is made by taking out Spanish pillar dollars, but this is an inconvenient form of carrying money; and a letter of credit on one of the English merchants in the island is probably the least troublesome.

A leathern bag for dollars is better than a purse; and two or three stout leathern straps, with buckles, are of good service in ass-travelling.

One of the principal and most respectable merchants in St. Michael's is Mr. Ivens. His agents in London are Messrs. Ivens and Co., 2, Arthur Street East, London Bridge.

The agent of Lloyd's for St. Michael's is Mr. Dart, whose agent in London is Mr. Richard Dart, 3, Walbrook Buildings.

The present British consul for the Azores is Mr. Thomas Carew Hunt; and the Vice-consul of the United States for the Azores is Mr. Thomas Hickling.

A passport should in strictness be taken out. Letters should not be sent to St. Michael's or to any part of the islands by post. They should be forwarded to the London agent of some merchant at the Azores, who will enclose them to his correspondents, or give them to the master of one of his orange-vessels. Letters may in this man

PERSONS VISITING THE AZORES.

371

ner be sent to St. Michael's during the orange season (from November to April, that is,) once a month; and may be sent to England from St. Michael's once a week.

Parcels of books pay heavily, if they fall into the hands of the custom-house people; and newspapers pay according to weight. This last imposition is in open breach of a treaty between England and Portugal, by which it has been stipulated that they shall go free of all but a merely nominal charge.

The few books which we carried with us were not subjected to duty.

Guns, telescopes, and folding-chairs pay duty; unless smuggled on shore.

The mode of getting from England to the island of Fayal direct is likewise by orangevessels; but there is less communication between this island and England than between St. Michael's and England. The orange season at Fayal, however, is usually several weeks earlier than that at St. Michael's; and, consequently, if a proper vessel can be obtained, an earlier passage may be had to this island than to St. Michael's.

At Horta, the principal town in the island,

a boarding-house is kept by a civil Portuguese, Thomas Joaquim do Castro. We stayed at his house as little as we could, but we found him an obliging person, and he speaks English very fairly. Beds and board may be had at his house. Sailors and masters of vessels occupy the common room, and Thomas dines with you in the inner. His charges are low: a dollar a day each man. He said he could obtain two asses if they should be needed, and would be pleased to act as a guide round the island.

Houses may be hired and furnished here as at St. Michael's; but with the exception of Thomas's there are neither lodgings nor boardinghouses.

In fine weather there are ferry boats every day to and from Pico; and it will be found quite worth the pains to stay there several days should the traveller be able to obtain the loan of a house. Excellent bread may be bought at Madelena, the principal town of Pico; and fowls, milk, cheese, eggs, the wine of the country, and all necessaries are to be bought in abundance.*

Mr. Read, the late Consul for the Azores, in the Report made by him to the Poor Law Commissioners so recently as April 1834, states," Pico being very mountainous and vol

PERSONS VISITING THE AZORES.

373

The Pico boats may be hired to take you to St. George's.

The British Consul for Fayal, Pico, and St. George's, is Mr. Minchin.

The Consul of the United States for the Azores is Mr. Dabney; and his agent in London is Mr. Camroux, 23, Abchurch Lane.

There is no Protestant place of worship in Fayal.

There is one English physician resident in Fayal.

canic, the whole island is one continued vineyard; little soil for corn; the inhabitants depend upon the other islands for supplies of bread." Mr. Read was forty years the Consul at St. Michael's, and in that island had great opportunities for observation; but I apprehend he was never at Pico. He has been succeeded by Mr. Thomas Carew Hunt, a gentleman well fitted to fill this important office with credit to his country.

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE

ISLANDS.

THE intercourse between one island and another is by Portuguese Yates; small schooners, varying in size from 30 to 60 tons, furnished with the coarsest accommodations, and commonly crowded with passengers. The masters of these craft usually wait for a fair wind; their vessels being heavy sailers. In the winter months, when the weather is bad or uncertain, there is little traffic between the islands.

Occasionally an English schooner is chartered to St. Michael's, Fayal, or Terceira, whichever island may afford a cargo; and then a more agreeable passage may be made; but generally speaking the Yates are the only craft.

It is seldom possible to hire an English vessel to carry passengers from island to island, as such a voyage would generally be a deviation from the charter of insurance.