The Republican journal., 1896-01-09

q
hand, but one sees no drunkenness in the
Azores, except among foreign sea-farers
ashore from ships in the harbor. The
common wine--a thin. calculated pota-
ton resembling French vim ordinaire-is
sold at rate of three cents a schooner"
and | am told that it takes about a half
dozen of the big glasses to put a man into
that happy condition which sailors des-
cribe as "half- seas over" The fish
ket, close by the new boat-landing, is al
ways densely crowded in the early morn
ing and resounds with as much tumultu-
Gus wranging as its larger London
compeer. Among the most pictures
que people in the island are the pes
cadores, Fisher folk and their wordy
contests over cents worth of sardines
cast Billingsgate in the shade. Shouting
boys belabor their poor, patient little don
keys along the streets. Cocheros coach
men, in their short, baggy trousers, alb
7 brevated Jackets and broad brimmed
hats. with tremendous whips or goads,
ill the air with lurid profanity, but are in
reality as harmless as QuiNote himself
and honest beyond belief. The citys
ersupply comes through underground
pipes from lakes high up in the noun
tains, flowing into the numerous street
fountains, which are constantly surround
ed by men and women filling red eartheln
L., L l
borne home on heads and shoulders
Sometimes barrels are filed and strapped
upon the backs of waiting donkeys; and
every passing beast stops to Stake its
thirst in the trough underneath the water
spouts. Most of the fountains are set into
the solid stone walls and were once paint
ed i'll gay colors-red, green, blue and
white; now all faded, rusty and covered
with lichens Day and night, cold,
sparkling water flashes through them;
! and all day long an artist might find a
constant succession of models, more
picturesque than the Riviera can
furnish, in the gossiping, chattering
multitude that surrounds them. The
common patois is medieval, and the songs
and romances belong to the 18th century.
| Many Moorish words are retained entire
in the language, and it is plainly to be seen
that the infusion of Moorish blood has
| tnged the character and customs of the
people, as well as their features and
architecture. Even the commonest salu-
tation of every day life has a traditional
significance. Every brown faced peasant
greets you with IA pleasant "Viva, Sen
hor,' Literally translated, olive, Sir, ~
but is probably quite as unconscious of
the origin and full meaning of his courte-
Gus expression as the Mexican peon who
commends you to God ia Dios) on all oc-
casions. In the rural districts of Portu-
gal, whence comes the much used 'Viva. ;"
its use is more restricted. Whenever a
person sneezes, every body who hears him
says 'Nigan' which in that case is equiva-
lent TO the ''God bless You of the Swiss
under similar circumstances. a legend
Of the Talmud explains this custom. In
=
loosely put together that when they
sneezed they were shaken apart and thus
destroyed: but as years Went by, their
juints knitted more firmly together, so
that there was less danger of instant dis
solution when air WAS suddenly elected
from the nose. When people found that
the usual dire results did not follow their
snetzing they exclaimed in surprise and
YOU or words which express the same
sentiment.
Next to the drinking shops the most
patronzed places of public resort are the
drug stores, though why the vicinity of
pills and plasters should attract the idle
multitude | am unable to say. There are
two or three billiard saloons in Ponta del
Gada where the ''gilded youth do con-
gregate, but play is never very brisk, be-
: ing too much exertion for the Azorean
temperament. The theatre on the Rua
Esperanza, (Hope street,) is a rather Or
nate editice with an extensive, graded
ld" III 'front.' 1tS large, airy VeSt1bule
has a mosaic inlaid floor, deliberately cary
ed ceiling, and elegant chandeliers The
body of the house seats perhaps 800 and
the circles are occupied by five tiers of
boxes. The parquette is exclusively for
the use of gentlemen, who stroll about be-
tween the acts with their hats on talking
and laughing loudly. AS in other Latin
countries, staring at a lady through an
opera glass is considered delicate atten-
ton. the more prolonged and noticeable
, it may be, the greater the compliment
The seats are not reserved, and if you 90
out to promenade in the corridor between
acts, OF to the adjoining saloon ''to see a
friend,' you tie handkerchief on the
back of your chair which retains it until
you return. There is no gay night side to
Azorean life as in southern continental
) cities. By nine clock all the lowly are
7 asleep in their closed houses, and by ten
; the shops are shut, the streets dark and
deserted, and no sound breaks the still