376 Incidents of Foreign Field Sport. 



in five or six months," lie said, " and then be carried 

 on probably for another year. In the meantime the 

 prisoner is let out on his own recognizances to appear 

 when called upon." "Under these circumstances," 

 replied I, " you may as well let the man go at once, for 

 I don't mean to stay six months more in the island, or 

 to be at the expense and trouble of a protracted trial 

 of a case which is palpable, as the property was found 

 on the person of the accused by the constable who 

 took him in charge." " We consider such an offence 

 very trivial," he said, and there was an end of it. Had 

 the offender been any nationality but Portuguese, 

 he would have been walked off to prison and kept 

 there without trial for months. The islands are priest- 

 ridden. There are people living on them over 100 years 

 of age. In the days of their prosperity the better 

 classes had built superb churches and dwelling-houses ; 

 the former are still kept up, but the latter are decay- 

 ing, as their owners have no longer the jneans of keep- 

 ing them in repair. The shops are excellent, well 

 supplied with English, American and German goods, 

 which are sold at fairly cheap rates. The shoemakers 

 and curriers are also good. Both red and white wine 

 are made, and are deemed excellent by those who par- 

 take of them. A good deal of spirit is also distilled in 

 Fayal as well as in Pico. Both German and English 

 beer, and doubtless now " lager " from America, can be 

 bought, but at fabulous prices, owing to the heavy 

 tariff imposed. There are loose women of many nation- 

 alities, except English, who live in a quarter by them- 

 selves. Their livelihood is derived principally from 

 sailors visiting or passing by the islands. They are any- 

 thing but attractive to look at, and more brazen-faced 



