Title
A Voyage to the East Indies: Page 19
Description
other emblematical Ornaments are bestowed on all three of them. The other Part of the Church is open for the performance of Acts of Devotion, Confession, etc. They have no Churchyard except the consecrated pavement beforementioned. They bury chiefly in Churches, adjoining to each of which is a Bonehouse Whither the Bodies are carried after lying a few days, to make room for others, who would otherwise too much crowd the Church. The most commodious Building here is the Jesuits’ College, consecrated since the Abolition of that Order amongst the Portuguese into dwelling Houses etc. There are few Portuguese People of Property on the Island, English Merchants who have been settled here many Years, seem to have every thing in their Power except Religion . . Fish used to be carried thither before the commencement of the American War but that Trade being obstructed, the poor portuguese who scarcely eat anything else are inconceivably distrest. No Country or People said to be civilized, bear or deserve a worse Character than the Portuguese natives of Madeira; Whether owing to Tuition or Instinct I cannot tell but true it is that no Country extends them in Thievery or other Knavish [end page 19]
