The Republican journal., 1895-12-12

fruit for shipment to foreign lands. Be-
sides the schooners and barques that ar
rive from abroad TO take on these cargoes
many ships put in here for repairs. There
is regular mail communication with Eu-
steamers, also by fruit steamers to Eng
land the United States sends two lines of
vessels from Boston and New York. at
frequent intervals. Owing to this easy
and comparatively new communication
with the [ nitea States our trade is rapid
" pushing its way among these people.
few years ago England largely monopo-
LIED the Azorean market in the way of
imports, sending thither woolens, cotton,
hardware, iron. lumber, glass, tea and
groceries, TO an annual value OF a million
dollars; but now American goods have
come 70 be IN active demand, especially
flour and domestics. The fact is the
Azoreans need about everything our mar
kets can supply, being to a great extent
business except as they are supplied by
foreign trade. For instance, though sur
rounded by the ocean, and with whales
spoutng in their harbor, they buy all
their fish and oil from other countries;
and raising such an enormous quantity Of
oranges every year, they cannot make
boxes ter the fruit as cheaply as the same
can be imported in shocks from America
The population of Ponta del Gada is
estimated at -, 900 and that of the island
! about 115, 900. The city architecture is
noticeably similar to that Of Havana-the
same two stored stone houses with much
Of the Doric in pillars, entablature and
roof; and the same endless whltewash
variegated with brilliant colors There is
a fine old city gate, and you come upon
rare archways in unexpected places
| Traces of the Bazantine order are found
in the public edifees, and in the many
churches with their towers full Of tongue
! less bells that have been worn thin by the
long handled hammers OF generations of
sections beating perpetual tattoo upon
them. There is more wealth here than
\ AZ Horta and some very fine residences,
\ surrounded BY superb gardens of world
wide fame. The streets, regularly laid
on and well paved are under drained
and neatly kepr. 4 few OF them are tol-
erably wide, ou1 tile majority, as in the
cities ot Spain, Portugal and Italy, are
4 very narrow and .dalkened by overhane-
/ ing balconies. shops are windowless and
signs almosz unknown some quaint EN-
blem d device usually indicating the
character III wares to be found within
4 Wine shops arc everywhere, wide open
and we'll patlonze0, but there seems to
! be no drunkenness. Hotel accommodate
tons are unfortunately limited and most
ly undel Portuguese management There
is one small inn kept by an English fam
lily, which cannot be said to reflect much
credit upon the inns OF NMerrie Eng
land. 4 and board may be had at moderate
rates i'll private families By far the bet
tel plan, if you contemplate winter S
sojourn in these Islands, or even a few
weeks stay, is TO hire casa and set up
| ZIG tree, pro tenn Rents are absurdly low
as compared to prices in New York and
Washington, with infinitely better climate
thrown in; provisions, though somewhat
n Il
than at home. and servants hire averages
twelve and a half cents a week What
answers for winter in the Azores begins
about Christmas. the three coolest months
being January, February and March--so
very cold indeed, that the Thermometer
gets down at rare intervals as low as IS
degrees above zero! Frosts are unknown
and vegetation remains green and luxuri-
ant throughout the year, with little change
except in color, as each flower has it's own
season. This seems strange, remembering
that the islands are in about the same
latitude as Philadelphia; but | suppose
the difference in temperature is due to
the vagaries Of that mysterious current,
the Gulf Stream. In the winter months the
Azorean weather is sometimes damp and
chilly, owing to frequent showers, and as
III England and Scotland it is well when
taking ones walks abroad to always 90
armed with an umbrella. But the sun
quickly reappears and the ground is soon
dry-partly from evaporation and partly
from the porous soil, which soon conducts
the surface water away, The winter
winds, however, render necessary the
high walls, lined with tall hedges of faya
and incense trees, that are seen every
where in the Azores protecting the orange
groves and vineyards. In spite of them
the gales sometimes amounting to reeu-
lar billiards., minus the snow-do meal
Z culable damage to the fruit and to ship
[ ping in the llarbor when, at rarer inter-
, walls, a Niagara sweeps over the break
, water, lifting boulders of tons weight and
depositing them on its promenade.
Taken all in all, one might go farther
and fare great deal worse for winter
residence, ia the matter of climate, seen