It is affirmed that a quantity of grapes, which would yield
three thoufand pipes of wine, are eaten at that time, every
perfon indulging his talie with this delicious fruit,- though
no people are more fober and frugal at their meals than
the Portuguefe. Eormerly the vintage produced annually
30000, and fometimes in fortunate years 37000 pipes
pf wine j but a kind of difeafe attacked the vines fome
years ago, which caufes the leaves to drop Off, at the time
when.the grapes require to be Iheltered from the fun *. Of
late however they have recovered, and at prefent yield from
18000 to 200.00 pipes a year. The bell wine is made
■ on the well fide of the illand, in the vineyards which
belong to . the natives of FayaL That which is raifed on
the op polite fide, is convened into brandy, of which one
pipe is made from three or four pipes of wine. The bell
fort of wine is’ tart, but pleafant, and has a good body,
which improves greatly by , being kept ; a pipe of it is
fold on the fpot for between four and five pounds llerling.
A fin all quantity of fweet wine is likewife made, which
they call pajfacla, and. of which the pipe is fold at the rate
of feven or eight pounds llerling.
.St. George is a fmall narrow illand, very lleep, and of
confiderable height. It is inhabited by $000 perfons, who
cultivate much wheat, but fcarcely any .wine.
f
* I fufpefl this to be caufed by fome fp.ecies of infects.
Graciofa.,
Graciofa has a more gentle Hope than the former, but is Kfi j
likewife very fmall, and chiefly produces whe.at, having.
3000 inhabitants. A fmall quantity of indifferent wine is
likewife made on it, which is converted into brandy ; from
five to fix pipes of wine being required to make one pipe
of brandy. Graciofa and St. George likewife have fome-
pallures, and export cheefe and butter.
Terceira is the largeft illand, next to Pico, of all the-
Açores. It is highly cultivated with wheat, and likewife
produces fome bad wine. As it is the refidenee of the governor
general, and of the fuperior court of jullice, as well
as a bilhop’s fee, it has fome kind of importance above the-
rell. Its inhabitants are computed at 20,000, and its exports
confill in wheat, which is fent to Lilbom
St. Miguiel is likewife of confiderable extent, very fertile
and populous, containing about 27,000 inhabitants. They
cultivate no vines, but abundance of wheat and flax. Of:
the latter they manufadture fuch a quantity of coarfe linens,,
that three fhip-loads of them are annually fent to Bralil.
The linen is about two feet wide, and the vara* of the common
fort is fold for about one fhilling and fix pence, which
is to all appearance a very high price. The principal place-
on this illand is a city named Ponte de Gada-
Santa Maria is the fouth-eaftermoll of all the Açores,.
and produces plenty of wheat. The inhabitants amount
* Portuguefe yard..
tG5