Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-10-23
THE CAPE DE- vERD ISLANDS.

IJoon the western coast ut Africa, about an
hundred and fifty miles from the mouth Of the
Gambia, the Daradus Of the ancients. there Is
promontory, which. from ITS remarkably green
appearance, Is called Cape de Verd. or 4oo
miles from this Cape there is group OF islands,
ten or fourteen in number, according 10 the iah'
CIV of different navigat0rs; some oil wnom nave
chosen to aggrandize few large rocks by rank
ing them with the principal islands OF the Gus
ter. They were known to the ancients as Inc
Gorgades; their modern name Is probably Dor
rowed from the cape; and not bestowed as part'-
cularIy applicable to the islands themselves. -
They were long unknown to the moderns; and
were finally discovered de noUo, in l446, 6y An
thony Noel. Genoese, IN the service OF Portu.
gal AS usual with almost all groups discover
ed by Catholic navigatnrs, the largest were nam
ed after the Saints: Antonio. Lucia. Vincent,
Nicholas and Jaso. had an island apiece; and
the remainder, after serving the Saint, were
baptized at discretion, and still bear their origi.
nal names, Mavo Sal. Bravo, Fuego, and Bona
vista. They are rocky, mountainous, and gene
eally barren, excepting IN the valies. In con-
nection with the Circumstance am about 10 re-
late, il may not b. aniss II have them more per-
fectly before thee. ST. Antonio, which has a
population of twenty thousand. is two leagues
from ST. Vincent, and is supplied with fresh wa.
ter springs on the North. One of its mountains
has been compared To the Peak of Teneriff', and
its summit is covered with perpetual snow. TINS
island has been celebrated for its tropical fruits.
Of st. Lucia little is known; 1t is TWENTY-FIVE
miles in length, and twentv-ona in breadth. high
and mountainous. st. Vincent must be one OF
the least considerable. for il Is not even designa.
ted upon ordinary charts. ST. Nichuas. which
lies between ST. Lucia and st, Jago, is a barren
and rocky island, extending seventy five miles in
length. st. Jaga is the most fertile, though 1t
abounds in high and barren mountains. In the
season Of rain, ITS air is unwhoesome to stran
gers. Its AMIN ls are beeves, horses. asses.
mules, deer, goats, hos,, ci>et cats, and mon
KEYS Its vegetable productions arc the. richest
fruits of the tropics. Riberla Grande. the CAPT
mountains. The Portuguese viceroy resides at
Porto Praya.
Mayo, or the Isle of May. is about seventeen
miles IN circumference, very barren and poorly
supplied with water Many Of its Inhabitants
are negroes, who speak the Portuguese language.
and some Of them 60 nearly naked. Salies. east
of ST. Nicholas. Is fory-two miles IN clrcumfer-
enre. aud is remarkable for the great quantity
of salt made by the sea water, which occasional
| ~ overhows some portions Of the island b.
navista. the most eastwardly Of the group. and
the first discovered, ia twenty miles long and
thlr cen broad: salt is produced here also, by
Gods providence. and not Dv the efforts ct II,
inhabitants, who are distinguished for their sloth
lulness. Bravo is an island Of pyrandal noun
tans; it is famous for its wine, and in addition
to the productions common to them all, it furn-
ishes sa;petre. Fuego appears 10 the mariner.
as he approaches II. single mountain ut lire
Like most other volcanoes, II has Its eruptlons
of ashes, AMI rocks, and lava; and thet smoke
may be diScerned far at sea. perpeiually ascend
ing from i,s summit = population IS ;".xture
of blacks aud Portuguese. protesting thu ROmsh
religion. The inhabitants OF the whole group
are supposed to exceed seventy thousand. This
account will no longer be TEDIOUS To thee, Ach-
met, when thou art informed that the wretched
tenants OF this archipelago are perlshng OF Ia
mine; and, on that account, are the objects ut
that charitable sympathy. which, | have told
thee, the people of this city are 50 ready to &C
cord. Thou canst easily Imagine mnre inter
esing race than these miserable islanders. but
they are mortals; and Mahmoud is aothug more.
He who brings the melancholy tale OF their dis
tress, relates that only three vessels OF any mag.
nitude were owned in the whole group OF islands
An hundred and thirty-three years ago. ~ 1863,
on the 18Th February, the navigator, Dampier,
TtCOTus tue
~ weighed from Mayo road and stood for ST.
Jago TO water, the wafer at Mayo being bracki,h
trucked here some Of the salt, which brought
from Mavo, for fowls and maize. This is the ef-
feet of the nhabirants keeping no boats Of their
o,Ul, so that they are glad to buy even their own
salt of foreigners" 1t is to be hoped, Achmet,
that the advance Of these islanders in other par
ticulars has outsripped their progress in navlga-
ton; for the same writer observes, Of the island
Mayo. ssFeb 11th. 1899, the inhabitants Of
this island, even to their Governor and padres
are all negroes. wool-pated. like their African
neighbors; but being subject 10 the Portuguese,
they have their religion and language. In these
remarks, Damper speaks only of single island.
These islands have always been liable, and pro-
bable always will be, in greater or less degree.
to thai cause which has materially contributed
to produce their present calamity; that cause has
has not been the only agent in its production; for
they are VIGOROUSLY an improvident and sIothful
people. Great irregulanty and uncertainty in
the rainy seasons, were there, in all human pro-
liability, before they came; and they have their
islands upon Gods own conditions. a rotation OF