New-York tribune., 1886-03-21
THE ECONOMICAL AZORES.
, PRETTY AND PRIMITIVE PLACE TO LIVE

r..
,;hoals "a the largest and by far the most impor-
tart ;s,pd Of the Azores Prettily situated at the
foot of its hills lies the town of Ponta DciSaua-
much Larger than the other Azorean clties, ou' n'
ing the same glazing white houses ana n",io"
streets hommed in by high stone walls Inc s"oP'
arc rather difficult to find. There Is gcneraiiS ho
sign or no window and the goods upon lhe cou"'
ers and shelves are only seen through III" "oo'S'
which arc left standing open. Some of the smaller
shops have a string stretched across the Top vi 'no
door from which are suspended little buuches OF
.b-ood or yarn few strips of calico, an onion OF
cardle 70 attract customers; and II peasant nap
MANS IN have melon v hch he does not nced lnr
bome cousnmption. and which lie wishes to SELL lie
sometimes displays 1t for this purpose at the Hoh'
window. usually his only window
nre,,,cr srot could scarcely have been selected
for a market-place than the open square IN the
central part OF the city which IS used Tor that pur
nose The central part of the incosurc is shaded oy
fine trees and contains well-tlled tables. great
variety of f.uit is offered, which, though tempting
to tbe eve often proves less luscious than it looks
The pncapplcs grapes and p.ums, however, are
delicious The yellow pineappleS are peculiarly
fender and delicate. having fine flavor ana no
touob tibres. This is the only frnt which requires
70 he ripcned uuder glass in the genial chma'e Vi
the Azores Small heaps of grain piled up III t"e
middle of sheets are offered for sale forming Ne,i
table com exchange on small scale Out one III
which the merchandise Is represented ny stoch ao'
uolly on hand. Beautifully shaped Water-Jue9 ol
coarse clay which are manufactured on the lSlahu'
and a heavy grade of homespun linen which mas
Ian rrcnared by the peasants also among the
goods on exhibition.
II j. not unusual to see women at their open doors
occnnied in spinning with dlstan and rapidly
twisting the thread from it with the lett hand 20
nrimjtiye are the people that even the spinning
vheel which has been 80 long discarded III DOst
recjonS would he an innovation here liahd-loomS
are used in some families and instances are gwen
of Young girls working upon them ior the Sinai
sum of four cents day Wages here are small.
Men do a full days work for twenty-five cents ana
women emJ loyed in hOusework receive III some
cases but one dollar a month. On the other manu.
,bc,r wants are few and the expenses OF living very
light
The low stone huts of the peasants are dark and
gloomy. with bare floors of hard earth, sometimes
strcwn with nine needles. Through the open doors
we see wicker partitions, and the hens and chlcenS
are evidently as much at hohe as lhc GHl'ui W. rn'
Tue entire supply of water ls DIOuEht IN EIdS pj"9
{rom lakes op the mountains and IS discharged III
tho streets and at frequent intervals along tHo
rOadsidcS from substantial fountains which now
constantly, EaTthcu water-Jugs are then uScd loI
convevIn1 the water to the houses. Inc women
manage them adrOitly balancing the sl0plnE sues
OF the jug perfectly on the head that IL hee"S ho
The inhabitants of the Azores are principally Of
Portuguese origin with mixture ol / ilehISh any any
Moorish blood. They are a handsome people WIN
fns 6curcs olive conplcxiOns and soft brown eyes;
Tducaton has received but little attention mere ana
large proportion OF the people are uhaDio 10 Ichu
aud write Still there seems to be an entire aD,
sence of strcct-Ounging and I0wdylSm, anu
although the people of the lower classes are very very
moor thelr clothing Is scTupuGusly clean ana well
kent They generally ignore shoes altogetheI OF
stick their toes INTO rude clogs. No matter now
scautv the clothing may be about the ieet the
s,ff ba
tidy handkerchiefS. The little girls begin TO wear
tins badge even in infancy and they adhere 10 II
through life. A peculiar shade of lemon-yeIow IS
often selected for the HANDKERCHIEF which, neat ~
folded over thor smooth dark locks ana ueu uhdef
thc chin is exceedingly becoming,
These ppODlc do not approve of innovations. bnt
are satisfied TO keep things they used to be. Inc
men still sioop uncomioilanY IN WIoIh'nS I VIII WIZ
short handed hoes as their glahdlatuGIS uIu an
spades and shOvelo are unknown. Inc women
carry their washing ont TO the streams, ana rnb
their clothes upOn the stones, spreading them on
tLc ground to dry with little stone on each corner,
or hanging them against the side OF a wall ana
fastening them in tins Ios,on oy nnrI
here 80 lso are iiIcplaceS and ch;mneYs' except
inc as the ceiling of the kitchen slopes up TO meet
tie elevated side wall and forms narrow chlnk
for the escape OF smoke The cooking ) done over
nm npcn ire built top OF stone wall OF conVen-
lent height and fires are never uscu lor warming Vi
Small circular threshiug floors are to he seen on
most of the .cheS of farming land; ~ tTeshIh3
fine the grain is spread over these nara HooIs' ana
heavy wooden panks or drag, are drawn arOund
the circle by oxen that tramDIe ont the grain the
weight of the drag IS generally increased by seating
seyer1l members of the household upon II. In the
villages the scanty crop OF wheat or peas or
isa,'o is often spTpad out on sheets in the open
street 10 dry The AIoTcans are farming and fruit
raising people Their exports consist emery OF or
auges lemons bananas and plncapples Manulact-
ures are of the SIM lest and rudest character
tbonGn there are a few more elaborate upon the
island of Fayal Fayal hats ana the Well-hhowh
Fayal lace. knit ny the women from the long siiky
fibre OF the aloe leaf, are the most lmpoTtahO Oh
These The women also emhrOldeI handsomely,
and are slllful in many kinds OF line needlework.
From the number of shOeShOpS, ana the quantity
of men cmpOyed in them, It might be inferred that
the making of shoes is an important industry, ana
ono must ycud er what becomes of all the shoes in
a community where 50 few OF the people wear them.
The makers of musical instruments and the cabinet
makers are also busIly employed.
The customs here with regard To courtshlp even
amonn peoplc of the better classes, are curious.
When a Young man wishes 10 address lady lie
stations himself day after uay, on the street oppo-
site her home. II sic iavorS his SUIT she appear ~
the window and the acquaintance progresses Dy
series of signs AMI pantOmlme performances nntil
tbe suitor feels sufficiently encouraged to SenI her
narents "a lctter After this he is admitted 10 the
house and the after is arranged between the haPpy
ronni, thc eiphlnIs i'm the meantime. having had
ample opportunity to watch the progress OF the
The most important AzOrcan festival is that of
Sauto Christie which is participated IN by pilgrims
from POrtupSl well from the other islands, ana
the civ IS crowded with visitors for days preceding
the important event In order TO be on hand WHen
the beloved image is carried ont ol the church, the
pcople station themselves the night before npOn the
pavement, and sidewalks, and me9 women and
children mako their preparations to sleep IN the
onposito s0uarc which is literally packed With dew
otees The monastcrcS these Islands were
suppressed IN the year 1881 and since that tlme
some of the buildings have been converted iLto hos
pitals Visitors the hospital ut loreS are shown
q human heart, n alcohol. 1t once belonged 10 an
Azoreau who left of money for the establish
nent of the hospital requesting that his heart
should be- preserved and presented T. the inNtiiu-
ton. In tins case the heart certainly accompanied
Horses are rarely seen in the Azores; donkey
riding is one OF the principal amusements OF the
islands People soon grow fond of the exercise and
tLe mere fact OF sitting sidcWise upon donkey
with no stirrups. no Teins, and no responsibility
gives a thrill OF delightful aDtclpatloI Lach
l. L. -.--.... 81 u. LG. q In