Governor’s brother-in-law snatched his sister’s letters from her
hand, and refusing to give them up, most provokingly read parts
of sentences, which only served to heighten her curiosity and
anger. I almost-envied- the general feeling, and so many happy
faces would have been a gratifying sight,-but for the interruption
to the universal-harmony,- by the ex-governor of Bissao, who had
been-removed from his command by the Constitutional Government,
for having too openly dealt in slaves, but who had expected
his re-instatement. He would neither go away, nor sit down to
table, and at last became quite clamorous : Senhor Martins, without
regarding him, ate his dinner with his usual coolness, and the
Governor vainly read, and shewed him the passages in the despatch
expressing universal satisfaction, but he raved on, tilt the Gover-J
nor’s lady condescended to soothe him into tranquillity.”- A mar-
riage-was to succeed this good news;* and which I confess Ishould
have Eked to have witnessed, as I understood the ceremonies in
our host’s family to be very original.
I have been tempted to mate this digression, >by the general
ignorance that‘prevails respecting the Cape de Verd Islands, and
to prevent future travellers from being deceived, as we were; by the
accounts given of the splendour of Senhor Manoel’s establishment Y
accounts which are-very generally received and propagated, people
being too apt to blend magnificenee;with power, and,- certainly, his'
influence at these settlements is complete; But it is time to return
to ourselves. ;;i/ ; ■ ,
Mr. Bowdieh having claimed Senhor ManoePs first promise of
forwarding his views of discovery, was told,-if he would wait a short
time, he would have many opportunities, not only of visiting-Fogo,
but also the whole group of islands, -Five different plans were laid,
an d each, suddenly altered, or-set aside. Mr. Bowdieh tried to
beguile the tediousness of expectation, by inspecting Bona Vista
in all directions, which might easily be done in a fortnight, provided
those obstacles were hot opposed, which frustrated the
greater- part of our endeavours.
The geology, botany, and, conchology of a place, may always be
ascertained by the morning walks of an individual ; but to catch
fish, shoot birds, ^-c., it is frequently necessary to have recourse to
others. This was our case, and we were obliged to leave the
island without Satisfying ourselves respecting its ornithology or
ichthyology. We saw some large eagles, falcons, and boobies, and
a few birds of a smaller kind flying about, but could only procure
one or two of the latter. The Governor made us repeated promises,
but though we heard his nephew fire for hours, we were
invariably informed of his want of success.- Mr. Bowdieh tried
the effect of a few dollars, which prevailed in one or two instances,
but to no extent. The fishes seemed to be rare and beautiful,
but neither money nor entreaty could prevail on any one to catch
them. One day we were told, that the weather was too rough; on
another, that our friends the school boys had taken the single
fishing boat in the place, on an excursion of pleasure, and it was
only by bribing one of Senhor Manoel’s cooks, that we were able to
examine the two or three mentioned in the appendix to this
narrative. All the inhabitants belong to, or are dependant on,
Senhor Martins, and it seemed impossible to rouse them from
their indifference, or to stimulate them to more exertion than that
of their appointed labours. I kept a troop of little ragged boys
and girls in pay, to bring me shells, but they would go no further
than the immediate preemets of the town, and they all. deserted
me when I refused to purchase the same shells four or five times
over- - ’ ' ‘ * f . The eastern environs of the town appeared to be formed of a
conglomerate rock, mingled with basaltic pieces, resting on layers
of yellow tufa, coulies running east and west. On the western