Açores. That remarkable mountain, which rofe to the
furface of the fea, forming a new ifland, in the year 1638,
clofe to the iflands of St. Michael, was doubtlefs produced
by the action of a very powerful volcano ; and though it
funk again within a Ihort fpace of time after its formation,
yet its momentary appearance fufficiently overthrows the
affertion, that only the higheft peaks of the world can have
internal fires f i The ifland which appeared between Ter*
ceira and St. Michael, in November 1720, was exactly of
the fame nature, and confirms the above cireumftanees.
The lofty fummit of Pico likewife conflantly emits a fmoke,
which we were allured of by a Portuguefe captain, named
Xaviers, who had taken the pains to climb to the top ; and
this fmoke may be feen on fair days at Fayal, very early
in the morning. Earthquakes are likewife very common
at all the Açores, and feveral fhocks were felt at Fayal three
weeks before our arrival. It appears therefore that aim oft
all the iflands of the Atlantic Ocean, like thofe of the South
Sea, have vefliges of former volcanos, or ftill contain burning
mountains, at this moment.
* See an account of this remarkable volcano in the Mémoires de I’Acstf. de
Paris, de 1721, p. 26. Ibid, 1722, p. 12. Phil. Tranf. abridged, vol, VI.
p. 154. and Rafpe Specimen Hift. Nat. Globi Terraquei. A m i 1763. p. 115.
The laft mentioned author has collected every thing relating to the hiftory of
volcanic iflands, known at the time when he wrote j and having treated the fubjedl
as a man of fcience and genius, his book is very fit to be perufed by the tribe of
{hallow pretenders to knowledge, who drefs in borrowed plumes.
We
We returned to town, after vifiting the country-houfe and
gardens belonging to one of the principal inhabitants,
which were contrived with more tafte than could be expected
in this ifland. We were extremely fenfible of the
heat, which was very great at this feafon, though we came
from the torrid zone. In general, however, the climate of
the Açores is faid to be very happy, falubrious, and temperate.
The feverities of winter are never felt -, the winds indeed
are fometimes boifterous at that feafon, and the rains
more frequent, but froft and fnow appear only on the higher
parts of the peak. The fpring and autumn, as alfo the
greateft part of fummer, are reckoned delightful ; fince a
fine breeze of wind commonly cools the air fufficiently to
mitigate the heat of the fun.
In the afternoon, M. Eftries, the French co'nful, went with
me to the convent of St. Clare, where his whole family paid
a vifit to his fitters, who had taken the veil. I was much fur-
prifed, that not even the female relations were admitted within
the parlour grates, as this degree of rigid fequeftration is uncommon.
It is cuftomary for the nuns to offer their vifitors
feme dainties to eat, but here they ferved up a whole repaft,
which conlifted of feveral rich and lufcious dilhes. That the
mind can be at eafe, and difpofed to fpiritual meditation,
when the body is exhaufted with abftinence and watching*
feems to be improbable 5 but whether the oppofite extreme,
the luxury of a well furniChed table, is better fuited to that
4 H 2 prin-
*775’
Ju l y.