556 



AZORES. 



Sept. 1836. 



When we reached the so-called crater, I found it consisted 

 of a slight depression, or rather of a short valley abutting 

 against a higher range and without any exit. The bottom 

 was traversed by several large fissures, out of which, in nearly 

 a dozen places, small jets of steam issued as from the cracks 

 in the boiler of a steam engine. The steam close to the 

 irregular orifices was far too hot for the hand to endure it. 

 It had but little smell, yet from every thing made of iron 

 being blackened, and from a peculiar rough sensation com- 

 municated to the skin, the vapour cannot be pure ; I imagine 

 it contains some muriatic acid. The effect on the surround- 

 ing trachytic lava was singular, the solid stone being entirely 

 converted either into pure snow-white porcelain clay, or into 

 a kind of the brightest red, or the two colours were marbled 

 together. The steam has thus been emitted during many 

 years ; and it is said that flames once issued from the cracks. 

 During rain, the water from each bank must flow into these 

 cracks; and it is probable that this same water trickling 

 down to the neighbourhood of some heated subterranean 

 lava, causes the above effects. Throughout the island, the 

 powers from below have been unusually active during the 

 last year ; several small earthquakes have been felt, and 

 during a few days a jet of steam issued from a bold precipice 

 (part of Mount Brazil) overhanging the sea, not far from the 

 town of Angra. 



I enjoyed my day^s ride, though I did not find much worth 

 seeing. It was pleasant to meet the peasantry ; I do not 

 recollect ever having beheld a set of handsomer young men, 

 with more goodhumoured expressions. The greater number 

 whom we met, were employed in the mountains gathering 

 sticks for firewood. A whole family, from the father to the 

 least boy, might be seen, each carrying his bundle on his 

 head to sell in the town. Their burdens were very heavy; 

 this hard labour and the ragged state of their clothes 

 plainly bespoke poverty ; yet I am told it is not that they 

 want food, but there is an absence of all luxuries, — a case 

 parallel to that of Chiloe. Hence, although the whole land 



