AZORES. 



AZORES. 



773 



Madeira, being much cheaper find a good market both in Europe and 

 America. 



On approaching the islands the aspect is unpromising, from the 

 barren appearance of the mountains and the steep rocky coasts, which 

 nearly everywhere present high and craggy cliffs ; but a nearer view 

 exhibits a most luxuriant landscape of vineyards and corn-fields, inter- 

 spersed with orange and lemon orchards, and open pastures bounded 

 by woods. 



St. Michael's ia the largest of the islands, and contains Porte 

 Delgada, the chief town, and the residence of the bishop ; but Angra, 

 in Terceira, is considered the capital of the group, and ia the seat of 

 the civil government. Terceira itself is one of the least fertile, and is 

 often supplied from the neighbouring islands. From the nature of its 

 coasts it may be deemed almost impregnable, every accessible point 

 being defended by batteries. 



Among all the Azores there is not one good port for vessels of 

 burden, all the anchorages being in open bays or roads, from which 

 ships are often obliged to put to sea at a very short notice. The 

 channels among the islands are clear and deep, but strong currents 

 set through them, and the Gulf Stream is at times sensibly felt here. 

 From the nature of the land, vessels are subject to sudden calms, 

 squalls, and eddy winds by approaching too close to the shore. 



The trade of the Azores, formerly a monopoly of Portugal, is open 

 to other countries, whence woollens, hardware, boards, staves, pitch, 

 tar, iron, cordage, groceries, &c., are imported ; in return for which 

 wine and fruit are the chief payments ; some coarse linens, corn, 

 cheese, and salt meat are also exported. 



The climate is mild and pure. A residence in these islands has 

 often been recommended to those afflicted with pulmonary complaints, 

 as they have a more equable temperature than continental regions. 

 The winter, though attended with heavy storms, is not severe, nor are 

 the heats of summer oppressive. The Portuguese settlers naturally 

 introduced their own religion, manners, and customs, which their 

 almost undisturbed possession, and a similarity of climate to that of 

 their own country, have contributed to maintain. Regularly built 

 towns, handsome churches, large convents and monasteries, and the 

 prevalence of whitewashing their buildings are the same features as 

 are found in Portugal. The population of the islands in 1843 was 

 214,300. 



Among the Azores the rise of tide varies from 4J to 7 feet, but it is 

 much affected by the prevailing winds ; the flood sets to the eastward. 



About 16 miles to the north-east of St. Mary's is the bank of the 

 Formigas, or Ants, a submarine mountain extending north and south 

 about 6.J miles by about 3 miles in greatest breadth. Its surface, 

 which has been traced to a depth of 200 fathoms, is of very irregular 

 elevation. Near this bank are 7 or 8 small rocks, occupying a space 

 of nearly a mile ; they are also called the Formigas ; the highest of 

 them is about 40 feet above the sea, and they rise so abruptly that 

 within 30 yards of them there is no bottom with 50 fathoms. It was 

 supposed that another patch of rocks, of about the same extent, but 

 only just above the water's edge, lay 9 or 10 miles to the north-east 

 of the Formigas ; they were named Tulloch's Rocks after the captain 

 who first stated that he had seen them ; but Captain Vidal, R.N., 

 having been sent out in 1843 to survey the islands, sailed over the 

 supposed site of the Tulloch Rocks four times, making careful 

 itions, but was unable to discover them. 



Corro, the north point of which is in 39 44' N- lat., and 31 0' 

 W. long., is 3 miles long by 2 miles broad. It is the northern- 

 most of the whole group, lying 10 miles north of Flores. It is high 

 to the north, and slopes gradually to the south ; it contains about 750 

 inhabitants, and produces the best wheat of all the Azores ; cattle, 

 sheep, and hogs are abundant, but wood and water are scanty. It 

 has only a small port for the boats trading among the islands. 



Fayal, situated in 3S 30' N. lat., 28 40' W. long., is more than 24 

 miles long from east to west. The area of the island is 27,520 acres, 

 of which upwards of 10,000 acres are under cultivation ; a portion of 

 the remainder is in pasturage. Like the other islands of this group it 

 has an uneven surface, and in some places the hills rise into mountains. 

 Though the soil is rocky, it is very fertile, and vegetation is favoured 

 by the mildness of the climate. The island grows firs and palms, 

 pine-apples, oranges, cabbages, and potatoes ; but the principal object 

 of agriculture is the vine. In good seasons from 8000 to 10,000 pipes 

 of wine are exported, chiefly for America ; oranges are sent to England 

 and corn to Brazil. The orange-trees have suffered severely of late 

 years from the attacks of an insect of the coccus kind ; this has 

 diminished the exports. The harbour, Horta, is the best in the 

 wli.ile group.^ Boats alone can land on the adjacent islands of Pico, 

 Flores, and Corvo ; and the produce of these islands is accordingly 

 brought to Fayal for exportation. Fayal has also the advantage of 

 lying directly in the track of European ships homeward bound from 

 South America and India, and is visited by many vessels for provisions 

 or refitting. Americnn whalers frequently deposit here the oil they 

 have obtained in their outward voyage that it may be transhipped 

 to America. Its capital, Horta, sometimes but improperly called 

 Fayal, 'n n pretty little town with 5000 or 6000 inhabitants; it is the 

 place of export for the products of this and the neighbouring islands. 

 The atentn packet* of the Royal West India Mail Company regularly 

 call at Fayal. During 1841 there arrived a(; Fayal 277 vessels, of 



62,788 tons, of which 190 vessels, of 53,072 tons were American, chiefly 

 whaling ships, landing oil for transhipment, and obtaining supplies. 



Floret, 30 miles long with a mean breadth of 9 miles, is situated in 

 39 34' K. lat., and 31 5' W. long. It derived its name from the 

 multitude of flowers with which it abounds. There are two small 

 towns on the east coast called Santa Cruz and Lagena. There is little 

 trade, but the island produces abundance of wheat and pulse; and 

 a great number of horned cattle of small size are bred. Wheat, beef, 

 pork, hides, and tallow are exported to Portugal, and there are exports 

 of small amount to the other islands in the Azores group. Homeward- 

 bound ships occasionally call here for provisions and refreshments. 

 The number of inhabitants is said to be about 1400. 



St. Georye's, one of the central group, lies between 38 30' and 

 38 45' N. lat., 27 50' and 28 20' W. long., between the islands of 

 Terceira and Pico. It is a long narrow island, extending in a west- 

 north-west and east-south-east direction about 35 miles, with a breadth 

 of about 5 miles. The area is' about 160 square miles. 



The island appears to be entirely composed of volcanic rocks. They 

 rise with an abrupt mural ascent along the northern shores, and this 

 part of the island is almost uninhabited. But the southern coast is 

 in general little elevated above the sea, and there occur many tracts 

 of nearly level ground which are cultivated with great care. Along 

 the middle of the island runs a more elevated tract, rising in some 

 parts to more than 2000 feet, with an almost level top where it has* 

 not been changed by more recent volcanic eruptions. 



The climate is extremely agreeable. As the temperature varies 

 only between 50 and 75, no severe cold is ever experienced in 

 winter, nor is the heat of summer ever intense. Though rains are 

 frequent, the air is not moist, which is ascribed to the absorption of 

 humidity by the volcanic nature of the soil. St. George's, like the 

 other Azores, is particularly remarkable for the incessant gusts and 

 gales to which it is subject throughout the year. This probably 

 originates in the difference of the temperature of the sea at large and 

 that of the Gulf Stream, which approaches near the most western of 

 the Azores. 



St. George's yields all the productions of the Azores, and most of 

 them of superior quality. Its wines, especially that of Castelhenes, 

 are superior to all others; they are exported to Fayal, and sold at 

 Horta under the appellation of Fayal wines. Indian corn is grown 

 for the consumption of the inhabitants. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, 

 and yams are abundant ; the yams are superior. Latterly the inhabit- 

 ants have paid much attention to the cultivation of fruit, especially 

 oranges and lemons, and have had the greatest success. The higher 

 grounds of the island afford excellent pasture for cattle ; and butter 

 and cheese (both of which are celebrated) are sent in large quantities 

 to Horta. Cattle are exported to Madeira and Lisbon. 



St. George's constitutes a portion of the department of Angra. The 

 capital is Ponto de lot Velas, a city of about 4000 inhabitants, situated 

 on the shore of a large open bay, and walled in on the sea-side ; on 

 the opposite side it is bordered by high mountains. Farther east 

 are the two small towns of Urselina and Calheta. 



This island was taken possession of in the name of Jacomo de 

 Bruges, by Guilhenne van Deraga in 1450, and colonised by a mixture 

 of Flemings and Portuguese : the population is stated to amount to 

 more than 20,000. As the island has no safe harbour, it receives the 

 foreign goods which it consumes from Angra or Fayal, to which places 

 it sends its produce. 



Graciosa, lying near 39 N. lat. and 28 W. long., is only 20 miles in 

 circumference : its population amounts to about 8000. It consists of 

 volcanic rocks ; is fertile and well cultivated, and produces wine, 

 maize, wheat, and fruits in abundance. At its north-western extre- 

 mity is a small town, Santa Cruz, which has an open roadstead some- 

 what dangerous for shipping ; accordingly that portion of the produce 

 which is not consumed in'the island is carried in boats to Praya in 

 the island of Terceira, whence it is exported. There is no wood on 

 this island. 



St. Mary's, the easternmost of the group, lies about the point 

 37 N. lat., 25 10' W. long. It is about 7 miles in length from east 

 to west, and 5 miles in breadth from north to south, and contains an 

 area of 36 square miles. The island consists of a plain and an elevated 

 district. The plain occupies about one-third part on the west side 

 of the island, the other part being formed of an elevated ridge running 

 from north-west to south-east, which rises to a double peak (Pico Alto) 

 1889 feet above the sea, and of which the sides decline on the north, 

 east, and south to mural cliffs, about 200 feet in height, with which 

 it terminates on the shore. The aspect of St. Mary's is on all sides 

 bold, and the coast abrupt or precipitous, and surrounded by accumu- 

 lations of fallen masses. 



The surface on the west side is much overlaid with stones, and bears 

 a spare vegetation of grasses and weeds. The greater part of the 

 western plain is only fit for pasturage. On the east side only is 

 there any land fit for cultivation. Wheat, Indian corn, potatoes, and 

 beans and peas are grown. There are few plantations of trees, but 

 those of oranges have been lately increased. The aloe and the prickly- 

 pear cactus grow wild, and the Jtocella tinctoria to a large size. Thero 

 is less rain in this island than in St. Michael's. 



Of the population, amounting to about 5000, one-half belong to the 

 small town of Villa do Porto and two hamlets : the remainder are 



