The Republican journal., 1895-11-28
The Republican Journal Thursday Morning November g. 1896

seen during his walking hours without
this supposed luxury in his mouth, and
his powers Of expectoration are unsur-
passed, even by cuspador champions in
the United States s'Sunny South In
meeting, the ladies kiss one another. first
on the left cheek and then on the right
bobbing their heads from side to side in
graceful unison and woe betide the for
eigner not accustomed to the salutation.
who bobs her head the wrong way and
gets bumped for her awkwardness! The
men also throw their arms around each
Others shoulders and kiss squarely upon
the moustache, with sounding smacks like
the popping Of champagne corks. While
Azoreans are generally of Portuguese
origin, those of Terceira pride themselves
particularly on sangre azul. The inhabi-
tants OF some of the other islands show
more or less mixture of Flemmish or
Moorish blood. English, Scotch and Irish
immigrants are also present in consider
able numbers, especially in Fayal and San
/ Miguel, and are said to be responsible for
! the blue eyes and frecSles that distigure
! some Of the younger Portuguese counte-
nances There are also some negroes
! among the reputable citizens; but Il little
extra shade in the complexion and kink in
the hair does not account for much among
these swarthy people Taken all IN all
they are queer lot. Among the aristoc-
racy the manners of Lisbon prevail and
regular court etiquette is observed ut as
semblies and dinner parties. Education
is at rather low ebb in all the islands,
but less so at Terceira than elsewhere
Among other institutions of learning at
Angra is a college for the education of
priests, which has at present over 100
students. The people appear to derive
little benefit from the blessings which
Providence has bestowed upon them For
example: though the finest fish in the
world abound almost at their doors, they
prefer cod and dogfish and other salted
(often putrid) varieties brought from
new lCuuuldut anu Ilc MeQ1lerfaneal,
Instead of their own beef and pork. which
can hardly be exceled, they buy dry
Jerk and abominable bacon imported
from Portugal and South America: and in
lieu of their own unadulterated wine.
drink vile spirit from Brazil and the
West Indies, while so called 'sbetter
classes substitute gaudy cotton prints
and sleasy ''mixed' goods from England
for the admirable native linen.
| Along with other pernicious fashions
| from Lisbon the sports of the bull-ring
were imported. But the Portuguese fiesta
de tauros is not wildly exciting as repro
duced at Angra, the island bulls being
very small and tame and their horns we'll
| padded to prevent them from hurting
anybody. The ampitheatre where the con
tests take place-out II the suburb called
Plaza de San Joao-looks like small cir
Gus ring. 1t is situated on the backward
slope Of hill to prevent the small bows
and children OF large growth from getting
surreptitious unpaid for peeps: the high,
/ whitewashed wall toward the street sup
piled with shuttered windows. above
which appear such inscriptions as ''cama-
rotes, (boxes} and 'bilhetes de so,nbre, =
seats for the shade. You pay The eouiva-
/ lent Of an American quarter for a seat in
! a box in the Shade, and half that amount
/ for the gallery where the suns ravs pour
in unhindered Iii Terceira, as in Portu-
4 gal, spain and Mexico, the Currela de
! lauros always takes place on Sunday, the
general holiday All the world and his
wife, from the Governor General down
through the nobility, the priesthood,
tradesmen aad barefooted laborers-eo
first to mass ana throng to tile ampi-
theatre later in the day. The military
band furnishes the music, yellow hand
bills assure the populace that "a CAV
time is bound to be had, and the audi
ence enjoys itself after fashion-prob-
abiy because amusements are few. Once
an enthusiastic devotee of the bull FIGHT
Imported large animal from England to
add zest to a great fiesta Upon his debut
III Azorean society. the fierce bull killed
his assailant at the first dash; then pro-
ceeded to demolish the rickety fence that
enclosed the arena and plunged in among
the spectators, injuring several before his
course could be checked. This was too
much sport even for Terceirans. and
since then the fighters have confined them
| selves to native stock
/ Much more exciting are the impromptu
fights occasionally INDUCED in rural viii
lagos, to celebrate some special fiesta.
patriotic or religious. They drive a wild
bull up from the fields to some long. vide
street. and then close the thoroushfare at
both ends. Up and down the beast rae, S.
charging everything in sight, frequently
compelling his tormentor to vault through
some window left conveniently open,
Sometimes the maddened brute storms A.
door and dashes into a house. while its
inmates shin up among the rafters. Tine
young Tercerians favorite method of CON
vincing his sweetheart Cf his invincihie