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✅The Donkey: The Ultimate Means of Transport?

For many centuries, traveling within the various islands was a challenging task, as communication routes were virtually nonexistent—a situation partly dictated by the ruggedness of the terrain itself. This issue persisted even in the most populous and economically significant islands, such as São Miguel. Captain Boid’s words on the matter are quite conclusive: “The roads connecting different parts of the island, except for those near the capital, are nothing more than rough goat paths, inaccessible to any vehicle, which immediately prevents the possibility of inland trade, posing a formidable barrier to commercial progress and civilization.”

As a result, the donkey was the ultimate means of transport. Donkeys were abundant everywhere, and people of all social classes, both rich and poor, traveled by donkey. Donkey handlers were, without a doubt, the “taxi drivers” of the time, gathering in places where they knew their services would be most in demand—near inns and hotels or in the main squares of urban centers.

Donkey journeys were exhausting and dangerous, as the paths were narrow and uneven, often leading along sheer cliffs. As if that were not enough, a certain foreigner once remarked that the donkey is “perversely drawn to the edges of dizzying abysses. No argument can persuade them to move to the safer side of the path. Until we get used to this quirk, we ride with our hair standing on end, constantly fearing we might be thrown into the void.” Nevertheless, donkeys were actually quite a safe means of transport. As Webster had already observed, they rarely stumbled, even on the most treacherous and rugged trails.

Beyond their importance in transporting people, donkeys also played a fundamental economic role, as they were used to carry many goods from farms and agricultural fields to export locations. It is estimated that in the 19th century, there were around 6,000 donkeys on the island of São Miguel alone, used to transport oranges from various parts of the island to Ponta Delgada, the main export port.

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