The Republican journal., 1895-10-10
among tho Azores.


ri.oM THE SEA.
-s.aeial correspondence of The journal.
HaRrA. Fayal Island, Sept. 5, 1895. If
.t,,e and weather permit you will find it
nl4asant to take row around Flores Is
saa before sailing away to other parts Of
,s4 archipelago. Generally speaking, you
,4sa not be afraid to trust your life any
where an Azorean boatman will take you,
*, they are the most cautious and timid
NJ creatures SO far as going to sea is con
sDned. And indeed there is reason for
.FA excessive timidity that sometimes
sseris to border on the ludicrous, in the
Uncertain seas that environ their little
Ward They may start off on fine day,
gjt fair wind, to make the shortest
raise, and the weather suddenly become
" reapestuous that they lose Sight of the
saa4 altogether and are blown to sea
.af pUiish or their boats are pounded to
asaes VA the rocks. La this way two
Nans ana their crews were lost only a
IN weeks ago in going the six miles be
alav santa Cruz and the next town on
IN snle side of the island.
Wgt You forget these bugaboos when
. a8AI.n4 oyer the long swells Of tile mid
. ytla4tit in good stout wher.y, With the
4 Singing and the wind Just strong
. a0s-A to white cap every wave; and
Slas- a spice of possible danger
. lAl4 adds zest to the enjoyment. 1t
H }d tn tell which is blier, the
w tAaYe 01 the sea below; except III
.lc5Es where white clouds skurrying
| tsl I've 90 the mighty deep that tender
Mf NJ biue sometimes seen in Il child's
ayVs Should it come Ola to blow as
u sAll0ls say, a few minutes would
| Hb q ast difference in this treacherous
wlQdiity, 1t is not uncommon to cross
l Flores to Corvo on a balmy morning,
| sNndiAg to return in an hour OF two
MN ne detained there several weeks be-
X X is possible to come back over the
NsterOus ten mile channel between the
E6 Stands; aud in winter the boats sell
0ai yeuture ont at all
Although the entire population of
Hoses Island is less tlan Il, 900, it con
@ns several villages besides Santa Cruz,
ast NJ them along the coast. Largens
/, tlle nearest town and between it and
Ag capital you see little river hurrying
VI .Ae ocean, (the Ribelia CRUZ, and
0A. stretches OF stunted cedar trees-a
ecies 81 timber SO plentiful in Flores
la t A9t only furnishes the people with
asl but is shipped to tile other islands
Hs Baag-building purposes. Flores is
>sui-ellcular in form, almost entirely
Ea. le TN high cliffs, indented with mum
5dus Slnall bays; and nearly every bay has
>I@lilet along shore. At Largens there
W m3Ny proofs Of the inhospitabe char
,s ~ Tile coast IN the remains Of wrecks
1#n al about. Here piles Of spars
Aeaps OF beams and buiwarks tell
HllJly tales Of disaster there the
Aa unfortunate ships companion
Neyn joined 70 the dark walls and
tAatch oi d native house. planks,
s9ded by long CRUISES d many seas,
~ sls cottage loors, and on them some
tells ii tie name Of tile sl4il, from which
9ame may still By traded Among
ein wv made out Ihe Nancy Jane. Nan
set did The FlynoatA Daltl-
Lal2ens, entirely embarrassing
-el1, is surrounded bs fields, divided
e NV board fashion, by stone walls, in
women were working With their
@s4. Short handled hoes
Faem Grande is also built near the
ei Sedge with high. dark cliffs behind
THE streets are bordered by loose
s VI black lava-stoue, behind which
rtages Of the same gloomy color
aeael or tiled; with occasionally a
ore pTetenhous two story mansion of
Fathel beaten white standing close to
sIIaet without wall Or yard 10 front
found the stony lanes between these
sls Goo narrow to be called streets,
4nding in pigs, poultry and half naked
lAiIfen: while groups Of peasants in
eA calico jackets and scarlet petticoats
We color to the scene and touch of
tples4ueness was added by some field
Dglers dragging a huge wooden pillow
Neen them and wicker topped OK
r. with solid chunks of wood for wheels,
Aans slowly through the village.
lsrever the cliffs that environ Fajem
Pade are not too nearly perpendicular,
lal edges have been cut out and plant
VIII corn, flax, potatoes, cabbages and
'a These rise in steps to such a
sh' that the upper ones look like green
r ayiding the layers of lava that show
E'as their edges. The lava strips are
~ except where cushions of moss and
leAs Lave given them soft tints Of gray,
icfils md long grasses lean over. A
" ayback in the valley is one of the
llal eu'iosities Of the island, a huge,
F"'ed, cule- shaped mass Of black lava,
s'al hunlred feet high, rising like a
Y eann L. pillow. There is no more
uniting fu how it came there than for
mes IN ailber. 1t is too large to have
carried town by a flood and much