TEE AZORES. 
81 
mental trees and plants of the Tropics. The great 
variety of palms, of cacti, dragon-trees, aloes, and 
others, blended with the orange, lemon, fig tree, and 
lime, produce a most pleasing effect ; even the beauty 
of our own familiar flowers seems improved, and 
they grow to an enormous size. 
Sugar-cane at one time was produced to a large 
extent ; but the demand appears to have declined, 
and, in consequence, the cultivation of grain, oranges, 
lemons, and the vine has been substituted : the pro- 
duce of these is an extensive and profitable source 
of revenue. 
During our stay, exploring parties visited many 
places of interest some few miles inland, especially 
the Lake of the Seven Cities, on their way passing 
through gullies, chasms, and long deep ravines, that 
evidently have been formed by torrents rushing from 
the mountains to the sea, all of which are now, by 
the bounteous aid of Nature, covered with luxuriant 
foliage and charming shrubs. 
The Azores abound with a great variety of mineral 
springs of the most valuable qualities and tempera- 
tures, which might be rendered a source of wealth to 
the inhabitants if the condition of the country and the 
accommodations of life were such as to induce visitors 
to resort thither to profit by their beneficial effects. 
The public buildings are of but little interest. The 
streets are narrow, as in most southern climates, 
principally for the purpose of excluding the rays of 
