Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-08-08
LIFE IN THE AZORES.
Farms Of Sc. Michaei's Island-Carrying
Nff Islauders-The Risks.

on Islanders-1be Risks.
81. Michaels is so densely populated
that the government has been compelled
10 limit the amount Of property obtain
able by one person. This in a measure
equalizes and controls the financial in
terests Of the islanders. Viewed from
the quarterback the farms all appear Of
the same size, as marked off by the well
trimmed hedge rows or lines of tropical
plants that serve 70 define the limits.
The care bestowed upon these farms-if
really they can be called farms-is equal
10 that usually given to a bed of plants
or one Of rare flowers. A ride in the
country affords n most pleasant sur
prises, for never have | seen such beauti-
full gardens as those surrounding the diff.
ferent private residences. The islanders
are very hospitable to strangers and es-
pecially TO Americans.
The country is so limited that none but
the wealthy can afford TO purchase, and
as a result many a young man burns with
the desire to leave it and seek his fortune
In America. But every n who leaves
the island is required TO have a passport.
This passport states that the individual is
no longer subject to military duty, is free
of debt and Of crime. To both men and
women these passports are furnished. but
the fee charged is so high that the purse
of the peasants will not enable them to
buy, or il they do buy they usually step
aboard the American bound packet in a
penniless condition. Boys IN as
soon as they are able TO work TO save
money-not as American lads do, for
Fourth Of July ~firecrackers, but TO pay
the price exacted by the government
the price demanded for their rights, their
privileges, for their freedom, the right to
60 forth q free man. This is Europe.
This is tyranny, but tyranny is repre-
sented by only n small mouth Of the
monster, whose arms and creepers have
so long held down in ignorance, in penury
and in want the mass $ of the continent.
To evade il possible the passport laws
many attempt TO bard the packets by
stealth. II Is a most hazardous under
taking, and 10 be caught in the act en-
tails no end of future surveillance il not
Imprisonment. Nevertheless, many do
succeed in thus G tting off, and some of
the incidents connected with the carrying
of of islanders ere full Of adventure and
excitement.
The method usually resorted to by the
captains of the packet ships which touch
in here every month or so is to make
some secret arrangement with n or
more persons acting for the rest. The
captains must needs lie wary and cautious.
Should they be caught by a Portuguese
mar OF wal or gunboat their vessels will
be confscated. and they themselves liable
to fine or imprisonment or both. 1t is
arranged that the people be at a certain
isolated spot on the beach at ar agreed
upon hour. Accordingly the captain Of
the packet vessel ''clears" from port with
only those passengers who are provided
with passports. A government officer
accompanies the vessel until the latter is
well clear of the land, and then leaves
her TO pursue her course She continues
to stand out to sea, until, night coming
on, the captain heads the vessel in for
shore toward the agreed upon locality,
lowers a boat with a good, strong crew,
well armed, and again stands out to sea.
The boat pulls cautiously in under the
gloom of the shore, and ere long is hauled
up in the dark shade of huge overhang-
ing rocks. The boats crew stand by
their oars while the one in charge scruti-
Mics carefully all about Ism, then lands.
and stealthily approaches the agreed upon
spot.
Here in a cave, or among the recesses
of large, towering cliffs with the sea
roaring about them as it breaks against
the rocks, are huddled together a score
of men and women, parents and chill
dren, mothers with babes in their arms,
and girls whose pretty faces are trickling
with tears from the excitsment. the fear,
the something they know not what. The
sailors presence is 500 made known,
not a moment is to be lost. Quickly and
carefully the women are first put in, and
with them their little bundles. As many
of the men are got in as will not endan-
ger the safety of the boat. The eager
ness of the latter can hardly he re-
strained. for it may be that a father or
mother must remain, as it is rare that a
boat viii risk a second return. Allowing
the boat an hour or two in which TO
make the shore the captain again stands
in" But he does not dare take too
many risks. and If the boat is not clear
Of the shadow Of the land, he docs net
hesitate to leave it and pull away. Many
Portuguese reach the states by this
means, and n line plying between the
United States and the western islands
carries off great numbers at each trip.
IL is quite a remuneratiye business-car-
rying Of crock fish" Gslanders), as the
sea captains style it.