T E R 



219 



T E R 



portraits, conversations, persons engaged at different games 

 performers on musical instruments, ladies at their toilets 

 He finished his pictures highly, with a light and delicate 

 touch, and is remarkable for introducing white satin in the 

 dress of some figure in all his compositions: he always 

 took care to throw the principal light upon it, and seems 

 never to have painted a picture without satin drapery. Dr. 

 Waagen says of him, ' Terburgh is the real founder of the 

 art of painting conversation pieces, and at the same time 

 the most eminent master in this style. In delicacy of exe- 

 cution he is inferior to none, and in a certain tender fusing 

 of the colours he excels all others ; but none can be com- 

 pared with him in the enchanting harmony and silvery 

 tone, and the observance of the aerial perspective. His 

 figures, which are well drawn, have an uncommon ease of 

 refinement, and are frequently very graceful.' Many of his 

 capital works are in England, in the collections of Sir 

 Robert Peel, the duke of Sutherland, Lord Ashburton, Mr. 

 Hope, the marquess of Bute, and Her Majesty. (Pilking- 

 ton ; Fuseli ; Dr. Waagen.) 



TERCKIRA is considered the principal island of the 

 Azores or Western Islands, though it is neither the largest 

 nor the most fertile. It is situated nearly in the centre of 

 the group, and it is the seat of government. It extends 

 between 38 36' and 38 50* N. lat, and between 26 58' and 

 27 22' W. long., and is about 20 miles long from east to 

 wtst. with an average width of about 13 miles. This gives 

 an area of 260 square miles, or about 60 square miles more 

 than the smallest of the English counties, Rutlandshire. 



Tereeira, and all the other Azores, with the exception of 

 Santa Maria, has probably been produced by volcanic ac- 

 tion, but its surface does not exhibit that extreme irregu- 

 larity which occurs in the other islands, and in general in 

 countries which owe their existence to that aerncy. The 

 coasts indeed are rocky and precipitous, but the higher 

 of the island are chiefly composed of beautiful and 

 fertile plains, and entirely destitute of the numerous < 

 craters, and peaks which distinguish the island of St. 

 Michael. There is however, about 6 or 7 miles north- 

 west of the town of Anarra, a wide depression, from the 

 crevices of which sulphuric vapours issue in abundance, 

 and which is surrounded by hills composed of pumice- 

 stone. It is called Furnas de Euxofre. It is stated that 

 these crevices were formed by the earthquake of 1014, 

 which was the last experienced in the island, up to 1841, 

 when the town of Praya was completely destroyed by an 

 earthquake, and the whole island suffered much! The in- 

 terior of the island does not contain many steep or inac- 

 ; .!e rocks, which is mainly to be attributed to the 

 earth-slips which have been very frequent, and still happen 

 from time to time. The most elevated part of the island 

 is iu the middle, and extends from east to west, where it 

 terminates with Punta Seretta. Near this cape, and north- 

 east of it, the ground seems to attain its greatest elevation, 

 which however probably does not exceed 3000 feet above 

 the sea-level. The elevated rocky coast along the western 

 and northern shores cannot be approached without great 

 danger by large vessels, and the whole island has only 

 three harbours, Praya on the east, Angra on the south, 

 and Biscoitos on the north-west, but the anchorage is bad, 

 and with certain winds vessels are obliged to seek the 

 open sea. The soil is composed of volcanic ashes, pumice- 

 stone, slaes, decomposed lava, a quantity of ferru- 

 ginous matter, a small portion of clay or sand, and a 

 little limestone. But a large quantity of vegetable' matter 

 is mixed with these materials, which imparts to the soil 

 a considerable degree of fertility. Grain is only cultivated 

 on the more level and low tract* along the sea-coast. The 

 interior is overgrown with trees. 



No mHc'irulosrical observations have been published, 

 but the climate is known to be very moderate, as it is 

 I that the average range of the thermometer is only 

 from 50 J to 7">, and rarely exceeds these two extremes. 

 But the weather is nevertheless subject to great ch:i 

 and is only settled between the summer solstice and the 

 autumnal equinox. Showers of rain are frequent through- 

 out the year, and in winter so violent as to cause constant 

 chart: ireof the country, washing away eno i > 



'one from the mountains, Hin 

 down proj 'ions of the rocks composed n 



volcanic materials, and leaving (lie surface of the rocks 

 and heights in many places quite destitute of soil. The 

 number of fine days is estimated at about 200, and the 



wet ones at sixty. The sea which surrounds the Azores is 

 remarkable for the incessant gusts and gales to which it is 

 subject, on which account it is rather dreaded by seamen. 

 This phenomenon is probably connected with the Gulf- 

 stream, which reaches the most western islands (Flores and 

 Corvo), and frequently extends over the whole group. All 

 navigators have observed the frequency of these gusts and 

 sudden squalls, especially along the northern edge of the 

 Gulf-stream. The prevailing winds during the winter 

 range between north-west and south-west ; the south-west 

 wind generally blows in strong gales, and is attended by 

 heavy rains. During the summer the most frequent are 

 northerly, north-easterly, and easterly winds ; but at all 

 seasons the changes of the winds are frequent and sudden, 

 and render the navigation between the islands very 

 tedious. 



The soil being more suitable to agriculture and pastur- 

 age than to the cultivation of fruit, grain and cattle are 

 the staple articles. The principal objects of cultivation 

 are wheat, Indian corn, flax, French and broad beans, and 

 a little barley. The yearly produce of the grain is stated 

 to be 720,000 bushels, and some is exported to Lisbon, 

 Oporto, and Madeira. The most common vegetables are 

 yams, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, and capsicums. All 

 the fruit-trees of southern Europe succeed, but their cul- 

 tivation has been neglected until lately, when the inhabit- 

 ants have begun to apply themselves, to that of the orange- 

 tree, and the oranges of Terceira are now hardly inferior 

 to those of St. Michael, and are largely exported to 

 England and Hamburg. The vineyards are extensive, 

 and their annual produce exceeds 4000 pipes, but the 

 wine is converted into brandy, and the wine consumed 

 in the island is imported from Fayal. The apples, 

 pears, figs, chestnuts, and wallnuts are tolerably good. 

 On the declivities there are some pine-woods and beech, 

 but the higher parts are covered with underwood and im- 

 penetrable bushes of briars, among which are many ever- 

 greens, such as myrtle, juniper, and box, with stunted 

 cedars. Quantities of orchilla are collected from the rocks. 

 Cattle are numerous, and of good size in the cultivated 

 parts, and those parts which are not cultivated serve 

 as pasture-grounds for sheep and goats. Goats are rather 

 numerous. Only a few small horses are reared ; the oxen 

 and asses, which are numerous are used as beasts of 

 burden. Hogs are very numerous, and are fed on Indian 

 corn and chestnuts, fhere are no wild animals, except 

 rabbits, and no poisonous reptiles. Fowls and turkeys 

 abound. There are thousands of blackbirds, woodcocks, 

 and partridges, but no pheasants nor peacocks. Fish is 

 said to be abundant. Sometimes whales are seen near the 

 island. 



In 1820 the population amounted to 40,717, and in 1832 

 it was estimated at 50,000 individuals, which gives more 

 than 192 persons to each square mile, rather a large pro- 

 portion when it is considered that much more than half 

 [he island is not cultivated and does not produce food for 

 man. Lincolnshire has only 130 to each square mile, 

 according to the census of 1841. This population is settled 

 n three towns and fifteen villages. Angra is the capital. 

 [ANGRA.] Praya, which has about 3000 inhabitants, is 

 situated in the centre of a beautiful sandy, deep, indented 

 bay, well defended by nature and art, and has some com- 

 merce with Portugal and Madeira : it exports grain and 

 ive-stock. 



Very good linen and coarse woollen-cloth is made on 

 :he island for home consumption. Coarse earthenware is 

 also manufactured to a considerable extent, the clay for 

 which is imported from Santa Maria. The exports con- 

 sist of grain and live-stock, which go to Portugal and 

 Madeira, and of brandy, oranges, and orchilla, which go to 

 'oreign countries, chiefly England and Hamburg. The 

 mports are principally coarse cotton fabrics, some woollen- 

 cloth, hardware and cutlery, and cod, most of which 

 articles are brought from England. 



Terceira was discovered in 1445 by some Portuguese na- 

 vigators who were returning to Europe from Cape Verde, 

 and it then received its present appellation, being the 

 liiid of the Azores in the order of discovery. It was then 

 minhabited, but it was immediately settled by several 

 amilies from Portugal. In 1580, when Philip II. took 

 -sion of Portugal, the inhabitants declared against 

 u'm, and repulsed his fleet from their shores ; but in 1583 

 .hey were obliged to submit. In 1828, when Don Miguel 



2F2 



