The nine islands of the Acores, or Wester Islands, are Tercera, San Michael, Santa Maria, St George, Gratiosa, Pico, Fayal, Corvo, and Flores.  Tercera is the chief island, being fifteen or sixteen leagues in circumference, and so high and steep in many places that it is almost impregnable, and they have built forts in such places as are accessible.  The only port is before the capital, named Angra, and as it is in the form of a half-moon, it is called the Half-Moon of Angra.  At each horn of this half-moon there is a mountain, which are called the Brazils, which project out into the sea, appearing from a distance as if two islands; and these mountains are so high that one may see at any time ten or twelve leagues off, and fifteen in clear weather.  Angra has a fine cathedral, and is the residence of a bishop, and of a governor and council, whose authority extends over all the nine islands.  There is another town three leagues from Angra, called Praya, or the town of the shore, situated on a shore which cannot be approached by ships, so that it has no trade, and the town seems a kind of desert, though well built and walled round.

The inhabitants raise sufficient provisions on the island for all their wants, being pleasant and fertile, and all covered with corn-fields; and so abounds with flesh, fish, and all sorts of victuals, that even in times of the greatest scarcity, there is enough for all the inhabitants.  It produces wine also, but very small, and does not keep well, wherefore the richer people provide themselves from Madeira and the Canaries.  They want oil, salt, lime, and potters ware, which they have to import from other countries.  They have abundance of peaches, apples, pears, oranges, and lemons, with all sorts of vegetables and garden stuffs, and among these a plant called batatas, which grows like a vine stock, but the leaves are different.  These produce roots, weighing a pound more or less, and are so plentiful that they are despised by the rich, though of a sweet pleasant taste and very nourishing.  There is another root in this country as large as a man’s two fists, covered over with filaments of a golden yellow colour, and as smooth as silk.  The inhabitants stuff beds with this, instead of feathers, but skilful workmen could certainly manufacture it into fine stuffs.

There are but few birds, except canaries, quails, ordinary poultry, and turkies, which are numerous.  Several parts of this island are very hilly, and full of thick and almost impervious woods; and travelling is rendered very difficult, as you often find rocks a league in length, so rugged and sharp that they cut the shoes at every step; yet these rocks are so full of vines that they are not to be seen in summer, being covered over by the vine leaves.  These vines spread their roots among the crannies and crevices of the rocks, which are so small and devoid of soil, that it is wonderful how they should find any nourishment;