A Description of the Azores, or Western Islands, from personal observation, etc

Front matter

AZORES, OR WESTERN ISLANDS. LONDON: BCHULZK AND CO., 13, POLAND STRET-T. A DESCRIPTION OF THE AZORES, OK WESTERN ISLANDS. FROM PERSONAL OBSERVATION. COMPRISING REMARKS ON THEIR PECULIARITIES, TOPOGRAPHICAL, GEOLOGICAL, STATISTICAL, ETC, AND ON THEIR HITHERTO NEGLECTED CONDITION. By CAPTAIN BOID, LATE OF H.M.F. MAJESTY'S NAVY, KNIGHT OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE TOWER AND SWORD CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY OF CAEN, AUTHOR OF " TRAVELS THROUGH SICILY AND THE LIPARI ISLANDS :" AND OF " A HISTORY OF THE VARIOUS STYLES OF ARCHITECTURE. LONDON: EDWARD CHURTON, HOLLES STREET. (LATE BULL AND CHURTON.) 1835. CONTENTS.

Appendix

REMARKS ON THE WESTERN ISLANDS.

PART I.

1! ' TIB 1« Is! I S_L A N D8 . <£ '{TA J£ ■■' of 6r**wieA REMARKS ON THE ARCHIPELAGO OF ISLANDS, IN THE ATLANTIC, CALLED THE AZORES.

INTRODUCTION.

. These islands lie in the midst of the Atlantic Ocean, occupying a line of ] 00 leagues from the W.N.W. to the E.S.E. between the latitudes of 36°. 59' and 39°.44' north, and longitudes west of Greenwich 31°.7' and 25°. 10'. By the Portuguese they are divided into three distinct groups, separated by considerable distan ces : the first of these groups, lying at the W.N.W. extremity of the Archipelago, includes Flores b

INTRODUCTION.

. and Corvo; the second, or central, Fayal, Pico, St. George, Graciosa and Terceira ; and the third, at the E.S.E. extremity, the islands of St. Mi chael and St. Mary. Inasmuch as they form part ofthe dominions of the kingdom of Portugal, as also from their being situated in greater propinquity to the con tinent of Europe than to that of America, they are considered as appertaining to, and constituting part of, the former. The merit of their discovery belongs to that active-minded Prince, Don Hen rico, third son of King John I. of Portugal, under whose influence and encouragement modern com merce and navigation received one of their first impulses, and the most distant nations of the earth were consequently brought into closer com munication. The Madeiras, Cape Verdes, Canaries, and the coast of Africa as far as Cape Palmas, having been already explored by the then enterprizing and persevering mariners of Portugal, his active genius conceived the plan of exploring also the Atlantic to the westward of Portugal, whither a Flemish vessel commanded by Joseph Vanderberg of Bruges had been driven the year before by stress of weather and easterly winds, and the crew having

INTRODUCTION.

. 5 reported the seeing land, in the year 1431 Don Henrico dispatched the celebrated and enterprising Gonsalvo Velho Cabral to make researches in that direction — which expedition, however, was that year attended with no other success than the discovery of a group of rocks, since called the Formigas or Ants. But in a second voyage, on the 15th of the following August, he was fortunate enough to descry the first island ; to which, in celebration of the day (the festivity of the assumption of the Holy Virgin), he gave the appellation of Santa Maria. It is no where recorded in Portuguese history at what exact periods the latest known islands were discovered, although (notwithstanding their proxi mity to each other) it is certain they were not known until 1460. They received the appellation of Azores from the Portuguese navigators who first frequented them ; who observing, in immense numbers in the neigh bourhood of all the islands, a large species of hawk, which the inhabitants called Acor or Mil hafre, ever afterwards applied the distinctive epithet of Ilhos dos Acores (or the islands of hawks) to this Archipelago, which epithet, by the

INTRODUCTION.

. usage of years, became at length the recognised, legitimate and geographical term. It is asserted with much confidence by many Portuguese writers, that the first-discovered of the islands were taken possession of in the name and for the benefit of the Order of Christ. It might have been so, but in fact without inter fering with the regal authority and possession, since the King was in general grand master of that Order and fraternity, founded by King Denis in the year 1260 to perpetuate the remembrance of the great victory of Ourika* gained in 1 140 by Alphonso I, who expelled the Moors from Por tugal and founded the Portuguese monarchy. It has been reported by several historians and geographers that the Azores had been previously explored and visited by the Flemish. This, how ever, is stated without the slightest authority.

The suggestion arose from the fact above men- * The battle of Ourika may be considered the cradle of the Portuguese monarchy, and to that event the present arms of Portugal owe their origin — the five blue escutcheons, namely, are symbolic of the five Moorish princes that were killed on that occasion ; and the seven castles, of the seven provinces that were wrested from Moorish possession.

INTRODUCTION.

. tioned ; namely, that they were first seen by a Flemish vessel, and also because they were fre quented many years after the Portuguese explored them by the Flemish settlers who were sent out by the Duchess of Burgundy to colonize some of the islands. Some asserted it on the authority of a Flemish chart being found with the islands inserted, which chart was dated at the end of the 14th century, prior to the Portuguese discovery ; but it is well known they were introduced on the chart subsequent to its original construction by the celebrated author Behaim, the great geographer of that period, and who was grandfather to Job Huerta, who was sent out by the Duchess of Burgundy to colonize the islands. On. Stone t>. Li.luiti i i i s ____ _s_._b j___d s , i\.a ® na us s ETC. 9

Chapter I. General Character Of The Azorean Islands

With respect to the climate of this Archipelago, nature appears to have been prodigal in bestowing on it all the advantages that a fine atmosphere and a pure air can impart either to the animal or the vegetable world. The temperature is most delicious, and there is a spring-like softness in the air throughout the year, with no greater variation than 25 degrees of Farenheit's thermometer, whose average range from January to December is between 50° and 75°. The vicinity of the sea, united to the mountainous elevation of the general surface of the land, and incessant absorption of humidity which the volcanic nature of the soil induces, tends to temper and mollify the extreme ardor of the sun in this isolated spot of the ocean. From the indication of the thermometer it will be seen that extremes are never felt : that cold can never be considerable even in winter, or the heats of summer intense.

The general mildness of temperature is indeed so marked and peculiar, that no provision is requisite for the poor against inclemencies of winter ; and the facility of procuring the means of sustenance is so great, that, in combination with this peculiar mildness and the nature of the government, a constitutional aversion is almost engendered to those efforts necessary for the improvement of cultivation. Nothing can be more enchanting or lovely than the spring : vegetation shoots forth with a rapidity and vigor that is quite astonishing, whilst there is a fresh verdure in the herbage, and a brilliance, beauty and fragrance in the flowers, eminently ornamental to the different gardens and parts of the country where they abound. The climate can scarcely be said to be regular ; and, from long observation of the inhabitants, it is found that no decidedly settled weather can be calculated on except between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox.

Showers of rain are frequent throughout the year, and in the winter so violent as to cause constant changes in the face of the country, washing away enormous masses of pumice from the mountains, throwing down projecting excrescences composed of soft volcanic materials, and leaving the surface of the rocks and heights in many places quite destitute of soil. But scarce a day is known to pass without the sun making his appearance and the clouds partially clearing off. The decidedly fine days may be estimated at about two hundred, and the wet ones at about sixty. The islands are in general extremely healthy, as is strongly evinced by the fine, hardy, robust character of the inhabitants, and the longevity peculiar to them : there is, however, a wide dif ference in point of situation throughout the islands; for instance, the N.E. sides are invariably found to be most salubrious, and the S.W. least so, which circumstance may be accounted for by the most prevailing winds being from the S.W., which are the strongest, and bring with them con siderable humidity.

The Azores are peculiarly remarkable for the incessant gusts and gales to which they are subject throughout the year ; and on this account, joined to their being destitute of any port that can offer a safe retreat and shelter to vessels, they have hitherto been rather held in dread and avoided by mariners. This peculiarity I have no doubt may be philosophically accounted for from the volcanic formation of the whole Archipelago, which ex hibits frequent proofs of a continued state of subterranean activity, and consequently causes, by the emission of heats, those frequent inequali ties and sudden changes of the surrounding atmosphere which are, specifically speaking, produced by the cool dense air rushing in to supply the more rarefied mediums so frequently engendered in various parts of the islands.

One of the greatest disadvantages attending the climate of these islands, is the constant state of humidity that pre vails, owing to the process incessantly going on of evaporation and absorption. This is, however, generally speaking, attended with no other evil than the destruction of clothing, furniture, and all metallic substances liable to oxidation, unless preserved by the most unremitting vigilance and attention. With respect to the natural history of the Archipelago nothing can be more interesting than it is in all its branches —more particularly that which relates to its geological characteristics, which I will first notice. The whole range, it is evident, is of comparatively recent submarine volcanic formation ; symptoms of which are manifested to the geologist al most at every step, by the actual condition of the surface, which bears constant marks of being formed by the violent and terrific agency of fire.

By these tremendous means, in fact, all the islands have been, at various unknown periods, forced up from the sea. From this general rule, however, may be ex cepted that of Santa Maria — which, although it has, like the rest of the Azores, been forced above the level of the sea by volcanic action, no where bears traces of the effect of fire on its sur face, as will be further noticed in its particular description. The effects of these awfully sublime movements of nature give rise to appearances, on the face of a country, of the most peculiar kind ; and nothing can be more particularly interesting than the cha racteristics of these islands. Their general aspect is picturesque and bold, with features prominent and strongly marked. They, for the most part, present an irregular succession of isolated conical or accuminated hills, with table lands rising from two to five thousand feet in height ; the former separated by valleys, the latter stratified and in tersected with tremendous ravines and deep chasms formed by the operation of rain over the soft vol canic materials composing the mountains ; the whole is almost invariably bounded by magnificent mural precipices rising abruptly from the sea, and frequently rendered inaccessible by soft crumbling lava and masses of loose tuff of which they are formed.

By observation, combined with the able assistance of an intelligent Portuguese gentle man, (Colonel Moshino de Albuquerque, who has devoted much research to this subject) I have been enabled to ascertain their principal charac teristics, which I proceed to specify. Notwithstanding the apparently recent formation of the islands, there has not yet been discovered amongst the component parts of any of them, a general order of superposition and stratification sufficiently marked and regular to enable the geologist to fix with any degree of probability the epocha when the various parts now composing them have risen from the ocean. The successions of stratification are indeed so irregular that the characteristics indicated in one place are almost diametrically opposed and entirely contradicted by the phenomena exhibited in another.

The precipitous mural character, however, of the rocks so generally surrounding the islands, affords every facility for observing the relative positions and character of the materials that com pose them ; and it may be commonly remarked that the internal strata of these declivities, as well as those of the ravines in the interior, are formed of a compact massive basalt, containing crystals of hornblende and olivine encrusted with a sort of hard friable granular paste quite feldspathic, and which by respiration gives out the argillaceous odour. Of this description are almost all those rugged declivities on the N.E. coast of St. Mi chael's, on the north side of the island of Terceira, as well as the western declivity of the little peninsula of Mount Brazil and the site of the castle of St. John Battiste.

This basalt also most commonly composes the little rocks and islets which are frequent round all the coasts, and have evidently been formed by the erosion and total ruin of the less consistent ma terials which once united them to the main. These basalts very rarely assume the regular prismatic form — with a few exceptions however, when they are found to present very short though regular prisms, such as at Ponte da Ajuda on the North side of St. Michael's, (near which spot the Count Villa Flor, with his little band of constitutionalists, landed in 1831,) where they form an interesting small columnar parapet. The island of St. George likewise affords an instance : a little to the westward of the port of Velas, where the basalt assumes the form of an arch, and, situated as it is in front of a picturesque creek or basin, presents a beautifully interesting object for the pencil of the draughtsman.

None of these masses appear to be anywhere united with those materials composing the surrounding strata, either porous or leucitic lavas, or conglomerates ; from whence it may reasonably be concluded, that, of all that portion of the Azores which exists above the level of the ocean, the basalts may be referred to an epoch considerably anterior to the rest. All the other geological component productions that superpose the above-mentioned basalts are so irregularly distributed, that conglomerates are frequently found overlaying them, formed exclu sively of volcanic substances containing large fragments of basalt, leucitic lava, pumice and obsidian. Sometimes the grain is large, forming a pudding stone ; sometimes extremely fine, the fragments more tender and homogenous, and their paste sufficiently ductile to form a substance applicable to the purposes of pottery.

These conglomerates are found in various situa tions, from the level of the sea to the highest mountains ; which serves to prove that the summits of these heights were, at the time of their formation, beneath the level of the sea. Entire hills of scoriæ and pumice, mixed with streams of obsidian, are often found placed over these con glomerates ; such, for instance, as the peak of Bagacina in the island of Terceira, and all the mountains between the beautiful valley of Fournas and the sea at the island of St. Michael's, where the pumice exists in such quantities that a most profitable trade might be formed, if encouraged by enterprise and industry. In the above masses of scoriæ and pumice are frequently found large logs of wood and well-preserved trunks of trees, very little changed in character.

These are generally referred to the opera tions of the Deluge, but are in reality the produce of very modern action — of phenomena peculiar, yet still common in various parts of the Azores — namely land-slips, or the precipitation of entire overhang ing mountainous masses from their elevated position to the level beneath, carrying with them, of course, general destruction ; burying houses, trees, cattle, and human beings in their fall. These c landslips (of which there have occurred some remarkable examples at the back of the Isle of Wight, adding greatly to the beauty of that ro mantic region) appear to be caused by a combination of circumstances, but principally by the operation of sulphuric vapours on the soft scoriæ and pumice whereof they are composed ; or the flow of torrent streams, which by constant erosion undermine and totally destroy the basement whereon they repose.

The surface of almost every one of the islands abounds in the most curious forms and characters, effected by the agency of fire during various eruptions : each object, indeed, bears the stamp of fire, and huge fragments of lava are strewed in every direction — rendering it often difficult to account for their solitary position. They are all more or less remarkable for their number of strange-looking romantic caverns, which frequent ly extend 500 or 600 feet in length, are propor tionably high, have occasionally a fountain of limpid water at the end, and have evidently been formed by the flow of lava over light masses of friable soft scoriæ, which at subsequent periods have gradually settled down, and left a vaulted space above— or have been washed away by the influx of waters, leaving the structure of lava that superposed them.

Hence have resulted these singular caverns, not unfrequently ornamented with stalactatic formations. The conic pyramidal hills that everywhere pre sent themselves, are, in many respects, craters of extinct volcanoes — the interiors of which are from 50 to 2000 feet in depth, beautifully clothed with verdant heaths and shrubs, and furnishing some of the most interesting and picturesque scenes which, of similar character, these islands, or any other country can boast. The gullies, the chasms and long deep ravines that have been formed by the erosion of torrents caused by the rains washing from the mountains to the sea, are, by the bounteous efforts of nature during the revolution of many centuries, now covered with luxuriant wood and rich verdant shrubs, constituting sheltered retired spots that are frequently chosen as the most fertile and favoured abodes of the islands.

The Azores, as will be easily imagined from the foregoing geological description, abound with a great variety of mineral waters of the most valuable qualities and temperature, and which alone might be rendered a source of wealth to the inhabitants, c if the condition of the country and the accommodations of life were such as to induce visitors to resort thither to profit by their beneficial effects. Amongst the most valuable, curious and extensive, are those of the Val das Fournas, and Ri biere Grande in the island of St. Michael's ; those of Euxofra, near Angra in the island of Ter ceira ; and at Pico and Flores. The maximum heat of these springs is about five degrees beyond boiling point, which serves to prove the permanent activity of the subterranean fires. They are ra tionally supposed also either to prevent earthquakes, that otherwise would occur, or to diminish their destructive power by the heated vapours incessantly thrown off to an incalculable extent from these numerous vents.

The volcanic movements that have occurred in this Archipelago since its discovery, are both important and numerous, and will be attended to in the descriptions of the respective islands. It may be remarked here, however, that the first and latest eruptions have been at the island of St. Mi chael's : namely, that of 1445, which formed the lake of the seven cities, and that of 1811, which threw up the island of Sabrina, that has since disappeared. To the philosophical spectator, these islands furnish in their volcanic phenomena a superabundant source of contemplation, calculated to inspire at once terror, admiration and reverence. The horrible scenes of past devastation ; extensive plains of lava that have been vomited from the bowels of the earth in fiery torrents ; and the dark, gloomy looking, rugged masses of matter that have been ejected in ages gone by, and now constitute through the operation of time enormous indurated rocky mountains — tend to awaken in man a sense of his own littleness, and to force him, in spite of himself, silently to acknowledge and at the same time adore the hand of that stupendous and incomprehensible Power that formed them.

Earthquakes, although frequent in the Azores, are not of that frightfully destructive character peculiar to those of South America and other places. With the exception of the calamitous catastrophes of 1531 and 1755, nothing of im portance is recorded ; and at some of the islands — namely, Corvo and Flores, the phenomenon is unknown. Those most subject to them, and still experiencing their effects in a partial degree, are Terceira, St. George, and Fayal, where long droughts followed by extremely heavy rains are invariably the preceding symptoms. I believe it is generally acknowledged that no soil is capable of greater fertility and productiveness than that of a volcanic country ; but this must always bear proportion to the decomposition of the lavas that have been scattered, and neces sarily constitute the surface upon which the seeds of vegetation are to be deposited.

In the Azores the fact is strongly verified; for no country in the world can boast a more luxuriant soil. The circumstances of their climate, favourable position, and insular state, exposed as they are to the powerful operation of an unceasing vaporous at mosphere, have induced a more rapid state of decomposition than is experienced elsewhere. Con sequently, the fertility and the advantages thereby offered to the hand of industry are quite beyond expression, and calculated for fulfilling all the purposes of life whether useful or ornamental. And this extraordinary productiveness, united to the irregular, grotesque and sublime forms peculiar to a volcanic country, gives to the general aspect of these islands a picturesque and lavish beauty, rarely to be met with in any other part of the globe.

The soil may be said to be in general composed of volcanic ashes, pumice, slags of all sorts, decomposed lava, a quantity of ferruginous matter, a very small portion of argil and sand, and a little calcaire ; all, however, mingled with a large quantity of vegetable matter, which goes on ac cumulating with the revolution of ages, in pro portion as the process of decomposition proceeds. Even in the present neglected uncultivated condition of these islands ; in their uncivilized state; and with the little that man has done in aid of the advantages which the hand of Providence has lavished in so extraordinary a degree, — it is impossible for the ordinary traveller who will undertake to explore them, not to feel animated with sensations of the utmost delight ; while the man accustomed to philosophical contemplation and enquiry, must feel his spirit raised into adoration of the Great Author of events when he sees united in this corner of the earth, all those monuments at once attesting the illimitable power and benificence ofthe Creator.

All those interesting objects that nature loves to blend in her enchanting compositions may be found in this wonderful Archipelago ; all those scenes of romantic and picturesque beauty ; all in fact that is wild, fearful, extraordinary and sublime ; combined with the soothing and the lovely. Splendid prospects ofthe vast ocean, through vistas of tropical verdure and luxuriant vegetation, or combined with majestic mountainous masses and horrid precipices bordering the shore ; hills of every form, enriched by nature with the indigenous productions of the soil, or clothed by the toil of man ; valleys of the most fertile and lively character, frequently enshrined within a circuitous chain of mural mountains that seem to shut them out for ever from the rest of the world ; these, united to the interesting objects exhibited in the effects of volcanic eruptions, and the extraordinary combination of vegetable productions peculiar to every quarter of the globe, (which here appear to flourish without care in all parts,) render this isolated group of islands one of the most fascinating portions of the earth.

Were they embellished by the arts and refinements of civilized life ; were agriculture under the influence of industry, and horticulture, useful and ornamental, under that of taste, they would become a species of terrestrial paradise calculated to render man almost too happy for this sublunary sphere. But alas ! all is rude and uncultivated, and society is in a state of semi-barbarism— without education, industry, intelligence, or taste ; while the mind of the reflective observer is left to wonder at and lament the listlessness, apathy and inac tion of man under an accumulation of natural advantages and blessings which, a rational mind would imagine, must inevitably stimulate their possessors, almost under any circumstances, to the exercise of energy and activity.

Chapter II. Agriculture, Zoology, Etc

With respect to the state of agriculture — that fruitful source of a nation's wealth and prosperity — nothing can be more primeval or neglected than it is throughout the whole of the Azores. This fact may be imputed to a combination of causes : amongst them, I shall enumerate the following as the most leading and influential. In the first place, the miserable, arbitrary go vernment policy of both church and state that has hitherto paralyzed the elements of industry where ever its baneful effects have been felt : for whilst church policy has, through priestcraft and loading men's consciences with superfluous weight, kept the people in a state of moral debasement, check ing the growth of intelligence, and practising its greedy exactions on individual property— that of the state has established a kind of physical de gradation by the following means ; — namely, a military despotism, and a code of laws which, instead of securing the person and property of the subject, and encouraging both industry and talent, has tended to expose the one and restrain the other.

Hence has resulted, on the part ofthe people, a state of apathy, indolence and recklessness characteristic of every oppressed and misgoverned race. In the second place, the ruinous operation of the laws of primogeniture, particularly as three fourths of all the cultivated lands of the islands are entailed ; which laws, so long as they exist, must place insuperable obstacles in the way of civilization and prosperity. The owners of these large estates can in no country undertake to farm and cultivate such extensive properties themselves, and much less here, where both capital and enterprize are wanting. They have, therefore, recourse to leasing it out in small grants to ignorant farmers on whom they exercise the most grinding tyranny and exaction ; and such is the impolitic system of short leases, that the poor farmer is discouraged from doing that benefit to the ground he otherwise might : indeed, to make the most of a bad bargain, he drains all the virtues out of the soil, and yields it to his master, at the termination of his lease, in almost a sterile condition.

The great proprietors of these entailed estates are called Morgados, which title is appended to the name of the person as that of Esquire to an Englishman's. Many of them are in the annual receipt of as much as 40,000 crowns from their lands, and reside in Portugal, whither their rents are transmitted in the form of produce. Another calamitous effect produced by these laws of primogeniture is, that they prevent the settling of enterprising foreigners, who would otherwise— to avail themselves of the advantages of climate and situation, or for commercial purposes —purchase land, take up their abode, and, by the introduction of capital and industry, bring like wise genius, competition, and a rapid ameloiration of society. But if land is not to be purchased, foreigners are little likely to establish themselves there, and expend money, labor, and taste on domains or buildings, which, necessarily going from them in a few years, their children can never enjoy.

In the third place, must be noticed the total absence of practicable roads for communication with the interior, and by which the produce of the country might be transported at a cheap rate to any general mart : the result of this is, that the central parts of these fertile islands, amounting to full two-thirds of the whole superficies, are uncon verted to any profitable purpose, and lie de serted in a state of uncultivated waste, or are im penetrably covered with underwood briers, wild shrubs, stunted cedars, etc. leaving nothing but a mere belt of land, bordering on the sea, that is either peopled or brought under culture. The condition of these islands, when first discovered, was that they were entirely covered with forest and underwood, all of which was burned down or otherwise cleared away by the Portuguese settlers, for the cultivation of the sugar cane, which was imported from Candia and Cyprus, and at that period warmly encouraged by the government of the mother country.

When, however, the sugar trade subsequently became established by the newly discovered Indian possessions and the Brazils, the demand from the islands declined ; and, in consequence, the cultivation of grain of all sorts, of oranges, lemons, etc. was substituted— and, to a great extent, that of the vine, which for the first time was introduced from Portugal and Madeira, and has since proved an extensive and profitable source of commerce. The fertility and amenity of the hills and valleys adjacent to the sea enable the peasantry to reap their productions with comparatively little trouble. The rocky parts of the hills, which are generally composed of lava, are covered with vineyards ; whilst the rich loomy plains below are devoted to the cultivation of grain, pulse, and vegetables. Rural economy is, as may be imagined, a dead letter in this country.