The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-01-16

passport; and passport will not be grant
ed unless he gives bonds in $500, to re-
turn and serve in the army when con-
scripted. 1t might as well be three mil
lion dollars, so far as the peasant is able
to raise it. But good many get away
every year nevertheless, by shipping clan
destinely on the whalers and traders that
occasionally put in at the smaller ports.
''Stealing Portuguese as the traffic is
called in seaman's parlance, used to be
an extensive and profitable business and
is yet considerably engaged in. When
you see bonfire at midnight on some
lonely hilltop, you may know to Ger
tainty that it is signal to some waiting
vessel that a boat load of refugees is wait
ing to come off under cover of darkness,
1t is said that sacks of wheat and balls
and boxes of vegetables, taken on even ut
Ponta Delgada, sometimes develop into
lively two-legged freight as soon as the
craft is outside the harbor.
However hard the peasant lot at home,
though he owns neither house, nor land,
nor cart, nor goat nor pig, there is none
so poor that he cannot possess at least
one little donkey, which, after the con-
venient habit OF its kind, supports itself
somehow on brambles, tin cans and other
refuse. If You want to 90 anywhere in
San Miguel island, and require the ser
vices of donkey, all you have to do is
to step over to the Matriz church. where
hundreds of the sturdy little beasts are
congregated all day long, accompanied bv
barefooted drivers who carry iron point
ed goads, as large as hoe handles and
twice as long as that useful implement is
made in the Azores. Each donkey has a
rope of braided PUSHES around its shaggy
neck in lieu of halter OF bride, and on it's
back huge wooden saddle, with up
turned wooden yokes at the front and
back. Even men rarely sit astride when
they ride these animals, but mount the
cumberous saddle something as you would
the wild Irish jaunting car, with both
legs dangling over the donkey S right side,
in moments of peril clutching violently
with both hands the horns of the front
yoke, which may we'll be called a ''di
lemma." 1t is no use to undertake an
upright and dignifed position. Far better
to double up in the true Azorean attitude,
when on donkey back, in the form of an
inverted interrogation point.
+,,
donkey and brings it into requisition
for the most tritling journey. The padre
will not walk block if his own or any
other person donkey is within call.
The goat herder on the mountains has his
for an inseparable companion and if the
feeding ground is shifted but few rods,
he makes as much preparation as for
long journey, riding in state to his new
station among the rocks. So, too, the
peasant-laborer rides to his shilling dav
job on the adjoining farm; and the coun-
Try woman, wishing a bit of gossip with
the good wife in the next cabin, sets out
in the saddle and arrives with as much
eclat as from lengthy pilgrimage.
Wherever you look, down any street on
lane OF country road there is constant
procession of donleys. Here comes a
group ridden by peasant women on their
way to town, each woman cloaked and
coweG in the hideouS cap0te capiilO. with
all manner of country produce swaying
from their wooden saddles. 4 lone dom
/ key laden with water casks. plods along
| without companion OF driver. sent from
/ somewhere over an Oft travelled way. with
look of wearied responsibility upon his
gray old face. Behind comes bevy of
donkeys, under piles of cornstalks heaped
SO high that it looks as if the stacks were
| travelling into the city on invisible legs;
| but beneath the fodder bells jingle in a
mut11ed way, and lad follows after, prod
ding the mysterious bundles vicously.
Again it is a troop of donkeys mincing
down narrow path laden with wheat
and corn in casks and panniers; or two are
backs to which is dashed the trunk of a
tree, being conveyed to the city for build
ing purposes, so evenly balanced that
while one end bangs the donkeys head
and shoulders, the other, bounding lightly
along the way, is menace to all passers
Perhaps the oldest burden of all is pa
tient being carried to da Misercordia, the
splendid hospital of Ponta Delgada. Two
timbers are fastened lengthwise along the
donkeys back and from the ends of these
other timbers extend across from back to
back, securely fastened with thongs.
From this depends hammock, made of
pine slaves, such as are used for orange
boxes, covered with stout, home made
linen. Sufferers are thus comfortably car
ried even with broken bones, from their
homes in the most distant part of the is
land to the city for treatment.