Saturday, May 20th, 1882

Saturday. May 20th Fayal Hotel.
I have not kept still except at my meals since 9 o’c this morning. Right after breakfast we went to look at hats, bought some bowls, and straw goods and then Mr Phillips took us to Signor Cardosa’s. He is a very rich gentleman who has inherited all his money. His wife is the daughter of a Portuguese Gen. who was formerly governor of Fayal. Their place is surrounded by a high wall, over the top of which we saw huge magnolias in bloom. The house was very Southern with large rooms, bare floors and comfortably tho’ scantily furnished. [?] Cardosa is very handsome and aristocratic looking. We talked through Mr Phillips. The Cardosas paid great respect to Mr Lee because he is a Padre and said they liked the idea of a married priest. We find the people educated ones, to be more liberal than we expected. They asked if either of us played the piano so I thrumbed [sic] the Sp[?] Song. Then Mr Cardosa played the viola for half an hour, giving us some of the favorite Portuguese dances, and the Chamarita de Fayal. We inquired about an odd pear shaped fruit we saw in the garden, of the nespra color – so they invited us to the dining room and gave us sum, Brenfella is the name, preserved – very sweet and rich. Their preserves are all delicious. They begged us to stay all summer and offered their houses at Pico to us – Said they would be very much pleased to have us use them. It was very nice to be able to see the house of a gentleman as we have only been to a poor man’s house until now. We went to the Clock Tower, to the Public Gardens, to the Convent dell Gloria and an old Church in that end of the city, all built early in the 17th century. Finally we went to a Potters and he used his wheel for us, making some very pretty designs. I introduced myself to Mr. S. after dinner we went in Carriages to Flamingo and Castle Blanco. Mr & Mrs Lee, Miss Smith, Mr Kent, Mr Taylor, Mr Sanisberry & I. At Flamingo there is a fine fountain and we watched the washerwoman rubbing their clothes on the smooth warm rocks. Most of the houses were very old, of blk stone with thatched roofs and beautiful flowers growing in profusion in their gardens. The stones are simply heaped on each other for walls & houses – without any mortar. There were some pretty views of fine farming country, covered with grain and ravines full of ferns and ivy. The drive to Castle Blanco is through several villages along the sea, a superb road. It rained part of the way – in fact we have had as many as ten showers today. There is a large, high rock projecting in to the sea which is reached by a little lane. The rock is named by Mr Dabney and called Dabney’s Rock. The thought of putting a signal service station there. Whenever it even sprinkled our driver would insist on turning back but a compromise was finally made by getting under the carriage until the shower passed by. At some of the houses we heard the viola and tambourine and dancing, preparation to tomorrow’s feast. We heard the music of the ox carts too out in the country. They are obliged to grease the wheels within the city limits. At first it is like a viola in the distance, it increases to an orchestra of stringed instruments and finally becomes a full brass band. I like to hear it and they say the peasants love it. They thin it makes their oxen go faster besides. They were telling us a great deal about the superstitions of the poeple – very absurd are their potations for disc[?] witches. Mr Sanisberry is rather dry and amusing. He told us a great deal of the Canaries, Madeira, Cape Verd, etc. The island life is very much alike. His photos of the Canaries & Madeira show the same general arrangement of country & similar style in architecture. We were talking of being buried at sea. He said he preferred being put in the ground it would be “rather snugger you know.” Grace tried to have an investigation of her bed yesterday. The “[?] girl” would not acknowledge there was any reason for it but beating the walls with the towels, cried “Muskeets! Muskeets! A great many muskeets” After supper we played Whist and Mr Sanisberry showed us some views of the islands and some lace & silk stockings he has bought here. Mr Dabney’s maiden sister called on Mama this P.M.