PORTER S JOURNAL. 



23 



The following determinations were made at Port Praya, 

 by astronomical observations : 



Latitude 14° 54' 05" north 



Longitude 23° 30' 1 7" west 



Variation of the compass 14° 58' 00" west. 



Praya at present has no commerce. It derives its prin- 

 cipal support from vessels that casually stop for refresh- 

 ments, and its only importance from being the residence of 

 the captain-general of the islands of Cape de Verd, who re- 

 ceives a salary from the crown of g200 per month, and 

 draws some portion of the revenue arising from the sale of 

 cattle to foreign vessels, on every head of which is a duty 

 equal to one half the amount, paid by the purchaser. Whe- 

 ther this is an imposition of the officers of government, I 

 will not pretend to decide ; I would, however, recommend 

 it to such vessels as require fresh provisions, to purchase 

 sheep, hogs, and poultry, in preference to beef, on account 

 of the cheapness and quality. Nor would I advise the pur- 

 chase or contracts to be made the first day of the arrival ; 

 if a salute should be fired, in the course of a day or two the 

 country people flock in from all parts of the island, and the 

 price of every article is reduced one half. 



St. Jago produces, besides every species of tropical fruits, 

 sugar, indigo, coffee of a superior quality and flavour, or- 

 chilla, a vine for dyeing, which is a monopoly of the crown, 

 cotton, and (during the fruitful seasons) corn in such con- 

 siderable quantities, as to enable them to make large ex- 

 portations to Madeira and the Canaries. Manufactories 

 of a kind of cotton shawl, worn by the women of the island, 

 are carried on in almost every family. It is remarkably 

 neat, and consists of a number of narrow stripes, so artfully 

 joined as to render the seam scarcely perceptible. Cover- 

 lids of the same kind for beds are also made. 



On leaving the port we shaped our course to the S. E, 

 with a view of deceiving the people of Praya, and impress- 

 ing a belief that we were bound to the coast of Africa. 

 When, however, we were at such a distance that the ship 

 could no longer be seen from the town, I stood S. S. W. by 

 compass with a view of falling in with the Island of St. 

 Pedro de Ponedro, said to be situated in latitude 0" 5o 

 north, and, according to Blunt, in longitude 29° 10' west, 

 ITie French, however, have placed it in longitude 29° 54* 



