In the Azores. 373 



the largest we ever got was eight pounds. The great 

 fishing was for tunny. These monsters of the deep 

 run to over one hundred pounds in weight, but do 

 not afford much sport. Whales are caught on the 

 coast, and the Americans had a pair of shears for 

 hoisting them on shore and a regular boiling-house 

 for extracting the oil. Cray fish as large as lobsters 

 were common. Turtles were occasionally obtained, 

 and one which would delight the soul of an alderman 

 could be bought for a dollar. Sweet potatoes were 

 another staple product of the island. 



The "tipparie " or Cape gooseberry, a delicious fruit, 

 grows wild all over the island. How it got there is a 

 puzzle. Tea and coffee, if looked after, do well. Oranges 

 used to be the great article of export, but the trade 

 has fallen off, and now pine apples under glass are 

 cultivated and principally exported, to England, where 

 they are sold as English hot-house produce ! I left a few 

 mango trees, both Indian and African, whether they 

 will come to anything remains to be proved. Guavas 

 were common, but not good. Plantains throve well 

 and were excellent and consisted of several varieties. 

 The climate is damp, the sea "mistral " is frequent, and 

 the spray destroys all cultivation it reaches. Thus 

 everywhere there are huge, ugly, high walls as a 

 sheltering measure which answer the purpose but 

 partially. Tomatoes if planted and protected from 

 this spray grow into a jungle. There are no snakes 

 or noxious animals. The fields are separated by walls 

 about four feet high, built of loose stones ; these are a 

 sad nuisance to the sportsman, as during a day's tramp 

 he has to climb over fifty or more and has to be care- 

 ful, for it does not take much to crumble them to 



