ISLAND OF FATAL. 113 



Fa^^n,! rising- to the heig-ht of 3000 feet, its sides 

 gTadually sloping* towards a rang-e of maritime cliifs, 

 while the loAver g-rounds^ in full cultivation, indi- 

 cated — alon^- with numbers of neat white-washed 

 cottag-es and occasional villag*es — a Avell peopled 

 and fertile country, contrasting" strong'ly with those 

 from which we had lately returned. To the right 

 was Pico — Avith the summit of its peak (stated to be 

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

 snowy clouds descending- almost to the shore — and 

 the centre was occupied b}' 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 g-lad to have a quiet walk on 

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

 pleasing- to see numbers of old acquaintances among- 

 the birds, bring-ing- vividly to my recollection that 

 home which we had now approached so closely. 

 Martins were hawking- about, the whitethroat 

 warbled his short snatches of song- among- the bushes, 

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

 thoug-h eng-ag-ed 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 overhang-ing* g-ardens ; the 

 beautiful belladonna lily — here run wild in g-reat 

 abundance— made a fine show. At Point Greta 

 the rock pig-eons— the orig-inal stock of the domesti- 

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



VOL. II. I 



