The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-02-22

10 small houses, that are built OF blocks
Of Law with wbite-washed walls and
red tiled roofs. With fertile soil and
mild climate, the means OF livelihood
are so easily obtained that the ways Of
the sluggard seem to be adopted by
common consent. SO far a. | may
Judge, the only energy displayed is in
fruit gro wing and fishing
Every householder has an orange
grove attached to his place, and no
higher compliment can be paid TO the
owner than to help ones self to all the
fruit he may be able to eat. Even the
Hotel Fayalense, where we found q
generous hospitality, has an orchard of
orange trees laden with the golden
fruit. / dare cay that the landlord
himself was astounded at the feat Of
one of the officers who, without any
qualms of conscience or disarrange-
ment of physiological functions, sue
ceeded in eating two dozen oranges at
one sitting.
One is instantly jostled in the
streets by loaded doDkeys, lazy men
aud boys, who require the greater part
of the narrow passage-way, as they
jog along to aud from market. The
matron glides by most demurely clad
in capote, that covers the head with
| hood OF immense size and hangs in
drapery to the feet She is the en-
bodiment of prim dignity, and looks as
though she might have walked out of
some picture of the middle ages.
The market women with baskets on
their heads, and black-eyed girls with
vessels of water from the springs, are
equally suggestive of ancient times.
There is much that is interesting
about the donkey, thai threads the
streets with the air of the greatest un-
concern. He is the veritable beast of
burden in the Azores, somewhat larger
than the ordinary variety of his spec
les, and is used for carrying packs as
well as for riding. A thick pad rests
upon his back, and to thi, is attached
wooden frame shaped like a saw
buck, that serves for saddle.
You are constantly urged by boys
to take donkey, with the persistency
of civilized hack driver. Now for a
pleasure trip, perhaps to the noun
tains, into the country, anywhere on
the island! There are enough donkeys
and boys to go around, whose services
may be secured for nominal sum.
You sit upon this model saddle, not
astride, but with your feet uusupport-
ed by stirrups dangling at the side, and
even without bride and reins. A boy
trots along by your side and leads the
donkey, or as is more commonly the
case, belabors him soundly at regular
intervals, and goads him on between
times with very sharp stick. As a
result, for few moment, fair gait ia
attained. 1t is well, however, to cling
firmly to the pommel of the saddle, for
without warning one is in perpetual
danger of finding himself thrown to
the ground.
Among the objects of interest to be
seen in Fayal, to which visitors are
pretty sure to be directed, the most
wonderful of all is the Chaldeira, an
extinct volcano, within riding distance
from the city. For few miles the
way leads through pleasant groves,
and makes gradual ascent toward
the interior of the island. The road
becomes more broken and difficult, and
in time exceedingly steep. After two
hours of tedious riding our party dis
mounts, and leaving the donkeys in
care of guard, proceeds on foot to
the top of the mountain, accompanied
with guides.
The volcano is six thousand feet
high, and is sometimes called the "nest
of the Clouds" because at night the
vapory masses often settle down in the
crater and in the early hours of the
day come rolling over the edge and
down the sides. As we assembled a
dense fog enveloped us, and rain
storm came pouring down in torrents.
Hesitating, the guides urged US on,
| apd in few moments we emerged
from the storm. We were above the
clouds, with nothing below us visible.
On the summit grand sight is re-
| vealed. The crater has circumference
of six miles, and is two thosuand
feet deep with almost perpendicular
walls. IL is no easy matter to clam
| ber down into the cavern, clinging to
the bushes and shrubs for support.
The shell of the crater, of circular
form and two miles in diameter, rose
| above and around us, on which the sky
seemed to rest, making an impressive
scene. A little lake slumbered at our
feet, fire. SCARED rocks lay strewn
about, and a painful still ness was in
the air.
On our return to Horta, the same
fog belt was passed in descending the
mountain, and the same rainstorm was
encountered. Our donkeys were
found awaiting us, on whose back we
made our entrance into the city rather
the worse for our experience, forming
a ludicrous spectacle. With saturated
clothing and with no change of gar
ments nearer than the ship in the har-
Dor, the last resource, and the only al
tentative, was TO retire TO the hotel
beds while our clothes were drying by
the kitchen fire.
In contrast with the experiences oi
mountain climbing aud exploration.
| WCiC thC bOGuOs VI d ndliNc Ddil-TOOHi
in Horta, during our stay in the city,
at which the officers OF the Junista
were honored guests. The fact that
the Portuguese is the society language,
and the greater one that the Ameri
can representatives were conversani
only with their own vernacular, did
not destroy the pleasures of the even
ing. The ladies were becomlngly
dressed, many of them were pretty
and most of them danced with charm,
ing grace and dignity.
The customs are little novel to oc
cidental minds. The ladies were as
sembled in the ballroom at seemly
hour, where in silence or engaged il
conversation they waited for the dance
to begin, perhaps wondering if W,
Americans were good looking anC
good daucers. The men were gather
ed in the ante-room, and at the arriva