in Sao Thiago. Turtles come from the
African coast to lay their eggs on the sandy shores. The Ilheu Branco,
or White Islet, between Sao Nicolao and Santa Luzia, is remarkable as
containing a variety of puffin unknown elsewhere, and a species of large
lizard (_Macroscinctus coctei_) which feeds on plants.

_Inhabitants_.--The first settlers on the islands imported negro slaves
from the African coast. Slavery continued in full force until 1854, when
the Portuguese government freed the public slaves, and ameliorated the
conditions of private ownership. In 1857 arrangements were made for the
gradual abolition of slavery, and by 1876 the last slave had been
liberated. The transportation of convicts from Portugal, a much-dreaded
punishment, was continued until the closing years of the 19th century.
It was the coexistence of these two forms of servitude, even more than
the climate, which prevented any large influx of Portuguese colonists.
Hence the blacks and mulattoes far outnumber the white inhabitants. They
are, as a rule, taller than the Portuguese, and are of fine physique,
with regular features but woolly hair. Slavery and the enervating
climate have left their mark on the habits of the people, whose
indolence and fatalism are perhaps their most obvious qualities. Their
language is a bastard Portuguese, known as the _lingua creoula_. Their
religion is Roman Catholicism, combined with a number of pagan beliefs
and rites, which are fostered by the _curandeiros_ or medicine men.
These superstitions tend to disappear gradually before the advance of
education, which has progressed considerably since 1867, when the first
school, a lyceum, was opened in Ribeira Brava, the capital of Sao
Nicolao. On all the inhabited islands, except Santa Luzia, there are
churches and primary schools, conducted by the government or the
priests. The children of the wealthier classes are sent to Lisbon for
their education.

_Government_.--The archipelago forms one of the foreign provinces of
Portugal, and is under the command of a governor-in-chief appointed by
the crown. There are two principal judges, one for the windward and
another for the leeward group, the former with his residence at Sao
Nicolao, and the latter at Praia; and each island has a military
commandant, a few soldiers, and a number of salaried officials, such as
police, magistrates and custom-house directors. There is also an
ecclesiastical establishment, with a bishop, dean and