RC ; addressed: "To Mr. Thomas Paine Mercht. Boston These"; endorsed.

RTP had a pleasant stay in Fayal, visiting the nunneries and churches and being entertained at the consul's house. In his diary entry of Sept. 24, he gives the following description of the town: "Fayal is a considerable Town built all of Stone Seated at the Bottom of A Bay that is 16 Points open, being all open to Sea on the SW and not exceeding good on the NE. Pico lays south of it distant 6 Miles which in some measure breaks the Sea from that Quarter, but at best tis a very wild Road, in the Town there are z Convents of Nunns one according to the Order of St. Eclaire and call'd St. John's and the other of Conceptions and call'd Gloria, here is also a Jesuits Colledge a fine building (considering the Place) the church belonging to which is very finely Adorn'd, and also a Convent of Fryars of the Order of St. Francis, and one of White Fryars or Carmelites, here are two Parish Churches besides those that belong to the Convents, the buildings are all of Stone but exceedingly mean both as to furniture and building. The Town is Encompass'd with a high Wall on the Sea Side, here is one large Fort and severall small ones, there is a Market but no Regulation or convenience of bying Provisions, here is to be seen the Remains of an Artificial River which the Danes cut into the Island to secure their Vesells, but is now filld up, on the Top of Fayal, there is a hollow in the Shape of a Cone being 8 miles circumference and half a mile deep at the Bottom of which there is a pond of Water, this is often visited by the Curious, in the months of June and July. Five Pistareens here are equall to I millree which is 25 per cent more than their value being so ordered by them for the Sake of bringing Change into the place, they are Ruled by a Governor and Adjutant and Patroon of the Harbour."