The Azores : or Western Islands : a political, commercial and geographical account ... . is the singular carapu9a, unique in itsextravagant design, yet not altogether devoid of utility, forits immense frontal brim of half a foot in depth, terminatingin crescent shaped cusps, shades the face and even chestfrom the sun ; from the close-fitting body of the hat (devoidat the back of any brim) falls a cape-like covering of finecloth, effectually protecting the wearers neck and shouldersfrom wet, advantages which may possibly compensatefor its great weight. The origin of the carapu9a hasever been a
The Azores : or Western Islands : a political, commercial and geographical account ... . is the singular carapu9a, unique in itsextravagant design, yet not altogether devoid of utility, forits immense frontal brim of half a foot in depth, terminatingin crescent shaped cusps, shades the face and even chestfrom the sun ; from the close-fitting body of the hat (devoidat the back of any brim) falls a cape-like covering of finecloth, effectually protecting the wearers neck and shouldersfrom wet, advantages which may possibly compensatefor its great weight. The origin of the carapu9a hasever been a mystery, and for some time its singular nameconveyed but an abstract idea to my mind, until dimmemories of half forgotton lessons in zoology returned, and * The Hindus throw a farinaceous powder, dyed red, called gulal, on eachother during the Holi, the great festival held at the approach of the VernalEquinox. 284 referring to the friendly and well-thumbed glossary, thefollowing word occurred—carapace—a protective shield ofcrab, lobster, and many other Crustacea. It would really. ST. Michaels peasant and carapuca. seem as if some wag of the sixteenth century had coinedthe word carapu9a, to spite and poke fun at those who usedso hideous a covering. It is singular how, in the size and form of their carapu9as,the people of the various, and particularly remoter villages in 285 St. Michael preserve a species of ethnographical distinction,which extends to the entire gronp, the carapu9as, especiallyof St. Michael, Terceira, and Madeira, differing so entirelyas if they belonged to different planets, and a very interest-
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1886
