Note from researcher Professor Manuel Menezes de Sequeira:

On April 7, 1877, again in “The Field”, p. 419, an account of a cruise on the yacht Osprey begins. It was a sequence of articles, the first of which, on this date, described a visit to the Azores:

Cruise of the Osprey.

In the beginning of the year I promised my friend to go with him in his yacht Osprey to the Azores. I had heard much of their beauty and of their climate, and desired to see those “islands of the blest.” So, all arrangements being made, on receiving a letter to say that the yacht would soon be at Yarmouth, from whence we were to make a start, I left London on June 30, arriving on board the same day, when I learned that we couldn’t get to sea before Monday, July 3. Saturday I spent seeing what was to be seen at Yarmouth; visited the parish church, which is, I imagine, one of the finest in England—larger than many of the cathedrals; but it seemed sadly in want of repair. The aquarium was unfinished, so nothing was to be seen there; and, after a promenade on the Wellington Pier and up and down the road along the beach, I had, I may say, exhausted Yarmouth. Sunday brought in a thick sea fog, which we could only hope would clear off before morning; but this, unfortunately, not being the caве, we had to spend Monday in our old place, alongside of Trinity Wharf. However, next morning the tug took us in tow at 4 a.m.; there was a nice fresh breeze outside in the Roads[?], but, unfortunately, adverse; so we did not reach the Kentish Knock until 6.30 p.m, and there the masts of the unfortunate Deutschland were still sticking up out of the sands.

Next morning we were off Dover at 6.30, wind still adverse, so it was a case of working down Channel, a long leg and a short one. We ran close in to the pier, but Dover was wrapped in slumber. The castle and town were glistening in the early morning sunshine, and I thought what a lot of beauty one loses by not rising early on a summer morning. No use landing at that early hour, so it was “bout ship,” and Dover soon grew dim as we sped away on the opposite tack. We were off Dungeness in the evening, wind light and still adverse. We had not been lucky in our fishing, reeling from the yacht; but, just in time for dinner, caught two mackerel. About 10 p.m., as we were finishing our last smoke, fog began to set in, and lasted all night. The fog horn waking me at half-past four, I went on deck, and found the fog “still there.” Little or no wind and thick fog is anything but a pleasant combination in the Channel, where so many steamers are constantly passing to and fro. We caught some mackerel this morning. Were entirely becalmed by 11; fog still thick, and day very warm; it cleared of a little about one o’clock, but no wind came. Next morning, about nine, a little breeze sprang up when we were off Swanage, from whence we saw the Caprice coming out; she was bound the same way as ourselves, caught us up, and passed us before we got to Portland, where we anchored about four. Sunday, ten, we got under way again; there was a nice breeze blowing; the Magician came out immediately after us. We passed Torbay about 7 p.m., and next morning, as the wind and sea were rising, put back into Dartmouth. It was a lovely morning, and the entrance looked charming; such a beautiful sheltered spot! I was quite delighted with its appearance on this bright morning. We left Dartmouth at nine next morning, Tuesday, the 11th, bound for Helford, on the Cornish coast, which we did not reach until six next morning, the usual adverse wind having prevailed. Helford Creek is a nice place for lying, sheltered from every wind save the N.E. Here we found our letters for the first time since starting. We determined to remain a few days, for the fishing was good; and a friend who had a house on the creek was expected. We set three trammel nets this evening, and on hauling them next morning found only a few red mullet, a nice trout of 5 lb., and a monster crab weighing 2lb[?]. Next night the trammels caught twenty-one red mullet, four pair of soles, a fine crab of 5½lb., and several other fish. The following night we had sixteen red mullet, one dory, and several whiting pout, &c. On Saturday our friend arrived; so we made up our minds to be off next day, and consequently got under way at eleven, but were no sooner outside than the wind died away way entirely, and we had to anchor. Next morning there was a light breeze until we neared the Lizard, when it freshened, but from the wrong quarter, the N.W. However, the next evening we sighted Ballycotton Light about seven, soon after the Old Head, and we ran into Kinsale with a fresh breeze, anchoring off Summer Cove early on Wednesday morning. There is not much to be seen at or about Kinsale, after the old fort at Summercove guarding the entrance has been visited. The fort is in good preservation, and is still used as barracks for the Artillery Militia when they are embodied. Only a few recruits were present, and certainly these looked fine stalwart soldiers. We remained at Kinsale until Monday, the 24th, catching during our stay a moderate amount of fish, when we left at 1 p.m. for Balinskelligs Bay, where we arrived on Wednesday morning, and found the Julia, with her fishing tender, the Parasite, at anchor. Her owner came on board the Osprey to welcome us and invite us to go trawling with him; so I went, and, although it was blowing fresh and raining heavily, we had a most successful time of it, using an otter trawl, turbot and soles being pretty plentiful.

During the next seven days the weather was too bad to put to sea, but trawling was occasionally possible, and some very good hauls were taken. Saturday the 5th, was spent preparing for sea, setting up rigging, getting in water, provisions, &c., and making everything ready for our voyage to the Azores. The Julia left for Kilmacalloge ; the Ita looked in on her way from Valentia, and left again; the Maybird (screw steamer) was out all day trawling, scraping away, backwards and forwards, without ceasing, and caught over one hundred pairs of soles, three turbot, one of 18lb., and an enormous quantity of other fish. A few days of such wholesale slaughter will soon clear out the bay, for the ground is very limited.

Sunday the wind was S.W., the very worst wind we could have; and on Monday, when we started, it was still S.W., very light. There was a nasty swell on outside; so we could do no good, rolling about in the heavy sea, with no wind worth speaking of. We continued to have contrary winds more or less all the time we were crossing the Atlantic.

On Saturday evening, the 12th, it commenced to blow hard, and by 11 p.m. we were staggering along close-hauled under three reefs in mainsail, double-reefed foresail, and storm jib; pouring rain, and blowing half a gale. This continued until Thursday morning, the 17th, when it was still blowing hard; but the barometer began to rise. During the night of Wednesday it blew almost a hurricane at times.

Friday the wind and sea had gone down; so we shook out a couple of reefs. To-day saw a cask floating near, thickly covered with barnacles; lowered the dinghy, and brought it alongside; it proved from the smell to be petroleum oil, so we would have nothing to do with it. During the afternoon the wind died away altogether.

Saturday was a lovely, bright, sunny day, but wind very light all day. Sunday was another charming day, and the wind, though light, was a point or two more in our favour. St. Michael’s still 145 miles off.

Monday, the 21st, St. Michael’s was in sight at 5 a.m., and with a nice steady breeze we neared it rapidly; but about 9 the wind in one moment became quite calm, and remained so all day. No steerage way on the yacht; we lay turned about by the tide—so tantalising! almost within sight of the anchorage. We were off Ribiera Grande, at the N.E. end of the island, and very beautiful it looked—green from the sumits of the hills down to the very shore. At this end the land trends down from high mountains, ending either in abrupt cliffs, or in some few instances running down to the very edge of the sea. The cliffs were green, clothed with some vegetation, but what it was we could not distinguish at hat the distance we were lying off. The country appeared to be cultivated highly, and the quintas, or farmhouses, numerous: the day with us was baking hot, not a cloud in the sky. All night it was calm, with heavy dew; but to-day it is cloudy, which is much pleasanter than yesterday’s burning sun. A little wind sprang up, and we ran along the S. side of the island, which presents a very beautiful appearance with its varied tints of green, fields of maize, and the white houses right down to the sea shore. We were past Villa Franca, when Del Gada, the chief town of St. Michael’s, came in sight, and by 2.30 our anchor was down once more. We had not made a bad voyage, considering the weather, and, but for being becalmed yesterday morning, should have been exactly one fortnight from Ireland. We found the Ballerina at anchor, she having arrived yesterday from Madeira. The harbour, if it may be so called, of Del Gada, is very small, and is formed by a mole, which is in process of construction; but it is a great pity that when it was decided upon the Portuguese Government did not commence it further out; however, it will accommodate a few ships. There is a very good floating dock, capable of taking ships of 1000 tons, which was entirely built at Del Gada. On Wednesday morning we went early to the market, to get some idea of the products of the island. The fish market was scantily supplied, a few bream and small mackerel being all we saw. The fruit and vegetable market is a long way from the fish market, and on this morning there was not much in the way of fruit or vegetable; but what was there was very fine—very excellent potatoes, both sweet and common, fine water melons and figs, peaches neither ripe nor fine, apricots ditto, apples and pears small; tomatoes, turnips, beans, and greens were procurable, but, with the exception of tomatoes, not very good. The streets are clean, being paved with pieces of basalt; the people are particularly civil and courteous; and the climate, though warm at this season of the year, was not at all disagreeable. Next day we went, by arrangement, to visit one of the gardens of the island; it belongs to a Signor Jachimo [José Jácome Correia (Ponta Delgada, 1816 — Ponta Delgada, 22 de julho de 1886)], who has built a fine house, and laid out the grounds very prettily, but evidently grass is a difficulty. We saw trees of almost every clime, growing side by side—the elm, oak, Australian blue gum tree, Norfolk pines over 100ft. high and so healthy and green, clothed down almost to the very ground! palms of every kind, magnolia and oleander trees, and hedges of camellias. In the glass houses I saw some fine pines, but the vines were diseased, seemingly with mildew. The orange groves were full of healthy-looking young trees, laden with their green fruits.

Next day we started on a visited [sic] to the extinct crater called the Sete Cidades or seven cities, plainly a misnomer for Sette Concavidas, or seven concavities; for there certainly could never have been seven cities, or even one, and there are seven concavities—round bowls. The drive was hot, as the road passes between high walls or through deep cuttings. We passed fields of maize in every state of growth, from the young shoot to the full ripe head. A few fields of sugarcane were to be seen, but the canes looked thin and stunted. We drove to the foot of the mountain Algoa Grande [Cabeço Grande], where we found donkeys waiting to carry us up the ascent. Of the history of the mountain, it is said that Gonzalo Velho Cabral, after establishing a colony on the island of St. Mary, discovered in 1431, landed in St. Michael in 1444, and found extensive plains, which appeared to him to be so capable of being highly cultivated, that he returned immediately to St. Mary’s to make preparations for colonising his newly discovered Country. When he went there the following year, what was his surprise to find, in place of the plains, an enormous mountain which had elevated on them, with an Immense crater. This mountain is called the Algoa de los Sette Citades, in the crater of which are the two lakes Lagoa Grande and Lagoa Azul; the crater is nearly circular, being three and a half miles by two and a half broad, and is the largest on the island. When we reached the top of the mountain by an easy ascent, we had a capital view into the interior the crater with the two lakes. On the edge of the lakes there is a small village, with fields of maize and barley growing round it; the water of the lakes is said to be steadily increasing, exclusive of which I should not think it pleasant to live at the bottom of the crater. The seven punch bowls were plainly discernible, so that I was fully satisfied that Sette Citades must be a misnomer. The Ballerina left to-day while we were away on our excursion. It commenced to blow this evening from the S.E., so we made up our minds to leave Delgada, as we were lying outside the harbour, and the wind was blowing straight in. It blew fresh all night, and until it moderated a little, which was not till nearly 4 p.m., we could not attempt to get under way; but soon after four we were under way for Fayal, which, as the wind soon became light, we did not reach until Monday morning. As we came along, Pico was obscured by thick clouds from head to foot, but soon after anchoring they cleared off, and we had a fine view of Pico to the very summit. The island of Pico is merely the one mountain, 7600 and odd feet high, with a sugar-loaf top, which looks as if it were artificial, it is so regular, sloping gradually downwards on all sides to the sea. We found the Ballerina again at anchor, but she left this evening homeward bound. Horta, the chief town of Fayal, looks well from the sea; but there is nothing of any interest to be seen in the island. Formerly the whaling fleet used to make Fayal their headquarters; vegetables, potatoes especially, being plentiful and cheap. But of latter years, I am told, they prefer Flores, off which the celebrated sea fight took place nearly three hundred years ago, on Aug. 30, 1591, so beautifully described by Kingsley in “At Last.” [O famoso poema de Tennyson sobre esta batalha seria publicado apenas um ano mais tarde, em 1878.] The fishing at Fayal being very bad, we left again on Tuesday for Angra, the chief town of Terceira. The day was warm; but the sail through St. George’s Channel, between Pico and St. George’s, was very beautiful—Pico visible from top to bottom. There had been no wind all night, and there was none this morning until after 10 a.m., when a light breeze, gradually freshening, sprung up, and we reached our anchorage at Angra by 7 p.m.

Thursday, went on shore to visit the markets, as usual. The fish consisted entirely of bonito and bream, and the fruit market was not well supplied. The town town was clean, and pleasantly situated. There is nothing much to be seen on the island; a little game, quails, red-leg partridges, rabbits, with an occasional woodcock can be shot. There are some wild bulls in the interior, kept for the “bull ring,” but permission to hunt them cannot be obtained. The fishing is the best we found at the Azores. The first night our trammels were set we caught sixteen red mullet, a large number of bream, and a sting ray of over 300lb. weight—he was certainly a monster, and it was wonderful that the trammel held him; but I fancy. once his tail became entangled, he was deprived of much power. The “sting” in his tail was eight inches long. The next night our nets were—much to our indignation and annoyance—robbed; they had evidently been under run, and the thieves, in their hurry to get the fish out, tore and cut the nets disgracefully; it was a most abominable proceeding, and, as the fishing is really good, should be a warning to anyone setting nets to have them watched all night. We were so much disgusted by this robbery that we determined to leave at once, and got under way for St. Michael’s by 9 a.m. We had a nice fair wind, so were at at anchor again at Del Gada during the night. In the evening we went to the Alameda to hear the band, it was was anything but first-rate—rather “tin-kettly”—and the attendance was poor. But this was to be accounted for, everyone that can going at this season to Furnas, about twenty six miles away, where it is much cooler. I regretted much that time prevented our visiting the hot springs at Furnas; they are said to be worth seeing, and possess the reputation of being a cure for many complaints.

While waiting for the English mail we visited another large garden, which was more picturesquely laid out than Signor Jachino’s—artificial caverns, filled with the most esquisite and luxuriant growth of ferns, all the most beautiful trees of warm countries growing in the greatest perfection, looking so healthy and fresh; camellia hedges as before, large azalea bushes, dracænas 8ft. to 10ft. high. It was quite a delight wandering about this place or sitting in the cool shade, with all the wealth of beauty around. The mail came in about 11 on Monday night, but there is evidently no hurry for letters amongst the Portuguese, for we cannot get our letters until after 11 o’clock to-day (Tuesday). The fishing is very indifferent; we caught a very few red mullet (which was the only fish worth having), a few bream, and a few other fish, beautiful to look at, with horny beaks like that of a parrot.

Thursday, about 11 a.m., we got under way for Madeira, thus bidding farewell to the Azores. We passed a school of whales this evening, some of them quite close to the yacht. There were about ten altogether, spermaceti, the largest being, we guessed, 50ft. long. We had our usual head winds, so didn’t make much onward progress, and it was not until Thursday, the 14th, that we sighted Madeira. We were under the western end of the island by 8 p.m., when we became becalmed, and there we remained all day, but towards night a little breeze sprung up, and we anchored at Funchal at 6.30 p.m. on Friday. Here we found the Black Prince, Resistance, and Wolverine, the two former being part of the Channel squadron, the latter on her way to Australia. After breakfast I landed and I visited the Consul, who most kindly put our names down for the club, so we had an opportunity of seeing all the latest English papers, which was a great enjoyment, as we had been so long without news. As at St. Michael’s so it was here—everyone was away from Funchal, gone to the north side of the island, where it was cooler.

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