T i n A T L A N T IC . [ c h a p . I. CIIAP. I.] B E RM U D A S TO M A D E IR A . 27
reduced to oiie-fourtli, oiie-eiglitli, oue-tentb, and tlien
entirely ceased, and the inhabitants emigrated in
great numbers to Brazil and California. Some few
attempts have been made to restore the AÙnes, but up
to the present time there is practically no manufacture
of wine in the Acores.
We left Payai the morning after onr arrival, and
had one or tAVO hauls of the dredge in shalloAV Avater,
from fifty to a hundred fathoms, in the channel
hetAveen Payai and Pico. Everywhere tlie bottom
gave evidence of recent volcanic action. The dredge
came up full of fine dark volcanic sand and pieces
of pumice. W^e Avere surprised to find the fauna varied
and ahundant. As in th e case of jAlants, it seems
in some cases to take b u t little time for animals to
spread in undiminished nnmhers over an area Avhere
every trace of life must assuredly have been destroyed
hy the rain of fire and brimstone. In the evening
AA’e passed eastAAmrd through the channel hetAA-een
Pico and San Jorge, and greatly enjoyed the fine
scenery of the la tte r island, Avhich rises inland into
a hold mountain ridge, and presents to the sea a
nearly unbroken mural cliff, ranging to npAvards of
five hundred feet in height.
On the evening of the 4th of Ju ly Ave anchored
in th a roadstead of Ponta Delgada, the capital of
San Miguel, and the chief town of the Açores. M e
Avere a little anxious about Ponta Delgada, for Ave
had been told at Payai th a t small-pox Avas prevalent
there also ; and although our information Avas
not very definite, and Ave were in hope th a t it
might prove incorrect, it Avas with great satisfaction
th a t Ave heard from the qnarantine officer
th at they had had no cases for a year past. Leave
AA'as accordingly freely given, and we all prepared
to make the most of our stay, Avhich could n o t he
extended beyond five days at th e farth est if Ave
hoped to hold to our future dates.
-A ltin g ia excelsa, in tlie garden of M. Jo sé do Canto, San Miguel.
(From a photograph.)
Ponta Delgada is very like Horta. It curves in
the same way round the shore of a bay, and gardens
and orange-groves clothe the slope of a receding
amphitheatre of hills ; hut there is more space about
it, and apparently more activity and enterprise. One