 of 10,000 inhabitants. It is prettily situated on the 

 shores of a small bay, extending* between two rocky 

 headlands. The landing--place is at the remains of 

 a mole under the walls of Fort Santa Cruz, the only 

 one of numerous ruinous fortifications where a few 

 g-uns are mounted • even these are in so wretched 

 a condition that the commandant admitted that it 

 would require several hours' preparation before they 



