The Coolidge examiner., 1937-11-11

prepared hV N3uonol tyeOtFstpilkC 0bt-IN.
Washington. u. C.-WNU Service
TT is an interesting trip to
visit the seven islands of
l. the Azores, northwest of
Sac Miguel. Sailing at 9 in
the evening, you anchor at
dawn in the little harbor OF
Angra DO Heroismo, on the
island of Terccira. This at
tractive, historic old town,
hemmed in by green hills,
nestles at the head Of an oval
bav.
From the first, Tcrceira Cthird
island to be discovered has been
the home of explorers and war
riors In 1874 half Of the island was
given by the crown TO Joao Vaz
Corte-Real as a reward for his voy-
age to Terra Nova dos Bacalhaus
New Land Of Goldfish: Newfound-
]and). He was the first European
except the Vikings. so the Portu-
guese affirm, to set foot on New
World soil. You see the house
Corte-Real built and the church
where he lies. In the same church
is the tomb of Paulo da Cana. sec
Ond in command on the first voyage
TO India, who fell i'll on the way
home and was put ashore here.
while his brother, Vasco. sailed on
10 Lisbon 10 receive the highest
honors his king could bestow.
Other brave mariners sailed from
Terceira TO the Far West. one of
whom is credited in Portuguese an
nails with the discovery of Labrador.
Although some historians question
the voyages of the father. two sons
Of Corte-Real, Gaspar and Miguel,
are known to have sailed from An
gra do Heroismo, but they did not
return. In the town hall you are
shown sealed box presented TO the
city by Prof. Edmund B. Delabarre.
of Brown university. who some
years ago deciphered. on a rock by
a Massachusetts river. a worn IN
scription which he translated:
Miguel Corte-Real, by the grace
of God. chief here of the Indians,
1911"
The box in the town hall contains
soil from spot near this rock.
1t is quite possible that Chris
tcpher Columbus. while on visit
TO his brother-in-law, governor of
Graciosa, the island next door to
Terceira. prohted by tales told
him by early Azorian voyagers
who had sailed west and returned.
Islanders Were Good Fighters.
In the Sixteenth century, men of
Terceira put up a splendid fight
against the invading Spaniards.
When their stronghold fell, Philip
II made it his bulwark against
British sea rovers
Angra received the handle do
Heroismo" TO its name when.
century ago, it sent troops to Por-
tugal 10 win battles for Dom Pedro
" (who was Dom Pedro l, emper-
or of BraziD against his brother.
Dom Miguel.
In the massive fortress built by
Philip II. political prisoners are now
held. During the World war Ger
man residents of Portugal were
brought here.
The leading export from the
Azores to the United States is en-
broidery of the Madeira type, made
by the women of Terceira.
This is the only island Of the
Azores where bullfghts are held.
These are in the Portuguese fash
ion-no bulls killed and fine horse
manship displayed
In Angra do Heroisnlo is one of
the Azorian meteorological stations.
These stations are the watchdogs
of the mid-Atlantic. warning ships
of approaching storms. sending
word to craft en- the distant coast
of Morocco of the coming of the
houle, that strange wave which rises
between Iceland and the Azores and
sweeps across the ocean.
After motoring to the landing field
for airplanes on a plateau four
miles from the city. and to Praia da
Vitoria, across the island, with one
of the finest natural harbors in the
Azores, you sail On.
Graciosa from the sea is not as
attractive as its neighbors, but does
its part agriculturally in spite OF
shortage of water. producing wine,
cereals, and cattle. The Azorian
donkeys are bred here. In the bot
tom of its rock-strewn crater Is