PORTO GRANDE. 
57 
expect, it presented a succession of volcanic ridges, 
arid ravines, and sandy plains. 
Porto Grande is, however, a noble bay, situated on the 
north-west side of the island, and therefore well protected 
from the prevalent winds — the north-east trades. It is 
vei-y spacious, and from its salubrity and intermediate 
situation within the tropics, it was considered by Captain 
Trotter to be a very advantageous position for the neces- 
sary operations of thoroughly cleaning out and re-stowing 
the holds, and transferring to the ‘ Harriot’ the stores, &c., 
for which we anticipated no further use before we reached 
the coast of Africa. As this involved a considerable 
exposure of the crews to a hot sun, it was a good pre- 
paration of their constitutions. The water is scarce and 
bad, and the stunted brushwood quite unfit for fuel. 
The chronometers were again verified ; magnetical ob- 
servations made, and Commander W. Allen observed 
the declination of the magnetic needle with a new 
instrument — the transportable Magnetometer — which 
had been completed expressly for this expedition, by 
M. Weber, of Gottingen, the inventor. 
The town consisted of about sixty dirty and uncom- 
fortable mud huts, which are seen not far from the 
shore. The Governor inhabits a somewhat superior 
building, but in many respects, is not much better off. 
The people of the place — Portuguese, Creoles, and 
Negroes — number about five hundred. They looked 
healthy, though spare, which is not to be wondered at, 
as they are dependent during great part of the year on 
