highest peak on the margin of the Caldeira. To the southward of these lagoons there is a space of gently undulating land, covered with grass, on which some cattle and sheep were pastured. It is drained by a small brook on the south-west side of it, which conducts the waters in that direction into the western lagoon; on the eastern side by a small marsh and two or three little ponds, the waters of which are led off by a narrow artificial cutting into the eastern lagoon, and used as motive power for three or four rude and very diminutive grist mills.

On the north-western side of the Caldeira, some of the parts sloping to the south-east are cultivated with maize and potatoes. The easiest access to this once fearful, but now tranquil basin, is by a path leading over a gap in its eastern margin where the descent is gradual.

The summit even in mid-summer is so frequently capped with clouds, that numerous small rills of water were running down the mountain in the month of August.

The greater part of the island is used for pasture, but there is a narrow belt of land extending from the top of the cliffs of its eastern coast towards the crater, that is enclosed, and laid out in fields and gardens. The part so occupied commences at the top of the high land immediately above the village, and terminates between Cabeça Negra and Point N.E., about two miles and a half.

In this distance several ravines occur, and the scanty supply of fuel the island affords is obtained from the trees and shrubs growing upon their steep sides.

The comparatively low land which forms the south-west extremity of Corvo, has all the appearance of having been added to the original island by some after irruption of lava. It comprises between 160 and 170 acres, divided into fields by low dry built stone walls, and is diligently cultivated with grain, flax, and potatoes, and various vegetables.

The village of Corvo stands upon the eastern side of the south point, on rising ground close to the coast, and contains between 160 and 170 houses, generally built of stone and thatched; though a few are roofed with tiles. There are no other habitations on the island; and these for the most part wear a dirty and uncomfortable appearance, rising above each other in rows on the side of the hill, and separated by filthy lanes, the resort of pigs and poultry.

At the southern limit of the village stands the parish church, a small stone building with a square tower and short spire, which being kept well whitewashed is a good sea mark. About 250 yards S.W.b.W. from the church there is a little rocky hill crowned by an antique horizontal grist mill. The church tower and this mill are the most conspicuous objects on the point.

The population of Corvo, according to the official returns for 1843, amounted to 784 persons-383 males and 401 females.

The people are extremely poor, and live in a very primitive state of society; but though they possess scarcely anything deserving the name of comfort, as understood in England, there was no indication of want. They appeared to have food enough for themselves, and some to offer in

exchange for what they deemed luxuries; and to be well supplied with clothing, both of wool and linen, the product of their island and their industry.

The costume is perfectly simple:-a handkerchief round the head, a short jacket to fit the figure, and a large full petticoat with a broad ornamented border of blue, white, red, or yellow; and sometimes all these colours together is the usual dress of the women. The men wear jackets and trousers, and commonly a woollen cap. The only garment which excited attention was a spencer or overcoat, which in cut and colour was exactly similar to that usually worn by our Great Captain. Shoes and stockings are not used, except by the hospitable and venerable vicar, who is at once priest, governor, and arbitrator-general of his island.

They appeared to be an industrious hard-working people, not in any way remarkable for personal appearance, although some few of the young women were both handsome and graceful.

Their clothing, as already stated, is principlly obtained from the fleeces of their sheep, and the flax of the island; but, some Portuguese and English coloured cottons are to be seen; and the American whalers while fishing off the island supply their unbleached cottons, (much used for domestic purposes,) and sundry notions also, in exchange for meat, poultry, fruit, milk, and vegetables.

The official returns before referred to give the following as the annual production of Corvo:-Indian corn 2,276 bushels, wheat 1,580, rye 650, beans 464, French beans 69, and potatoes 6,970; flax 324 and wool 648 lbs.; horned cattle 156, sheep 302, goats 10, and pigs 104.

In addition to this there are many pumpkins, melons, and other vegetables; some little fruit, and abundance of poultry. Wood is too scarce for export, and there are no conveniences at all for the supply of water.

The low extreme points of Corvo are comprised between the parallels 39° 39′ 54′′ and 39° 43′ 28′′ N., and the meridians 31° 05′ 25′′ and 31° 08′ 20′′ W.; and the church, which is the best defined object, is in latitude 39° 40′ 09" N., and longitude 31° 07′ 16" W.; the magnetic variation in 1842 was 27° 30′ W. It is high water, full and change at 12h. 25m., and the rise of tide 3 feet 6 inches.

The south end of the island bears the name of Ponta de Pesqueiro-alto. On the eastern side of it in front of the village there is a stony beach about 200 yards in length, on which a few fishing-boats are usually hauled up. Beyond this beach the coast presents a wavy line of high bold rocky cliffs, with a narrow border of thin debris lying at the foot of them to Ponta de Casa, its general direction being N. 52° E., and the distance one mile three-tenths.

Immediately off the point, which is sharp and well defined, and at the distance of 60 and 70 yards from it, there is a rock just visible above water, on which the sea at times breaks violently, and there is a similar rock a quarter of a mile N.N.E. of it. On the top of the point about 400 yards within the cliffs is a hill 483 feet above the sea.

From Ponta de Casa the next extreme point is that of L'Este, bearing N. 16° E., and distant one mile. The coast falls back a little to

the northward of the point, but continues very similar in character, only the cliffs are of greater elevation. Ponta de l'Este, as its name implies, is the eastern extreme of the island.

The quality of the bottom in the parallel of Ponta de Casa is generally a fine sand varying much in colour from light speckled to brown, and almost black: 19 fathoms will be found at the distance of half a mile; thence it deepens rapidly, and at three-quarters of a mile there are from 60 to 70 fathoms: the edge of the bank (200 fathoms) is one mile from the point.

In the parallel of Ponta de l'Este the bank extends one-tenth of a mile further out, and is generally deeper, there being 17 fathoms one quarter of a mile from the point, and at half a mile 40 fathoms, fine sand.

From Ponta de l'Este the Ponta de N.E, bears N. 16° W. distant one mile and one-tenth. Between them one-third of a mile from the first named point is the small rocky projection of Cabeça Negra; three little detached rocks lie at the base of it, and above it is a cultivated hill.

The cliffs increase in elevation as you proceed northerly, though a deep ravine breaks through them on the north side of Cabeça Negra. Point N.E. is a bold bluff 760 feet above the sea. From it some large fragments have fallen, occasioning a little extension of the narrow beach around it. To seaward of this point bearing from it N. 51° E., and distant three-tenths of a mile lies a sunken rock, called Baixo de N.E. It is a single block of stone of very small extent, steep to on all sides, and has a depth of three or four feet over it at low water.

In the parallel of the point, at a quarter of a mile from the land, the depth is from 17 to 20 fathoms; at half a mile 25 to 30 fathoms; at three-quarters of a mile 32 fathoms; thence it falls rapidly, and at one mile there is no bottom with 200 fathoms. On a north-east bearing from it the soundings are similar at the same distances, and the quality of the bottom generally is a fine sand of various colours, with an occasional cast of rock.

The next point westward is Joao de Moira bearing N. 57° W., distant about 0.65 of a mile and from thence Ponta do Norte, the north extreme of the island, bears N. 79° W., about the same distance. The coast between these points presents a series of high inaccessible cliffs fronted as before by a narrow belt of stones; and deviates little in the outline.

From the top of the cliffs the land behind them rises with great abruptness to the margin of the Caldeira, a height of 2,200 feet, where the horizontal distance from the sea does not exceed 2,500 feet.

Ponta do Norte is a huge rock 368 feet in height, jutting out nearly 150 yards at right angles with the shore on either side of it. It is inaccessible from the sea; and the north, or outer face of it shews an overhanging cliff, which renders it remarkable when viewed from the east or

west.

S. 87° W., three-tenths of a mile beyond Ponta do Norte is a small black elevated islet of naked lava: the coast between them forms a little bay, the shore of which is profusely scattered with large fragments of

rock fallen from the enormous cliffs behind them; and S. 47° W. twotenths of a mile from the outer point of this islet is Ponta de Turrais, the north-west extreme of the island.

This north-west point is very remarkable: it runs directly down from the north edge of the crater into the sea, a sharp serrated ridge of dark lava. There is a large rock at the extreme point of it, and on the north side, in the space between it and the islet, and several low detached rocks and a flat narrow pier of lava projects from the shore towards them.

Outside these rocks 300 yards north of Ponta Turrais with Ponta do Norte bearing east, there is a sunken rock on which the sea breaks violently in stormy weather.

The point is surrounded by inaccessible cliffs, and on its southern side there is a depth of seven fathoms close alongside them.

The soundings around the northern shores of Corvo are irregular near the land, and under 30 fathoms, generally rocky. In the meridian of Ponta de Joao de Moira there will be found 8 fathoms about 250 yards from the point; at a quarter of a mile 15 fathoms; at half a mile 30 fathoms; at three quarters of a mile 37 fathoms; at one mile 45 fathoms; and at one mile and a half 200 fathoms, the edge of the bank.

In the meridian of Ponta do Norte there are 4 fathoms close alongside the cliff; 300 yards off 6 to 7 fathoms; at a quarter of a mile 12 fathoms; at half a mile 30 fathoms, fine brown sand; at three-quarters of a mile 40 fathoms; at one mile 50 fathoms; from thence the bank descends rapidly, and no soundings will be obtained with 200 fathoms at the distance of a mile and a half. Around Ponta Turrais the bottom is always foul. In its meridian with the sunken rock, and point in line, there are 17 fathoms three-tenths of a mile off; at half a mile 23 fathoms; at three-quarters of a mile 32 fathoms, and to the edge of the bank it is one mile and a half.

In a W.N.W. direction soundings extend off one mile and three-quarters. In the parallel of the point, at the distance of a quarter of a mile there are 13 to 14 fathoms; at half a mile 18 to 20 fathoms; at three quarters 25 to 26 fathoms; at one mile 40 to 50 fathoms; and thence the descent is rapid to the edge of the bank, distant one mile and ninetenths.

In rounding the island it will be advisable not to near this point in less than 20 fathoms water.

At Ponta Turrais the coast turns to the southward, and the next extreme point seen is Ponta d'Oueste bearing S. 14° W., one mile and four-tenths. For about half this distance there is a beach of small shingle, and the high land comes down to it from the margin of the Caldeira, not in cliffs, but presenting an extremely steep declivity covered with shrubs and wild vegetation. As you approach Ponta d'Oueste this declivity near the sea assumes the appearance of loose earth cliffs, formed into one or two terraces as they have slipped down from time to time by the washing away of their base; and in front of these a narrow beach of large stones and shingle forms the actual coast line.

At this point the island has attained its western limit, and lofty cliffs

characterise the remainder of the coast all the way to the north side of Perqueiro-alto point.

The bank of soundings along the shore last described is comparatively shallow and rocky to the extent of nearly half a mile from the land, where there are 15 fathoms. Outside that, the quality of the bottom is generally fine sand, though rocky casts frequently occur. In the parallel of Ponta d'Oeste at a quarter of a mile from the shore will be found 9 to 12 fathoms; at half a mile 25 fathoms; at three-quarters 35 to 40 fathoms; at one mile 44 to 49 fathoms; at one mile and a quarter 55 fathoms; and thence it deepens rapidly to 200 fathoms at one mile and three-quarters off.

Nearly three-quarters of a mile south of Ponta d'Oeste is a small low detached rock named Ilheo de Mulher. It is about 50 yards from the beach at the foot of the cliffs abreast of it, and has a few rocks above water close to it to seaward with 6 fathoms water almost alongside of them.

From Ilheo de Mulher, the coast, (a narrow beach of stones with an occasional large rock on it,) runs S. 27° E., 1-05 of a mile to the Sugar Loaf Rock, a mass of lava standing at the base of a bold cliffy point, behind which there is a small rocky cove also surrounded by high cliffs, which appear to have once formed the southern extremity of the

island.

From this Sugar Loaf Rock the coast runs S. 30° W., 0.45 of a mile to a bold basaltic bluff of a small elevation, and presents in that space a rugged outline of steep cliffs formed into coves, the inner parts of which are filled with large loose stones, the cliffs decreasing rapidly in elevation as they approach the point.

A low coast of very broken outline then succeeds, running first southward two-tenths of a mile, and then eastward nearly one-third of a mile to the meridian of the old horizontal mill on the little eminence near the church. It is fronted by innumerable rocks which project from the shore in narrow ridges of broken lava to an average distance of about 200 yards In strong winds the sea rolls over these in enormous breakers; the danger is more limited, however, than it appears to be, since they do not extend under water, but are all visible at low tide and have 5 or 6 fathoms close up to them.

These reefs terminate about 130 yards west of the meridian of the mill, where the coast shews several bold black basaltic little bluffs, steep to. The best landing (which is only practicable in fine weather,) is in a small cove on the west side of the most western of these bluffs; and it is advisable to lie off and wait for the assistance of a native boatman to pilot you into it. At the head of the cove is a small dilapidated breastwork designed for a battery, distinguished by a flag-staff; and on the beach near it a few fishing-boats are occasionally hauled up.

Immediately in front of the basaltic bluffs there is a space from 250 to 300 yards in length free from outlying rocks, but beyond this the cliffs gradually rise, trend to the north as far as the little bay, and stony