ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [hie of France, $c. 



bearing from N. W. to N. N. W. There is a good landing-place for boats 

 near the castle. 



Angra Bay is known by means of a remarkable forked hill near the 

 sea, named Mount Brazil ; the bay is about half a mile broad, ami open to 

 all winds from S. S. W. by the S. to the E. The S. W. sea, in particular, 

 which sets round Mount Brazil on the W. side of the bay, is tremendous. 

 The ground, excepting a very small part of it, is so rocky, as to make it re- 

 quisite to moor with four anchors. Vessels may safely remain in the roads 

 from May to September, when the winds are light, and blow from between 

 W. and N. W. At the commencement of winter the winds are so violent, 

 that upon the least appearance of bad weather, it is necessary to put to sea, 

 the coast affording no shelter. 



The city of Angra, in latitude 38° 3# N., and longitude 27° 12 W., is 

 the metropolis of the Azores, and the residence of the Governor. It is well 

 built and peopled, and is an Episcopal See, under the Archbishopric of 

 Lisbon; it has five parishes, in one of which, St. Salvador, is the cathedral ; 

 four monasteries, and four nunneries. It is surrounded with strong works, 

 and has a large castle mounted with heavy cannon. 



In this city are kept the royal magazines for naval stores, for the men 

 of war and merchant ships. The maritime afia/rs are under an officer, called 

 the Desembargador, who has persons under him who pilot ships into the bay, 

 and supply them with provisions, water, and other refreshments, which are 

 here plentiful, and at very moderate prices. 



ST. MICHAEL, separated from Terceira by a safe channel, about 24- 

 leagues wide, is the longest of the Azores, being 10 or 11 leagues in extent 

 E. and W., and only two or three in breadth. The principal town, called 

 Ponta del Gado, is on the S. side of the island, where vessels anchor in a 

 small bay near the shore ; but it affords little shelter from the storms that 

 frequently happen in winter. The W. point of the island, called Ferraria, 

 is in latitude 37° 54' N., and longitude 25° 5^ W. The town has a hand- 

 some appearance from the sea. The principal fortification is the Castle of 

 St. Braz, which is close to the sea, at the W. extremity of the town. About 

 three miles to the E. are two small forts. There is a mole for the pro- 

 tection of the small craft, which might at a small expence be made capable 

 of receiving vessels of a considerable draught of water. 



St. Michael is the largest in extent in square miles of any of the Western 

 Islands, and is the most productive of all kinds of grain, as well as animal and 

 vegetable food ; it may with propriety be termed the granary of Lisbon ; as, 

 upon a moderate computation, in a year of favourable crops, it produces grain 



