ANGRA, from ANGRA, a creek, is the capital of Tercera, the chief of the Azores islands. It is situated on a bay, on the south side of the island, between two mountains. The town is well built, surrounded with walls, and a dry ditch of great depth, and defended by a strong castle, celebrated for the imprisonment of king Alphonso in 1668. Angra is the seat of a bishop, and has some handsome churches, particularly that of the Cordeliers, and four monasteries with as many nunne ries. The bay on which the town stands is the most *convenient harbour in all the Azores, and is particularly commodious for refreshing the Brazil and East India -fleets of the Portuguese. Though ships can ride safely in the bay during summer, yet the furious storms which rage in the winter compel the ships to seek for safety in the open sea. The mariner is warned of these tern pests by the thick dark clouds which envelope the Peak, a lofty mountain, in another of the Azores islands of that name, and by the fluttering and chirping of birds, which on these occasions flock round the city. An offi
cer, called Deseinbargador, superintends the maritime aflairs of the Azores, and has under his control pilots and other officers, for conducting the ships into the har bour, and managing the royal magazines of anchors, sails, cables, and other naval stores. Though Angra is the only accessible place in the island, and is the entre pot of all the Azores, yet the inhabitants are very poor ; silver is extremely scarce, and they carry on no other commerce, but that of shipping corn, and a little wine for Lisbon. Population 10,000. W. Long. 27° 12' 15". N. Lat. 38° 38' 41". See Chatelet's Voyage en Portu gal, and Modern Univers. Hist. vol. xii. p. 55. (7,-)