A V O Y A G E R O U N D . T H E WOR L D .
ffiips commonly anchor. The Portuguefe mailer of the
port came off to us in a fmall boat, in order to point out
a, fecure place of anchorage, where three veffels were already
moored. He acquainted us in French, that one of
thefe, a fnow under Portuguefe colours, had lately arrived
from Para in the Brafils, having, through the ignorance of
her conductor, miffed the Cape Verd Iflands, to which Ihe
was bound. Another fmall vellel, which did not ffiew any
colours, was a North-American Hoop. The third was the
jPourvoyeufe, a French frigate, whofe captain, M, d’Eftelle,
with great politenefs fent a. lieutenant on board, to offer his
fervices to captain Cook. After coming to an anchor, an
officer was fent on ffiore to the commandant of the fort, in
order to make the ufual enquiry, with regard to. the falute ;
but after being detained, feveral hours, he was told that the
fort always returned twq guns lefe than it received, for
which reafon we did not think proper to pay the compliment.
The American Hoop let fail in. the afternoon, being
greatly apprehenlive of fome mifchance from us, though
we were inclined to be at peace with all the world.
The appearance of the town, from the fea fide, made
nearly, the fame impreffion on us, as that o f Funchal in
Madeira,. It lies along the ffiore <of the bay, and rifes in
the form of an amphitheatre upon the hill, with an eafy
Hope. Its churches, monafteries, forts, and flat-roofed
bonfes, which are for. the greated- part white, produce a
very
A V O Y A G E R O U N D T H E WORLD. I
very pleafing effeff; The hills beyond the ttiwn are fome
of the iichèft thait nature and indùftry evëf adorned. They
were at thiâ time loaded with ripe corn-fields, interfperfèd
with gardens, groves, and various buildings, which bore
evident marks of a great population, and raffed every idea
of plenty. There are two forts which command the bay,,
one at each extremity of the town, but the fouthernmod is
the moil confiderable.
Immediately after dinner captain Cook, accompanied by
my father and myfelf, went on ffiore at the foot of thè
fouthern fort. We were no foôner landed than we plainly
d'ifcovered from what motives the Portuguefe had refufedi
to return an equal falute. The cannon reded on rotten
carriages, which it was not prudent to expofe to the feock
of a difcharge ; and the greater part of them were placed on
a rampart, Which was infinitely too narow to be fit for ufe.
Bcfidcs this, we were afterwards informed, that the expencé
óf powder, upon fuch occafions, was deemed fuperfluous by
thé prefent oeconomical miniftry in Portugal. We Walked
through gréât part of the town, which is“ named Villa
da Horta, and extends a mile and a‘ quarter in length,,
confiding chiefly of one irregular ftreet, interfered by a few
fmall lanes. The pavement is made of large flones, and
tolerably clean, being little frequented. The houfes arc
contrived exaffly in the fame manner as thofé of Madeira,,
with projecting, balconies which are roofed at the top, and!
have;
I 7 7 5 -
Jul y