n
of the male population of St. Jago, are enrolled in the militia, and
armed with boarding pikes; 300 of whom are compelled, in rotation, to
attend every Sunday, at their own expense, for the purpose of
exercising at Villa de Praya. The regular troops do not amount to more
than 400 for the whole of the islands.

This place owes its support entirely to the ships that call here for
provisions; and the quantity of stock, fruit, vegetables, and water,
that is purchased annually at the island is immense. A considerable sum
of money is also spent by passengers, who go on shore for their
amusement.

The landing at St. Jago is, at all times, indifferent, and in the rainy
season frequently very bad, both on the rocks, and on the beach, for
there are two distinct places of debarkation. Yet, with a little
attention, and a small amount of labour, a more secure landing-place
could very easily be made, by cutting a few steps in two or three
favourable situations, that would readily admit of the improvement;
whereas now you are obliged to watch the swell, and step out on pointed
rocks, or an irregular surface, at the risk of falling back into the
boat or the water; or bruising yourself severely on the rocks. Captain
Owen and myself once fell, when he was kindly assisting me out of the
boat. The best time for landing on the rocks is at half-tide. I was
informed that materials have been collected for constructing a pier, a
project, for which nature has provided an excellent site; but, from the
poverty of the government, or some other cause, it has been postponed.
This is the more extraordinary, as the Portuguese government has
hitherto been in the habit of transporting to St. Jago convicted
felons, by whom public works could have been cheaply accomplished.
Angola, however, has latterly been adopted as the principal convict
settlement of the Portuguese.

Hides, goat skins, and salt, are exported from these islands, but the
chief and most valuable produce is the orchilla weed. It is a
government monopoly, and is at present farmed out to a man named
Martiney.

As the orchilla weed is a production, the practical application of
which in various ways is diffused over a large surface of utility, and
as its peculiar properties are not very generally known, a minute
description of its nature and uses, which I have procured at some cost
of time and research, may not prove uninteresting.

The orchilla is a delicate fibrous plant, springing