j'JIr which is read at prefent throughout the Portuguefe dominions
; the prime minifter having prohibited the printing
of any kind of gazette or news-paper in Portugal. This
regulation greatly contributes to keep that kingdom in profound
ignorance; which is the only fecurity of an oppreffive
government.
The next morning we paid a vifit to the officers of the
French frigate, who lodged at the houfe of Mrs. Milton, an
Englifh woman, and a widow. This good lady; hearing
we had been round the world, Hied a flood of tears, and
told us that our arrival put her in mind of the cruel death
of one of her fons, who had embarked in captain Fur-
neaux’s fhip, and was one of thofe unfortunate men that
were killed and devoured in New Zeeland. The circum-
flances with which his untimely fate was attended, are
much more horrible, according to the ideas we imbibe by-
education, than thofe of any other manner of death, and
could not fail of making a deeper impreflion on the un-
happy parent. Her grief was likewife of that genuine
kind, to which no feeling heart can refufe a fympathetic
tribute; and it taught us to refleft, how many mothers in
Europe,, and in the South Seas, have had reafon to wail the
lofs of their fons, and to execrate the enterprizing fpirit of
mankind. Mrs. Milton, reflefting on the many calamities
which had embittered her life, was refolved to fecure re-
pofe and happinefs for her daughter, by placing her in one
of
o f the nunneries of Fayal; without confidering at the fame
time, that the world has charms at the age of fourteen,
which lofe their attractive power at fifty. Her daughter
was handfome enough to difpute the palm of beauty with
all the Portuguefe ladies at Fayal. One of our officers,
therefore, undertook to diffuade Mrs. Milton from her project,
and affured her, in very blunt terms indeed, that fo far
from doing a meritorious adion, fhe would incur the eterr
nal difpleafure of heaven. Whether a feaman s admonition
could have much effed I leave the reader to determine ;
Mrs. Milton, however, received it with good humour-,
and the converfation which followed, gave a convincing
proof, that religious motives were not fo urgent, in behalf
of her daughter’s confinement, as thofe of private intereft.
From hence we took a walk upon the hills beyond the
town, and found the ground extremely well cultivated, all
the fields being enclofed by walls of ftone, in fome places
cemented together, in others only wrapped in mofs. The
people chiefly fow wheat of the bearded fort, of which the
ears were very large, and the ftraw of no great length.
Befides this, they have likewife barley, which was already
houfed; and maize, or Indian corn, which grows in fome
places under fine groves of chefnut- trees, that greatly
adorn the country •, but where it ftands in open fields, they
mix it with French beans. Near the cottages we found
fome fields of cucumbers, gourds, melons, and water-
4 F 2 melons,
I77SJ*
JLY.