MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES.

EVENING ADVERTISER, Jan. 1.

As the AZORES or Western Islands have been the Subject of much enquiry, since the Report of their being destroyed by an Earthquake, tho’ an Account received Yesterday seems to give better Hopes; for the Information of such of our Readers as may be unacquainted with Geography, we have inserted the following Account of them.

These Islands, which are seven in Number, besices the two small ones of Flores and Corvo, lie in a kind of Cluster, on the Western or Atlantic Ocean, between 37 and 40 Degrees of Latitude, and 21 and 26 of Longitude, West from London. They are all allowed to be very fertile in Corn, Wine, variety of Fruits, and to breed great Quantities of Cattle.

1. St. Michael’s Island hath several good Towns and Villages, well filled with Inhabitants, who drive a confiderable Commerce, but hath neither Harbours nor Rivers, nor any good Shelter for Ships. The chief Town of this Island is called Punta del Gado, and is considerable for its Trade.

2. St. Mary’s Inland is well supplied with all Kinds of Necessaries, well cultivated and inhabited. The chief Manufactory here is a kind of Earthen Ware, in which they traffick with the other Islands.

3. Tercera Island hath in it no Port or Haven, where Ships can safely come in, but that of Angra, which is the Capital of the Island, and hath a convenient Harbour. The Island is very fertile, pleasant, and healthy; the very Rocks, which elsewhere, are generally dry and barren, produce here a good Sort of Wine, though not comparable to that of Madeira or the Canaries. The Land yields Plenty of good Wheat and other Corn; Oranges, Lemons, and other Sorts of Fruits; and their Pasture Grounds such Numbers of large Oxen, Sheep, and other Cattle, that there is no want of any Necessaries of Life, except Oil and Salt. They have an extraordinary Root, which grows there as big as a Man’s two Fists, cover’d with long and small Fibres, of a Gold colour, not unlike Silk in softness and fineness, and which they only use to stuff their Beds; but by an ingenious Hand, ‘tis thought, it might be woven into good Stuffs. The Country produces some excellent Timber, particularly Cedar, which is there in such plenty, that they make their Carts and Waggons of it. The Number of Inhabitants in the whole Island is computed to be twenty thousand Souls.

Angra, the Metropolis of the Azores, is well built and peopled. It is the only Station for Ships in all the seven Islands: so that it is chiefly for the fake of this Port that the Portuguese have been fo careful of these Islands, and are so shy of letting Strangers approach it; its Situation being so exceeding convenient to refresh the Ships that sail to and from Brazil, and other long Voyages. In this City are kept the royal Magazines for Anchors, Sails, Cables and other Naval Stores in general for the Men of War. The Maritime Affairs are under the Inspection of a proper Judge, called Desembargador, who hath other Officers under him, and entertains a Number of Pilots, some to conduct the Ships into the Harbour, and others to direct them to Springs of fresh Water. The English, Dutch, and French Nations have likewise a Consul residing in this City, though their Commerce with this, or any other of these Iflands, be but inconsiderable. The chief Trade of the Inhabitants is that of Wood, which grows in great plenty in most of these Islands, and Corn, and other Refreshments, which Merchant Ships come to take in at this Port.

Praya is a pretty confiderable Town; and though it deserves not the Name of a Sea-Port, is yet a kind of Road for Ships, and the only one in the Island, next to Angra, where they can come to Anchor. It is besides a Place of Trade, and well peopled.

4. Graciosa, though not above five or six Leagues in Circuit, is stored with all Sorts of Grein, Fruits, Pasture, Cattle, &c. with which it supplies the Island of Tercera. It is well peopled, but hath no Town of any Note or bigness.

5 St. George’s Island is chiefly famed for its stately Cedars, which grow in great plenty in it.

6. Pico breeds a great Quantity of Cattle. Its Wine is the best of all the Azores; and, besides Cedars and other Timber, they have a kind of Wood, which they call Texio [Teixo], which is reckoned as hard as Iron, and, when polished, is veined like a Tabby, and as red as Scarlet; and with this additional Quality, that it grows finer by Age; upon all the Accounts, it is so highly esteemed, that no one is allowed to fell it, unless for the King, or with particular Leave from his Ministers.

7. Fayal Island produces great plenty of Wood, and is frequented by the English on that account. It also breeds great Numbers of large Cattle, and abounds with variety of good Fish.

Flores and Carvo have nothing worth Notice.

2. We are credibly informed that the Account of the Western Islands being swallow’d up by an Earthquake is without Foundation.

Research done by Manuel Menezes de Sequeira, emeritus professor, living on Flores Island.