236 PROFESSOR SMITH'S JOURNAL. 



April 9. In the morning we w-ere under the island of 

 Mayo, which appeared to be lower than Bonavista ; and 

 soon after we got sight of St. Jago. It is only a few days 

 since the Captain informed us that we were to touch at Porto 

 Praya, though we had reason to suppose this to be the 

 plan long ago. All eyes M^ere therefore with double 

 eagerness bent towards the island as we approached it. 

 After having for so long time seen nothing but the heaven 

 and the ocean, even the barren rocks, which Mere the first 

 objects that met our scrutinizing eyes, conveyed an 

 agreeable impression : though, in looking through the 

 telescope, it was with difficulty I could discover the least 

 vegetation, and scarcely expected on these rocks a richer 

 harvest than in the deserts of Lonzocolo last year. This 

 island appeared much higher than either of the two we had 

 ju*t passed. In itsgeneral formation it resembles the Ca- 

 naries. It is surrounded by a perpendicular wall of rock 

 Avithout any strand, and it rises gradually up to the summit 

 of the hills. The highest mountain is about the middle of 

 the island. Its shape is that of an oblique cone, the top of 

 which rears its head above the clouds, appearing at a dis- 

 tance like a black spot. The harbour soon opened out 

 between the rocks, in the form of an half circle. On both 

 sides batteries have been erected, but merely for the sake 

 of appearance. Guns without carriages, negro- soldiers 

 having muskets without locks, and the barrels tied to the 

 stocks with twine, constitute the defence of the harbour. 

 At the bottom of this circular inlet is situated the principal 

 sea-port town of the island, which is nearly in the same 



