The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-09-05

prepared by the National Geographic Society.
Washington, d. C.-WNU Service.
r TITLE more than 1000 statute
miles from European mainland
and about 1900 miles from
Newfoundland, in latitude a
little north of Lisbon, a little south of
New York, lies the most westerly of
the nine Azorian islands.
Fast steamers from New York reach
Ponta Delgada, metropolis Of the
Azores, in five and a half days. Sea-
planes have flown across from New
foundland between dawn and dusk.
Three hospitable harbors in this friend
ly archipelago await the coming of
commercial seaplanes, which will form
another link between the New world
and the Old.
Closely allied as they are with Por-
tugal, of which they form an integral
part politically, these fertile green
islands, with their lush pastures and
mist-wreathed mountains, long ago
sending their frugal, industrial sons to
the United States, where, before 1929.
there was probably one Azorian to
every two left at home. Most of them
are found in Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island, and California.
More than once on the streets of
AzOrian towns, traveller is approached
by stranger who doffs his hat and
politely inquiries: you are an Amer
ican?'
When you assent, your new acquaint-
ance informs you he voted in New
England or California, but was born
in the Azores; was black home to see
the old folks" or ''here until times are
better in the States"
From rounded hilltop back of
rainbOw-tinted town, one looks past OBJ
long fields bordered by high stone
walls Of dark-gray lava to tile-roofed,
many-windowed buildings stretching
between gardens and parks along the
curving coast. All about is the trilling,
piping, and fluting of birds. In the
fields barefoot men sing as they toll.
Portugaps "IsIands Adjacent"
In the Fifteenth century, the valiant
ocean-mapping Portuguese colonized
these islands and, save for 60 years Of
Spanish rule, have governed them ever
since
The islands, of volcanic origin,
stretch for about 375 miles from north
west to southeast, in three severed
groups with clear channels between.
primitive, lies farthest north; Flores,
beautiful and well watered, farthest
west.
To the southeast, across a tempestu-
Gus stretch of sea, is the central group:
Fayal, seat of the ocean .conical noun
tain; Sac Jorge, with its rich pas
lures, exporting excellent cheese; Ora
ciosa, with more wine than water"
Terceira, most interesting historically,
preserver of old customs.
Another. wide channel and the trav-
eler reaches Sac Miguel, which the
British and Americans call ST.
Michael's, largest and most important
of the group, with Ponta Delgada.
chief city of the archipelago; and,
again to fine south, Santa Maria, first
to be discovered and colonized.
Islands adjacent" is POrtugal's Off
cial designation of Madeira and the
Azores, the last named, as one wit has
remarked, being adjacent only to one
another. In Portuguese the name is
Azores, which signifies "hawks"
The wide expanse of ocean on every
side and the force of the encom-
passing winds tend to give the new
conner a feeling Of isolation. This
lessons as the weeks pass, in spite of
the provoking sight of many big ocean
liners, which steam past the Azorian
capital with only the blast of the siren
as nod of recognition.
Portuguese mail boats, leaving Lis
bon twice each month, come by way of
Funchal, Madeira, and reach Ponta
Delgada in four days. One of these
ships goes only as far north as Fayal !;
the other goes beyond Fayal to Flores,
touching six times a year at lonely,
storm-harassed little Corvo. The round
trip from Ponta Delgada to the north
ern islands can be made in one week.
Motorboats and sailing vessels also
ply, when weather permits, between
insular ports.
Independent of the World.
There is a fruit and passenger line
Of small ships, with semimonthly serv-
ice between Ponta Delgada, London,
and Hamburg. Italian, French, and
Greek transatlantic liners stop at the
Azorian capital. Ponta Delgada and
Horta, with their adequate artificial
breakwaters, are Ravens for ships in
need of fuel, provisions, or repairs.
Cruising ships crossing the North At
lantic now and then include the Azores
on their itinerary.
To the quarter of million Azorians
their temperate, agriculturally produc-
tive archipelago is a complete little
world In itself. For their food supply
these islanders are practically indie
pendent Of lands beyond. They pro-
duce their own cereals, vegetables,
fruits, meat, milk, butter, cheese, and
eggs. They make sugar from the beet,
spirits from the sweet potato, press
their own grapes into wine, roll their
own" tobacco, "curl their own" tea.
Their seas abound in fish.
Their buildings are constructed from
the volcanic basalt Of the islands.
Furniture is made from native woods.
They manufacture linen from home
grown fax and wooden garments from