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Show 596 AZORES. Sept. 1836. When we reached the so-called crater, I found it consisted of a slight depression, or rather of a short valley abutting against a higher range and without any exit. The bottom was traversed by several large fissures, out of which, in nearly a dozen places, small jets of steam issued as from the cracks in the boiler of a steam engine. 'fhe steam close to the irregular orifices was far too hot for the hand to endure it. It had but little smell, yet from every thing made of iron being blackened, and from a peculiar rough sensation communicated to the skin, the vapour cannot be pure; I imagine it contains some muriatic acid. The effect on the surrounding trachytic lava was singular, the solid stone being entirely converted either into pure snow-white porcelain clay, or into a kind of the brightest red, or .the two colours were marbled together. The steam has thus been emitted during many years; and it is said that flames once issued from the cracks. During rain, the water from each bank must flow into these cracks; and it is probable that this same water trickling down to the neighbourhood of some heated subterranean lava, causes the above effects. Throughout the island, the powers from below have been unusually active during the last year; several small earthquakes have been felt, and during a few days a jet of steam issued from a bold precipice (part of Mount Brazil) overhanging the sea, not far from the town of Angra. I enjoyed my day's ride, though I did not find much worth seeing. It was pleasant to meet the peasantry; I do not re.collect ever having beheld a set of handsomer young men, with more goodhumoured expressions. The greater number w?om we met, were employed in the mountains gathering sticks for firewood. A whole family, from the father to the least boy, might be seen, each carrying his bundle on his he.ad to sell in the town. Their burdens were very heavy; th1s hard labour and the ragged state of their clothes plainly bespoke poverty ; yet I am told it is not that they want food, but there is an absence of all luxuries,-a case parallel to that of Chiloe. Hence, although the whole lane Sept. 1836. 'l'ERCEIItA. is not cultivated, numbers are emigrating to Brazil, where the contract to which they are bound differs but little from slavery. It seems a great pity that so fine a population should be compelled to leave a land of plenty, where every article of food-meat, vegetables, and fruit-is exceedingly cheap and most abundant: but the labourer finds his labour of proportionally little value. Another day I set out early in the morning to visit the town of Praya situated towards the N .E. extremity of the island. The distance is about fifteen miles ; the road ran during the greater part of the way, not far from the coast. The country is all cultivated, and scattered over with houses and small villages. I noticed in several places, that the solid lava, which in part formed the road, was worn into ruts of the depth of twelve inches from the long traffic of the bullockwaggons. This circumstance has been noticed with surprise in the ancient pavement of Pompeii, for it does not occur in any of the present towns of Italy. 'l'he waggon-wheels here have a tire surmounted by singularly large knobs of iron; perhaps the old Roman wheels were thus furnished. The country during our morning's ride was not interesting; excepting always when enlivened by the pleasant sight of the healthy peasantry. The harvest was lately over, and near the houses, the fine yellow heads of the Indian corn were tied in large bundles, to be dried, to the poplar-trees ; and these, seen from a distance, appeared weighed down by some beautiful fruit,-the very emblem of fertility. One part of the road crossed a broad stream of lava, which from its rocky and black surface seemed to be of comparatively recent origin: indeed, the crater, whence it had flowed, could be distinguished. The industrious inhabitants have turned this space into vineyards ; but for this purpose it was necessary to clear away the loose fragments, and to pile them up into a multitude of walls, which enclose little patches of ground a few yards square, thus covering the country with a network of black lines. The town of Praya is a quiet, forlorn, little place : many |