canons.

_Industries_.--The principal industries, apart from agriculture, are the
manufacture of sugar, spirits, salt, cottons and straw hats and
fish-curing. The average yearly value of the exports is about L60,000;
that of the imports (including L200,000 for coal), about L350,000. The
most important of the exports are coffee, physic-nuts, millet, sugar,
spirits, salt, live animals, skins and fish. This trade is principally
carried on with Lisbon and the Portuguese possessions on the west coast
of Africa, and with passing vessels. The imports consist principally of
coal, textiles, food-stuffs, wine, metals, tobacco, machinery, pottery
and vegetables. Over 3000 vessels, with a total tonnage exceeding
3,500,000, annually enter the ports of the archipelago; the majority
call at Mindello, on Sao Vicente, for coal, and do not receive or
discharge any large quantities of cargo.

_Santo Antao_ (pop. 25,000), at the extreme north-west of the
archipelago, has an area of 265 sq. m. Its surface is very rugged and
mountainous, abounding in volcanic craters, of which the chief is the
Topoda Coroa (7300 ft.), also known as the Sugar-loaf. Mineral springs
exist in many places. The island is the most picturesque, the
healthiest, and, on its north-western slope, the best watered and most
fertile of the archipelago. The south-eastern slope, shut out by lofty
mountains from the fertilizing moisture of the trade-winds, has an
entirely different appearance, black rocks, white pumice and red clay
being its most characteristic features. Santo Antao produces large
quantities of excellent coffee, besides sugar and fruit. It has
several small ports, of which the chief are the sheltered and spacious
Tarrafal Bay, on the south-west coast, and the more frequented Ponta
do Sol, on the north-east, 8 m. from the capital, Ribeira Grande, a
town of 4500 inhabitants. Cinchona is cultivated in the neighbourhood.
In 1780 the slaves on Santo Antao were declared free, but this decree
was not carried out. About the same time many white settlers, chiefly
from the Canaries, entered the island, and introduced the cultivation
of wheat.

_Sao Vicente_, or _St Vincent_ (8000), lies near Santo Antao, on the
south-east, and has an area of 75 sq. m. Its highest point is Monte
Verde (2400 ft.). The whole island is as arid and sterile as the
south-eastern half of Santo Antao, and for the same reason. It was
practicall