sides, the strata lie as follows; three feet of basalt, with coulies
running eastward, and lighter coloured upwards, where not washed
by the sea; two. feet of grit with layers of shells, (apparently an
aqueous formation) mingled with sharp, angular pieces of basalt;
a thin layer of red earth or tufa, formed from the decomposition
of the basalt. The pier rock seems to have a bed of sand underneath
it, and below that is a blue compact basalt. The surface
of the island is covered with sand, intermingled with patches of
conglomerated sand and lime, in which we found innumerable
shells. The grit rock also contained shells, and whole masses
of the bones of asteria. The botany presented nothing curious,
as will be seen in the appendix. The saline plants were the
most abundant, and a Dane once made an experiment to extract
alkalies from them, but they did not yield sufficient to make them
answer for commerce.
All the quadrupeds were of a domestic kind. Senhor Martins
confirmed the account given by Dampier, of the turtles coming
from the main land in June, July, and August, to lay their
eggs in the sand. There is also a tradition, that by eating the
flesh of these animals, and anointing with their blood, leprosy is
cured.
The inhabitants of Bona Vista are so well supplied with
necessaries, and even luxuries, from Portugal, - England, and
America, that there .is but little encouragement for any .manufacturer,
particularly as they have no native productions to tempt
their industry. There was a black man, however, residing there
during my stay, an artisan from , the opposite part of the continent,
who wove beautiful pagnes or scarves, both of- silk and of cotton,
being supplied with the material for the former by his employers.
His loom was small, after the African fashion, but his web was
considerably wider than that of the cloths made on the leeward
coast. The patterns, of his own invention, were very pretty, but
did not possess the chaste simplicity of those from Ashantee:
nothing could exceed the durability of his manufacture.
The water of Bona Vista is drawn from springs, and always
deposits a white sediment. It is reckoned remarkably wholesome,
but; Mr. Bowdich could not analyze it, as his chemical apparatus
had been forwarded to Sierra Leone. The jars which stand in the
houses to hold this water, are made at St. Jago, from a porous red
clay. I do not think the people at Bona Vista even know how to
form a basket, and the island is altogether so barren and uninteresting,
that if it did not possess great purity of atmosphere, no
one could desire to visit it twice, and no place could be quitted
with so little regret®. The. salt is of a coarse kind, but cheaper
than the finer sort, and is better adapted to some of the African
and American markets. It is collected in square, shallow pits,
and brought to the shore for lading, by asses. There is no orchil
at Bona Vista, although the trade in it is considerable, and almost
monopolized by Senhor Martins. It is chiefly procured from
St. Antonio1, which is far the most picturesque island in the
group, Fogo being formed of one lofty mountain, (said to be as
high as Teneriffe) without other scenery.
St. Antonio, I understand, is extremely well wooded, and offers
much interest to the botanist. As Mr. Bowdich thought his stay
there would probably I be very short, he requested the Commandant,
who is a great amateur of the science, to make him an
herbarium for- examination, intending to call for it on his way to
Fogo ; but this, like every other plan, was frustrated by Senhor
• This completely exemplifies a remark of Baron de Humboldt's, I believe, that
“ there is. more true solitude in sand than in forest.” I have lived months at Cape
Coast’ entirely alone, surrounded ' by magnificent and solemn woods, without experiencing
the cheerless feeling, the ‘ sensation of loneliness and desertion, which
assailed me whenever I looked' out of thè window at Bona Vista.
f The collectors are paid threepence per pound.