peeping at us from behind them. One of the largest buildings, consisting of several stories, was formerly the Jesuits' college, but is now occupied by our kind entertainer, Mr. D, as a wine cellar, in which trade he is extensively engaged. The only carriages which I saw, were small clumsy carts drawn by two oxen. These singular machines consist of a bottom of solid boards, tapering out in front into a single shaft, with a few rude pins stuck into it to serve in place of sides; the wheels are each of a single piece of solid wood with a thin outer edge, and have heavy iron nails hammered into the circumference, as a substitute for rings; they are fixed immovably to the axle, which revolves along with them, within a small box passing under the cart. No mercy is shown to the poor animals which drag them; we saw them urged with heavy blows and loud vociferations, while the wretched cart went wriggling through deep ruts, under the most disproportioned loads.

The Azores are subject to Portugal, and the language of that country is universally spoken. The natives are slender, but well made. The men wear cotton jackets and trowsers, and some who had come from the country with cattle for sale, carried a long staff or pole in their hands. The women are more fantastically attired. Some are completely shrouded in large blue cloaks, somewhat resembling in shape, the red duffles of our native country, but much more ample in their folds;

NATIVES-FAYAL WINE.

15

the hood is very large, and is gathered close by. the hand at the mouth, so as completely to conceal the features; the upper part projects forward, and no more is left open than is barely sufficient to enable the lady to pilot her way. These are most convenient dresses for those who court concealment, for a husband cannot recognise his wife on the street, unless some peculiarity of gait or figure betrays her. Others wear a man's great coat; a large gay shawl over the shoulders, and a smaller one falling from the crown of the head to the back of the neck, surmounted by a man's hat; a white handkerchief round the throat, and a staff in the hand.

Externally the natives are amazingly polite, and universally salute you in the street, with their hand to their hat, but in the little intercourse which we had with them, we found them avaricious, crafty, and malignant. The soldiers and sailors of the health boat importuned us for money in the presence of their officers; the prices which they asked for their baskets and other commodities, were most exorbitant, and they often accepted a fourth of their first demand; but what was worse, one of them having disagreed with one of our steerage passengers, about the price of a pig, drew out a large knife and threatened to stab him.

The white wine, which is made in considerable quantities at Fayal, is, to my taste, a very poor article; it is, however, very potent, and some of

our steerage passengers got prodigiously loquacious under its influence. The grapes are chiefly the produce of Pico, where there are few inhabitants except those who are employed in the culture of the vines. Fayal produces wheat, Indian corn, oranges and lemons. The lemons are I suspect of rather an inferior quality, but the oranges, as is well known, are of the most delicious richness; the skin is thin and tender, and they contain few seeds. When allowed to ripen on the tree, however, they attain to a perfection which is never found in the exported fruit, which must necessarily be gathered when hard, or it could not endure the voyage. Fayal oranges, as well as those from all the other islands, bear the general name of St. Michael's, when in the European market.

Our arrival here has been exceedingly opportune as regards our intercourse with Mr. D's family, for this happens to be his eldest son's birth day. We have had in consequence an opportunity of being guests at the birth day dinner, and of mingling our congratulations on this happy occasion, with thanks for the polite attention which has been paid to us. The back of the chair in which Mr. D, Junior, sat, was adorned with a profusion of the most beautiful flowers and fruit blossoms; a voluntary expression of regard and good wishes from the servants of the family. After dinner, two of Mr. D's daughters, very interesting young ladies favoured us with some fine music upon the

BIRTH-DAY DINNER.

17

piano forte, and you can easily imagine with what feelings of homeward attraction I listened to the "Blue bells of Scotland," on this little fairy island in the middle of the vast Atlantic.

I could with great pleasure have spent a few days here, to have had an opportunity of climbing the vast Peak of Pico, and of enlarging my acquaintance with the general aspect of Fayal, but our captain has attained the object of his visit, and has summoned us on board, in the hope, as the wind is still fair, that the latter part of our voyage will be more pleasant and more propitious than its

commencement.