Chap, ii.] SAN MIGUEL. 29 



off horizontally, and out of the huge crater on the top arises to- 

 wards one side of it a little secondary cone, which forms the 

 highest point of the whole. 



St. Michael's Island, July 4th to July 9th, 1873.— We 

 neared the island of San Miguel. The island has mountains of 

 from 2,300 to 3,500 feet altitude at either end, and a lower 

 range of hills joins these together. Ponta Delgada, the capital 

 of San Miguel, lies on the sea shore opposite, about the middle 

 of the lower range of land. 



The volcanic cones and slopes leading from these to the sea 

 are formed of light pumice and ash soil, very friable and easily 

 cut into by the action of water. Hence, water-courses have 

 cut their way deep into the surface of the country, and as San 

 Miguel is viewed from seawards, its most striking feature is 

 formed by the numerous deep gullies which are seen running 

 parallel to one another, and with almost straight courses from 

 the high land down to the sea. Ponta Delgada is composed of 

 houses similar to those of Fayal, but it is not nearly so pretty 

 as the latter town, the land behind not being steep, and there 

 being no bay shut in by hills. A breakwater is required to 

 form a harbour. 



I formed one of a large party which paid a visit to the valley 

 of Furnas and its hot springs, distant about 30 miles from 

 the port town. We travelled in carriages, each drawn by four 

 mules. From the nature of the country already described, we 

 had to cross numerous water-worn gullies, and our road led 

 constantly up and down steep hills. We crawled up one side 

 of the ridges, and made fearful dashes down the other, the 

 mules going with great spirit. We passed between fields of 

 maize and corn, with tall hedges of reeds {Anmdo donax), 

 planted round them to break the force of the wind, and a kind 

 of lupine planted in geometrical patterns amongst the corn to 

 be ploughed in after the crop was reaped, as manure. 



We passed many fine flower gardens, planted with a large 

 variety of Australian, New Zealand, and South American 

 plants, and went by numerous hills, small volcanic cones, 

 planted with firs and various timber trees with great care. 

 The appearance of the island has been wonderfully modified 

 by careful plantation, most of the work having been done by a 

 Mr. Brown, a gardener from Kew, who was brought to the 

 island 30 years ago by Don Jose de Canto, to superintend the 

 laying out of his garden. 



We halted for luncheon at a small stream under a clump of 

 Australian blue gum trees, beneath which on the margins of 

 the stream grew a profusion of ferns. Here flourished the 

 cosmopolitan brake fern, and another Pteris {P. ar^^utd) ; 



