St JAGO, the largest, most populous, and fertile of the Cape Verd islands, on the coast of Africa, and the residence of the Portuguese viceroy. It lies about 13 miles eastward from the island of Mayo, and abounds with high barren mountains; but the air, in the rainy season, is very unwholesome to strangers. Its produce is sugar, cotton, wine, and some excellent fruits. The animals are black cattle, horses, asses, deer, goats, hogs, civet-cats, and some very pretty green monkeys with black faces.
Sir George Staunton, in the account which he gives of this island observes, that it is liable to long and excessive droughts, for which it is perhaps impossible to assign any philosophical cause. It was in a state of absolute famine at the end of 1792, when visited by the embassy to China, and the waters of the rivers were almost dried up. The surface of the earth was devoid of herbage, the cattle had nearly all perished, as much from the want of food as from drought.
"What were the uncommon circumstances (says Sir George) that took place in the atmosphere of that part of Africa to which the Cape de Verd islands lie contiguous, or in the vast expanse of continent extending to the east behind it, and from which this direful effect must have proceeded (as they happened where no man of science existed to observe or to record them), will remain unknown, nor is theory bold enough to supply the place of observation. Whatever was the cause which thus arrested the bountiful hand of nature, by drawing away the sources of fertility, it was observable, that some few trees and plants preserved their luxuriance, indicating that they still could extract from the arid earth whatever portion of humidity it was necessary to derive from thence for the purpose of vegetable life, though it was denied to others."
Beside palm trees, frequently found verdant amidst burning sands, nothing could be more rich in flavour, or abound more with milky though corrosive juice, than the eslepias gigantea, growing plentifully without culture, but undisturbed. The physic nut tree appeared as if its perpetuity was not to be affected by any drought. Some species of mimosa, or sensitive plant, were most common, and did not appear to languish.
But the annual produce of agriculture had almost wholly disappeared, and the sugar canes had little resemblance to any thing like vegetation. Yet vegetation quickly revived whenever any moisture could be conveyed through the soil.
The residence of the viceroy is represented by Sir George as a hamlet, consisting of 100 small dwellings, only one story high, scattered nearly a mile in length, and one-third as much in breadth. Not being commanded by any eminence, it was a situation which admitted of defence, yet the fort was nearly in ruins, and the few guns mounted on it were mostly honey-combed. Amidst the ruins of St Jago, was found a Portuguese, to whom one of the party was recommended, by whom they were hospitably received, and treated with every species of tropical fruits from his garden.