are rather an arboretum than a garden; he has
now upwards of a thousand species of trees under
cultivation.
AAY left Ponta Delgada on the 9th of July, and
just before our departure Ave had an opportunity of
seeing a singular religious ceremony.
I n one of th e chnrches of the town there is an
image of our Saviour, Avhich is regarded Avith extreme
devotion. The inhabitants, in cases of difficulty or
danger, bring it rich offerings, and the wealth of the
image in jcAvels Avas variously stated to us at from
l,000h to 100,000^., in proportion to the faith and
piety of our informants. There had been great want
of rain in the island for some months past, and it
had been determined to take a step Avhich is taken
only in extreme cases,—to parade the image round
the town in solemn procession.
People began to come in from the country hy
mid-day, and all afternoon the toAvn wore a gala
appearance. The Agorean girls, as soon as they can
afford it, purchase, if they have not already inherited
a long, full, blue cloth eloak, coming down to the
heels, and terminating in an enormous hood, which
projects, Avhen it is pulled forward, a foot at least
before the face. The cloak and hood are thus a
complete disguise, for if the lower part of the hood
be held together by the hand, a very common
attitude, while the eyes can be used Avith perfect
freedom, both figure and face are entirely hidden.
These cloaks and hoods are very heavy and close,
and it seems strange that such a fashion can hold its
ground where the conditions are very similar to
those in the extreme south of Spain or Italy. The
head-dress of the men is singular, h n t it has a more
rational relation to the exigencies of the climate. It
is also made of dark blue cloth,—a round cap AA'ith a
long projecting peak, and a deep curtain falling over
the neck and shoulders, an excellent defence Avh ether
from rain or sun. The odd th in g about it is th a t
Avhere the hat is made in the extreme of a bygone
‘ mode ’ Avhich still lingers in the remote parts of the
island, the sides of the peak are carried up on each
side of the head into long curved points, like horns.
The horns are ‘ going o u t,’ hoAvever, although a
general festa, such as Ave were fortunate enough to
see, still brought many grotesque pairs of them into
the city.
AVe saAV the procession from the AvindoAVS of the
principal hotel, which looked across a square to the
church from which it took its departure. The square
and the streets below us Avere, for hours before, one
sea of carapugas and capotes, male and female, h u t
chiefly the latter, their Avearers sitting on the hot
pavement, chattering quietly. Ahont five o’clock a
large number of acolytes in scarlet tunics left the
church, and formed a double roAv, lining the streets
in the path of the procession. Then came a long
double row of priests in violet chasnhles and stoles,
repeating the responses to a portly brother, Avho led
the column intoning from his breviary. Then a
double roAV of priests in AAdiite, and then a group of
the higher clergy in cloth of gold and richly
‘ appareled ’ vestments, preceding the image, Avhich
was carried aloft under a crimson canopy. The
image Avas certainly not a high work of art, hut
it seemed to he loaded Avith valuable ornaments.
VOL. II. E