The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-06-26
SENATOR LATHIER,s TRIP.
He Writes OF His Visit to the Azores
and to Gibraltar.
On Board Steamer Canoplc,

Mr. Editor: On Friday, May "a, Our
party landed at the Azores, spending
about FIVE hours at Ponta Del Gada,
The capital Of the Islands and seat OF
the civil government. The place mas
a population Of $4,000. and after Las
bon and Oporto, is the most import
ant city OF Portugal. Ponta Del Gaoa
is a remarkably clean city. It's houses
are well lighted, painted and Whl1e-
washed. The streets, though present
ing god appearance, are not very
wide, bit are lighted with gas and
electricity. Plenty of good water is
piped through the houses.
Situated in the middle Of the Allan
tic ocean. the Azores offer most
agreeable and convenient stopping
place between the old and new worlds.
The Azores We're discovered by Por-
tusese navigators some so Or 15 years
before Columbus discovered America.
The fact that large hawk like birds
we're seen 20 fly westward from the
coast of Portugal and not return led
10 the discovery OF the Islands, ana
the name. Azores, means hawk in the
PorIugese language. The islands are
all volcanic, though it is said that 81.
Marie give. some evidence Of regular
geological formation. The mineral
spring on ST. Michael is regarded as
possessing wonderful properties, anc
many inte; estlng stories are related
by tourists CT The healing power OF
the water. The travellers visit to these
islands, er,e-.sing as they do ABRUPT
" from the Gcean, With their sharp
volcanic peaks, lava cut valleys, lux
uriant vegetaticn, charming land
scapes and delightful climate, is rem
Gered 6oub.y pleasant by the hospital
i,y and l.ir dness OF the inhabitants
The climate is temperate and mild,
due to the high altitude and influence.
OF the sea.
The vigor, abundance and variety
OF the products, and the careful till
age of the land, make the fields look
like garden. Large farms are not
ssen; the land is let in small lots and
at short terms, and each tenant is
striving to make the largest yield pos
sible. The principal field crops are
corn, wheat, rye barley and potatoes.
Grapes. oranges and piaeapples have
brought large revenues to the ISLANDS,
but OF recent years disease mas at
tackled the orchards and vineyards
and has destroyed much Of the profit
from this source. Pineapples are
grown under cover.
The most important local indus
try at present is the manufacture Of
alcohol from potatoes. There are
three factories; they are large and
well equipped, producing annually
about two million gallons There are
three tobacco factories, the total an
nual product being about fifty-flve
million pounds. The local manufac-
ture of clothes IS limited to home
spuns with the exception of two
small factories in Ponta Del Gada
where towels, shawls, ETC., are made.
The commerce Of the islands is
carried on chiefly with Portugal, Eng
land, the United States, Brazil, Ger
many and France. The principal ex-
ports are alcohol. pineapples, oranges.
tobacco, beans, whale OIL vegetables
hides, butter, potatoes, fire clay, etc.
Within the past few years expert
ments have been made in growing tea,
and there is a good promise OF sue
cess.
The chief imports besides the gen.
eral manufactured goods are sugar
coffee. rice, tea petroleum, tobacco,
salt leather, glass, lumber, etc.
Our visit to the Azores was interest
ing IN many ways, and very enjoyable
all the way through.
On Monday, the 27th. at noon, we
swung into the bay Of Gibraltar, un-
der the gun-pierced, frowning front OF
the world renowned fortress OF Cd
b-altar. This formidable rock rises
t. height Of 1895 feet, and though
we know it bristles with the most for
nidable guns, yet so cunnlngly ere
the defenses planted that only two
guns are visible, those on the highest
points OF the rock. A fussing little
tender took the first class passengers
from the stea mer to what is known as
the Old Mole, built in the fourteenth
century, and after we had walked
few yards in the hot Gibraltar sun we
decided that a carriage was neces-
sity. and spent the remainder OF the
afternoon in The comfortable little
coaches with which the town swarrns,
and which are hired at reasonable
rates. Gibraltar. though under the
British flag, is peopled by Spaniards,
Hebrews, Moors and men Of all ma
tionalities. We drove curiously
through the narrow streets past the
shops, to the guard Of the garrison,
where. after satisfying the officer OF
the day that we had no cameras, we
were taken by a guard through what
are known as the north galleries,
which are long tunnels cut in the SOL
id rock behind the north face. These
galleries, curiously enough, are con-
rected with American history. for at
the time we were keeping England
busy with the Revolution, the French
beseiged Gibraltar for four years, and
an English sergeant devised this sys-
TEN of rock galleries. which turned
useless rock into the most formidable
fortifcation in the world. Fer posi-
bly, o-er a mile these galleries run
back and forth behind the face Of the
rock. lonp-holed at short intervals for
great guns. Looking through one OF
these erabrasures one sees before him