THE AZORES 



393 



growing in the woods farther back, often rendered difficult of access 

 by a dense growth of brambles, would not come under their observation. 

 This matter is discussed later; and it will be sufficient to point out 

 here that in an ordinary traverse of the woods the trees would not 

 be seen at their best. This is illustrated in Watson's conception 

 of Myrica faya as a dense bush (p. 224) ; whereas, when allowed 

 to grow undisturbed it becomes a tree of respectable size, thirty-five 

 to forty feet high. 



Yet it is abundantly evident from the old Portuguese and other 

 authorities of the sixteenth century quoted by Walker, such as 

 Fructuoso, Cordeiro, and Linschoten, that the islands were once 

 heavily timbered. In the middle of that century, according to 

 Fructuoso, there were dense and lofty woods of Cedars (Juniperus), 

 Fayas (Myrica faya), and Laurels (Laurus canariensis) on the slopes 

 of the valley of the Furnas in San Miguel. Linschoten was resident 

 in the group in the latter part of the sixteenth century. I have 

 consulted his account as given by Purchas (edition of 1905). Writing 

 of Terceira, he says that " the island hath great store and excellent 

 kinds of wood, especially Cedar (Juniper) trees, which grow there in 

 so great numbers that they make Scutes, Carts, and other grosse 

 workes thereof." Of Pico he writes that it had " great store of wood, 

 as Cedars and all other kinds, and also the costly wood Teixo (Taxus 

 haccata). There they build many Carvels and small Ships; and 

 from thence, by reason of the abundance of wood, they serve the 

 other Islands with wood." It cannot, therefore, be doubted that 

 Pico, as Walker observes (p. 84), was " at one time densely covered 

 with timber of large size." 



In the early history of the Azores the timber of the Juniper trees, 

 the " cedro " of the islanders, was extensively employed in building 

 the churches. Walker (p. 252) quotes an early Portuguese authority 

 to the effect that Terceira, when first discovered, was densely wooded 

 with heavy timber, all the old churches and other buildings being 

 roofed with " cedar " wood. Tradition has it that the immense 

 beams even now in the roof of the cathedral at Angra were cut from 

 trees that flourished as late as 1570. According to the same authority, 

 the " last authentic record " of these " magnificent " Azorean Cedars 

 being still in a flourishing condition relates to their use to repair 

 a church at Villa Franca, in San Miguel, which was much damaged 

 by the earthquake of 1630. In the church at Magdalena, on the 

 island of Pico, which is said to have been built in 1710, a good deal 

 of Cedar has been employed in the chancel, but it is now often gilded 

 over. I learned from the priest that according to popular belief 

 the wood came from Pico. It would seem from Walker's pages 

 that most of the old timber trees in the group had disappeared before 

 the close of the seventeenth century. 



Large Trunks of Trees buried in the Ashes of Ancient 

 Volcanic Eruptions. — The trunks of trees overwhelmed in the 

 early volcanic eruptions give similar testimony of the large size of 

 the trees of the original forests. Frequent reference has been made 

 by writers to their occurrence in the island of San Miguel. " From 

 the boles occasionally unearthed at the Seven Cities and Furnas " 

 (thus writes Walker, p. 25) " there is little doubt that these splendid 



