A V O Y A G E ROUND THE WORLD;
melons, together with fafflor, which the Portuguefe employ
to colour their eatables yellow. Their orchards fupply
them with lemons, oranges, plums, aprieots, figs, pears, and
apples. They have few cabbages, and their carrots degenerate,
and turn white, which obliges them to fend- for frefii
feeds to Europe every year. They plant abundance of potatoes
by the exprefs command of the government, and fell
them very cheap, becaufe they do not like to eat them;
Large fweet onions, and garlick, the favourite greens of the
Portuguefe, are plentiful on the ifland; together with the
folanum lycoperjicon, the fruit of which they call tomatos, and
likewife abundance of ftrawberries. There are a few vineyards
on the ifland ; but the quantity o f wine which is made
is inconfiderable, and' its quality very indifferent. Their
oxen are fmall, but the mear very good, though they are-
employed to draw the plough and the cart. Their fheep are-
likewife of a very fmall breed, but the mutton well tafted'.
Their goats and hogs are long-legged; and befides thefe,
they keep abundance of poultry of all forts. Their horfes
are fmall and ill-looking; but afles and1 mules are more numerous,
and perhaps more ferviceable in this hilly ifland!
The roads are much better than at Madeira, and every thing,
upon the whole, bears evident marks of greater induftry;.
The deafening noife made by their carts is, however, very
difagreeable, and owing to their, auk ward conftrudtiom
The wheels are formed of three large clumfy pieces of
WOOd:,.
A. VOYACTE ROUND THE WORLD; S*9
wood, bound by iron, and fattened to a ftrong axletree, jvix.
which moves therefore together with the wheels, and turns
in a round hole made through a fquare piece of wood,
which is tranfverfely fixed to the bottom of the cart. The
cottages of the common people are built of clay, and
thatched with ftraw; and are fmall, but cleanly and cooL
The inhabitants were in general fairer than thofe of Madeira
; their features, though fimilar, were however fome-
what fofter; and their drefs was in general much more decent
and comfortable, confifting of coarfe linen fhirts and
drawers, with blue or brown jackets, and boots on the legs.
A fhort jacket and petticoat is the drefs of the women,
whofe hair is tied in a bunch behind, and whofe features
are not always difagreeable. When they go to town, they
put on a cloak which covers their heads, leaving only a
fmall opening for the eyes, and is tied round the waift.
The men likewife add a broad-brimmed hat and a cloak
upon thefe occafions. Wherever we came we found them
employed; in the fields reaping their corn, or at home in
various other branches of hufbandry -, and not one idle
beggar made his appearance,, by which means the difference
between this ifland and Madeira became ftill more
ftriking. We rambled to fome groves and wild flirub-
beries on the fummits of the hills, where we found abundance
of myrtles growing wild among tall afpen-trees, and
great quantities of beeches, which being called faya ffagus,).,