9 » hjh W Only Two Hundred and Fifty Copies of this Edition have been printed THIS COPY IS NUMBER rart~ y <41 Ji I f 14,000 MILES IN THE 'SUNBEAM’ IN 1883 AND THE CARE-WORN TOILER IN DUSTY WAYS THE THINGS THAT I SEE SHALL SEE, AND SHALL GIVE TO THE GIVER HIS SONG OF PRAISE AS HE SHARES MY JOY WITH ME.' Bishop of Bedford. _ ( ALBATR OSS. | METEOR EOTHEJsl ^r-y-s / CYMBA R-T-Y-C /Try-s^ (friErtLiN ' R.Y.S MURIEL d M-YC ' ^ILLAH in the Trades theYropics, (f R.Y.S N IMABELLE Sady BRASSEY R-Y-S x NORMAN With 292 Illustrations engraved on wood by G. Pearson and J. Cooper after drawings by R. T. Pritchett LONDON : LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO. 1885 All rights reserved LONDON : PRINTED BT 8POTTISWOODB AND CO., NEW-6TREET SQUARE AND PARLIAMENT STREET Bfiitation HIS WORK is dedicated. as a tribute of admi¬ ration and gratitude, to the noble band of Navigators and Explorers, of all ages and of every nation, who have devoted their DRAKE- lives to Scientific Research, for the VROB! 3 good of their fellow-men and the glory of their country. T is with great diffidence that, stimulated it may be by the kind reception which has been accorded to my previous efforts, I venture again to put before the public a book of travel. The short-comings of the work are indeed only too plainly apparent to me; but should it be found to possess any attractions, the fact will be due in great measure to the talent displayed, both by artist and engravers, in the illustrations, the sketches for which were, as a rule, prepared under circumstances of haste and difficulty. I owe an equal debt of gratitude to the friends who ac¬ companied me on the voyage, and to those who have since helped me with and encouraged me to persevere in my task. From ill-health I have been often tempted to abandon it in despair, and its completion has been considerably delayed from the same cause. I can only venture to hope that my readers may be \ Vlll PREFACE. disposed to receive the result of my labours in as kindly a spirit as possible, and to treat even the most glaring faults with leniency. Normanhurst Court : October , 1884 . CHAPTER PAGE I. England to Madeira .i II. Madeira.23 III. Madeira.35 IV. Madeira.57 V. Madeira to Trinidad.80 VI. Trinidad.93 VII. Trinidad.104 VIII. Trinidad.124 IX. Trinidad.150 X. Venezuela.163 XI. Jamaica.203 XII. Across Jamaica.244 XIII. Jamaica to the Bahamas.285 XIV. The Bahamas.307 XV. Bahamas.328 XVI. Bahamas to Bermudas.359 XVII. Bermuda. 389 XVIII. Bermuda.419 XIX. Bermuda to the Azores.458 XX. The Azores.470 Postscript.510 Appendix.513 Index.521 4 * ♦ Title-page. PAGE Mountain Huts PAGE 38 Dedication. Child's Funeral . 40 The Bog Walk, Jamaica viii Hammock . 42 Farewell to the Old Country i A Happy Trio . . 44 Dartmouth en fete . • 3 Prepared for the Worst 45 One of the ‘ Castle ’ Line • 4 Landing at Calheta . 47 All Afloat • 5 Watermill . . 48 Scalded .... . 6 BABA9AL .... . 49 Ladder washed away . 8 Where is Sir Roger ? . . 50 11.45 A - M . . 10 Vinte-Cinco Fontes . 5 i 11.46 A.M.. . 10 The Fairies’ Cave 53 Drenched .... . 11 Old Fort .... . 54 Cascaes Bay . 12 In the English Cemetery . 56 Muletas .... • 13 The Start .... 57 Fruit Market, Lisbon . 14 Preparations for the Expedi- The Old Almoner • 15 tion .... . 58 Lisbon, Market Scene . 16 Capitao .... . 59 Hay-boats off Palmella • i 7 Pico Euivo . . 60 Taking Sights under Difficul- En route 60 ties .... • 1 7 An Al Fresco Laundry . 61 Out to Dry .... . 19 A ‘ Mitherless Bairn ’ 62 Norham Castle in the Olden El Balcao .... 62 Time .... . 20 A Startling Incident . . 63 A Heavy Sea • 23 The Local Banana . . 64 Madeira .... . 24 Santa Anna . . 66 Good-bye .... • 25 Spinning .... . 66 Bullock Cart . . 27 The Arbour, Santa Anna . 6 7 The Loo Bock . 29 Fayal .... . 68 Peasant near Funchal • 3 i Ribeiro Frio . . 69 The ‘ Endeavour ’ • 34 Peasants returning from THE Soccorridos • 35 Festival 70 Pic-nic at Cabo Girao . • 37 Penha d’Aguia . . 7 i xii ILLUSTRATIONS . PAGE PAGE Pyrotechnic Display 72 Claxton Pier . . . . 135 Machico . . 72 Sea Ferns, Swamp, San Juan . 136 Canical .... 74 4 Johnny Crows’ . . . . 137 Specimen of Fossil . . 74 Cacao Raking .... 142 Fossil Land . 75 Passion-Flower Fruit . . . 142 On the Shore at Cankjal . . 77 In the Verandah , 146 Mrs. Page’s Sedan Chair 79 Coolies’ Serenade . . . 148 The Hour of Midnight 80 Jibbing Horses Crossing Scrubring Decks. A Cold Streams ..... 149 Bath .... 81 San Josef. 150 Sweet Potatoes . . . 82 Flying Ants .... 152 S.S. ‘ Armathwaite ’ 84 M. Nicolas. 152 4 Up above the World so high.’ 85 Hut in the Woods . 152 Rainbow and Cumulus 86 Maraccas Falls . . . . 154 St. John Ambulance Lecture . 88 Mid-day Halt , 155 Cloud Effects 89 Old Machete ; and Swizzle Cloud and Shower . 92 Sticks. 157 Trinidad . 93 Near the Maraccas Falls 157 Cormorant on Raft . 93 Group of Vegetation . . . 159 Tobago .... . . 93 The 4 Olga’ 162 First View of South America Testigos and Margarita . . 163 AND THE BoCAS , . 95 Coolie Necklet and Ornaments 165 Signal Station 97 Group on the Quarter-Deck . 167 Wreck in the Boca de LOS Macuto . 169 Huevos . 97 Hotel Nettuno . . . . 170 Port of Spain 100 Menu . 171 Government House . 102 Landing-Place, La Guayra . . 172 Market Day at Trinidad . 104 On the Road to Caracas . 174 Local Dog Tax . 104 New Gun in an Old Fort 174 Timit Cap i 107 Cacti and Aloes 176 Group of Vegetation 111 Tropical Forest . . . . 178 Menu .... . . 114 Frightening Locusts 180 Blue Basin Falls . 117 An Awkward Mistake . . . 183 Prince Henry of Prussia . . 121 Entrance to Caracas 185 The Old Anchor 123 General View of Caracas . . 186 Pitch Lake (six views). . . 124 Locust . 192 Crossing the Planks 127 Cathedral and Plaza . . . 192 Santa Maddalena . 130 The La Guayra and Caracas Moriche Palm . , , 3 I Railway . 196 Parasol Ants 132 Mongoose . 199 Heavy Load 134 Pedrera Point .... 202 ILLUSTRATIONS . xiii PAGE PAGE Sunset okf Buen Ayre . 203 On the Shore . . . . 2 77 Sounding in the Dinghy . . 203 H.M.S. ‘ Dido » . 279 Grand Sunrise .... 206 Port Antonio and Harbour 281 Our Pilot and his Boat . . 207 View at Port Antonio 283 Newcastle and the Blue ‘ Sunbeam ’ by Moonlight 284 Mountains .... 208 Los Altares . . . . 285 A Black Squall . . . . 208 Another Moonlight Effect . 289 Port Royal .... 210 Maysi Point and Lighthouse . 290 Old Rock Fort . . . . 212 Yunque de Baracoa . . . 292 Taking down the Light . 212 Racing the Brigantine . 293 View from the Old Rock Fort 213 Gulf-Stream Bottles . . . 296 Dockyard Look-out . 215 Great Isaac Light and Hen Island Boat. 217 and Chickens 298 Schooner with Mast-funnel . 217 Stirrup Cay Light . . . 301 Parish Church, Kingston 219 Bahama Turbot 303 Some of the Congregation 219 Farewell to Stirrup Cay 306 Elm Tree Cottage . ... 221 Nassau ..... 307 Private Soldier, West India The ‘ Triton ’ . . . 307 Regiment .... 225 Montague Fort 310 View up the Valley from Gor¬ Diving Operations . . . 312 don Town . *. . . . 227 Sponge-Glasses . , 3 i 5 Lizard. 227 Killarney Lake . . . . 320 The Ford. Sable Laundresses 222 A Wrecked Forest . 320 Huts at Newcastle . . . 230 Government House, Nassau 322 View from Newcastle . . . 231 Kite-flying. 324 Fern Walk . 235 Diving for Gorgonias , 328 A Narrow Path . . . . 237 Ship Railway .. . . . 333 Mess-House . . . . 239 Messrs. Sawyer’s Sponge Yard 337 Miss Burton’s Hotel . . . 241 Sponge Schooners . . . 339 West Indian Menu . 242 Silk Cotton Tree . 345 Landing Place, Port Henderson 244 Idols . 347 A Break-Down. Johnny-Crows 247 Conch-Shells and Sea-Fan 348 The Cathedral, Spanish Town 250 The ‘ Message of Peace ’ . . 355 Lin stead Market 252 In the Pine-Apple Fields 358 Orange Harvest . . . . 255 Sunrise at Sea . . . . 359 Pitcher Plant, Orchid, and Eleuthera Boats 359 Orchis. 257 Sargasso Weed . . . . 364 The Gulley Road . . . 267 Remarkable Sunset . 366 Ocho Rios . . . . 270 Opossum. 368 Belmont . 273 Revolving Storm (diagram) 37 i In the Park .... 2 75 Topmasts Housed . . . . 373 xiv ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE ‘ The Beauty ’ . . . . 375 Dining under Difficulties . .377 A Squall. 382 Brading in Jeopardy . . . 383 A Catastrophe .... 385 Barque at Sunrise . . . 388 St. David’s Light and Cave, Bermuda .... 389 Fort St. George . . . . 391 Health Boat .... 394 H.M.S. * Northampton ’ Aground 395 Scenes in Hamilton Harbour . 397 Water Party . . . . 401 ‘Bermuda’ Floating Dock . 403 Angel-Fish.406 Cow-Fish.407 Sea-Pens.409 Hog-Fish.411 Somerset Island Ferry-Boat . 414 A Moonlight Passage . .417 Neptune’s Grotto . . .419 Walsingham Caves . . . 422 Moore’s Calabash Tree . . 424 St. George’s and Wrecks . 426 St. David’s Lighthouse . . 428 Churchyard, St. George’s . 430 Mr. Bertram . . . . 431 Fairyland.433 Gibbs Hill Lighthouse . . 436 Bermuda Yacht-racing . . 440 Portuguese Man-of-War . . 442 Back of the Cottage . . 445 Torpedo Practice . . . 448 Bermuda from the Commis¬ sioner’s House . . . 450 „ „ . . . . 451 Honey Bear .... 452 Farewell to Bermuda . . . 454 Pilot hanging on . . The Last of Bermuda . . Almost a Waterspout Flying through it by Moon¬ light . End of the Log Line Crossing Top-gallant Yard . Lowering Head-sail . Moonlight and Rainbow . . Pico. Fayal; Compreda Point . . Ponta Delgada, Landing Place Market Day, Ponta Delgada . Ferrara Point . . . . Ribeira Grande . . . . »• >>•••• An Old-fashioned Bedstead . Bocca d’Inferno Caldeira di Tambour . . . Provo^ao. The Dance ..... Villa Franca .... In the Village Square . . Past Christmas Eves !» f> • • • • > f» • • • Christmas Post Bag . . . Racing along .... Royal Sunbeam Theatre . . Firm Friends .... Sir William Thomson’s Sound¬ ing Apparatus . . . . Rame Head .... Mount Edgcumbe, looking over Drake’s Island . . . . At Rest. The ‘ Sunbeam ’ in Dry Dock .... Monkey in Engine Room . page 456 457 458 462 466 466 466 468 470 470 473 478 478 480 481 482 484 485 487 491 492 493 496 498 499 5oi 5oi 503 505 506 507 509 5 ii 519 Chart showing Temperature of Air and Water To face page 520 Track Chart. Madeira. Trinidad. Venezuela . La Guayra and Caracas Railway . Jamaica. Bahama Islands . Bermuda Islands .... Azores . Commencement of book , To face page 36 94 164 • • 5 ) „ 204 • • „ 308 390 • • „ 472 FA It EWELL TO THE OLD COUNTRY CHAPTER I. ENGLAND TO MADEIRA. Men were made to roam. My meaning is—it hath been always thus : They are athirst for mountains and sea foam. Heirs of this world, what wonder if perchance They long to see their grand inheritance ! W E arrived at Dartmouth late on the evening of Septem¬ ber 27th, 1883, and proceeded straight on board the ‘ Norham Castle,’ in the ‘ Britannia’s ’ steam-launch, kindly lent us by Captain Bowden-Smith. Although the bulk of our luggage had been shipped in London, our somewhat numerous packages and parcels comprised a good many little odds and ends that had been forgotten until the last moment, as is almost always the case when starting on a long voyage, /o B ON BOARD THE ‘ NORHAM CASTLE for a somewhat indefinite period, to regions not hitherto ex¬ plored, and for which expedition every authority recommends something novel in the way of impedimenta as absolutely indispensable to comfort, if not to existence. We found everything satisfactorily arranged on board, and that the rest of our party, who had embarked at the Docks, had enjoyed a fairly good passage round from the Thames, and were all settling down very happily. The child¬ ren were soon in bed and asleep; and we speedily followed their example, so as to be able to make the most of the morning of the day on which we were to leave England for so long a time. The cabin on deck, which Captain Winchester had so courteously placed at my disposal, was not only spacious, but w r as comfortably and even luxuriously fitted up. From the skylight hung a basket of flowers, on either side of which sweet potatoes, growing in glasses, sent their tender shoots and bright green tendrils right across the ceiling. The furniture comprised a wardrobe, sofa, easy-chair, writing-table, and bookshelves; so that with some more flowers from dear Nor- manhurst, and a plentiful supply of newspapers, periodicals, and books, I felt at once quite at home. The view from the windows (not ports) early the next morning was charming. In the east the sun rose behind the wooded hills that, dotted with old houses and modern villas, slope gently from the placid waters of the land-locked harbour; westward the eye dwelt on the sharply contrasted effects of light and shade on the picturesque and old-fashioned town of Dartmouth. There is no place in England quite equal to Dartmouth for beauty and originality; and at the period of the regatta, in August, it is indeed the gayest of spectacles to watch the innumerable yachts, boats, and craft of all kinds, and the whole town brightly decorated with flags by day, and with THE ‘ BRITANNIA .» myriads of little coloured lamps hung in festoons by night, while bands play, and the people seem to enjoy themselves more than an English crowd generally condescends to do. At half-past nine the steam-launch came to take us on board the ‘Britannia, 5 which vessel we found in the same perfect order as usual: the cadets all looking well and happy. Surely, if boys destined for the navy are capable of acquiring the necessary knowledge anywhere, they should do so here, where advantages of every kind are so abundant. The old models of ships used on board for purposes of instruction were very good ; but the new ones that have been lately added are even more useful and complete. We were greatly interested in listening to a lecture that was being given by one of the in¬ structors on the model of an ironclad, divided into four sections; so that the whole of her interior economy and construction could be thoroughly understood. Commander Bainbridge told me that the lads worked well at the models, flag and sail drill, signalling, and compass instruction; but that naviga¬ tion and Euclid were quite a different matter, and that it was, as a rule, hard to get the cadets to take an interest in those subjects. The beauty of the morning had now entirely faded away ; and one could almost imagine that some of the dear ones left behind were shedding gentle tears at our departure. To put it more prosaically, a regular west-country mist had come on, depressing in itself and making everything look damp, dreary, DARTMOUTH EX FftTE 4 PARTINGS . and forlorn. After a brief walk on shore we returned to the * Norham Castle,’ just in time to transact a little final busi- ness, and to see the last sad partings between those ‘ outward bound ’ and those ‘ left behind.’ As¬ suredly those who go down to the sea in ships, and have their business in the great waters, especially those who travel fre¬ quently in large steamers, calling at many ports, and carrying passengers of all nationalities, behold strange and impressive sights, and have better opportunities of observing human nature in its various phases than fall to the lot of most people. Such were my reflections as I heard the last starting-bell ring and looked out upon the flotilla of small boats by which we were surrounded, each containing one or more occupants interested in someone on board. At length the hawser was slipped from the big buoy; the engines began to move almost imperceptibly ahead; and our last link with old England was severed. Heaven grant us all a safe voyage and a happy return! We had scarcely got outside Dartmouth, when the ‘ Nor¬ ham Castle’ began to pitch and roll most unpleasantly. As A MINIATURE DELUGE. 5 the afternoon went on, matters became worse. A strong head¬ wind was encountered, with a somewhat dense fog and a good deal of rain, which increased towards six o’clock. Two hours later, when we sighted Ushant, the vessel was rolling heavily and shipping much water forward; in consequence of which I decided to sleep below instead of in the Captain’s cabin: the steward promising to pack up all my things and assur¬ ing me that they would be quite safe. I was too sea-sick to discuss the matter further; and, having seen the children safely secured in their berths, I lay down on the sofa in their cabin, where, holding on tightly to the side, I slumbered in the semi-conscious condition one falls into at sea in rough weather until I was suddenly awakened by pierc¬ ing cries for help. On rising I found that the water was washing all about the cabin, and that my big boxes, little boxes, bags, baskets, &c., were floating backwards and forwards across the floor. ‘Sir Roger,’ my black poodle, had jumped on the sofa, which was fairly dry ; and, keeping his balance with the 6 A MISSIONARY'S WIFE IN TROUBLE. greatest difficulty, surveyed the scene with an air of calm disapprobation, occasionally uttering a low growl of decided annoyance and remonstrance, while I quickly put on an ulster and sea-hoots. Outside the cabin the water was pouring like a cataract down the companion; while the deck above leaked like a sieve, producing the effect of a continuous shoNver bath. Some accident seemed also to have happened to a steam-pipe, judging from the clouds of steam which were escaping, and from the cries of two men who complained that they had been scalded by the boiling water. Struggling along the passage between the first and second class sa¬ loons, I found the water sufficiently deep to fill my high sea-boots and to compel poor ‘ Sir Roger,’ after a few piteous cries and fruitless attempts to walk on his hind legs, to swim after me. I soon met the poor creature whose shrieks had first roused me :—a mis¬ sionary’s wife on her way to South Africa, who was attired in the scantiest of garments, and trying feebly to come aft and get on deck. She implored me most earnestly to tell her if I thought we were going to the bottom ‘ at once,’ in reply to which appeal I assured her that I did not think there was any immediate danger and that the ship only leaked from above because, by an unfortunate omission, her decks and coamings had not been recaulked after her last voyage to a hot climate in fine weather. It was now evident that a very heavy gale was blowing; for the ship was not SCALDED DROWNING AS A MATTER OF TASTE. 7 only rolling at an angle which made it almost impossible to stand, but was labouring in a way I did not at all like and shipping large masses of water, a vast quantity of which streamed below. When the poor lady asked me if there was any danger, I suppose that I must have hesitated a little in my answer, for she added immediately, ‘ Think how dreadful it would be to be drowned and go to feed the fishes! ’ For the moment I could think of no more re¬ assuring remark than that we must all die some day and somehow, and that I thought drowning was preferable to many other modes of death. My statement so astonished the poor Missionary’s wife that I took the opportunity of her hesitation in replying to suggest that she should return to her cabin: a work of no little difficulty, for in her fright she had entirely forgotten the number and situation of her state¬ room. Ultimately, with the assistance of another passenger we found it, not however without putting our heads into many other cabins, all in a sloppy condition, and containing more or less miserable and terrified occupants. Meanwhile, the gale continued to increase; and the water continued to pour through the shrunk decks and other wood-work, in spite of the sky-lights being battened down, and all that could be done to stop the leakage. After my midnight excursion I returned to my cabin; propped myself in a corner; and proceeded to pass the night as best I could, in what might be regarded as a very nearly air-tight but anything but water-tight iron box, rolling about at an angle of at least 45 degrees. Our berth was close to the pantry, the noises proceeding from which department were really appalling. First came vast crashes of crockery, the fragments of which appeared to get gradually broken up into smaller pieces as the ship rolled backwards and forwards, producing a sound like the breaking of waves on a rocky shore. By degrees the fragments seemed to become smaller 8 THE MORNING AFTER THE GALE. and smaller, till towards morning the noise produced was that of the sea breaking on very small pebbles, varied by an occa¬ sional fresh crash, as something else was carried away. About 5 a.m. a heavier sea than usual struck the ship, which seemed to quiver for a minute on her beam-ends before she righted; and there was a considerable cracking and splintering of wood-work to be heard, even above the roaring of the gale. I was afterwards informed that this sea washed away the starboard accommodation- ladder, and the meat-safe, and very nearly lifted overboard the big horse¬ box, notwithstanding the strong lashings by which it was secured. LADDER WASHED AWAY More than half of it was torn away; and the poor Clydesdale that was inside had to weather the remainder of the gale with only one side to his house. The short-horn bull, which was on his way to Natal, and the good cow that supplied us with milk, fared rather better, being on the lee side of the deck. As day broke, matters began to mend and the gale to moderate. One of our stewards came and helped me to get THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN WRECKED. 9 the children up; for our maids, though quite well, were per¬ fectly helpless. Overwhelmed, I suppose, by the novelty of the situation, they evidently meant to do nothing but lie in bed all day. With the usual tenacity of maids in such matters, instead of being satisfied with the cabin-boxes and bags pro¬ vided for them for the voyage, they had insisted on having their own two big trunks in their cabin, where, washing back¬ wards and forwards in water seven or eight inches deep, the extra luggage became unpleasant articles of encumbrance. The chief steward took pity on the children and me and moved us to his own cabin, which was dry though small; and there we lay in a little heap, sea-sick and wretched, all day. Frederick (our own servant) and the stewards brought me at intervals the debris of my property from the Captain’s cabin. It was truly lamentable to behold this wreckage of my belong¬ ings : everything being utterly and hopelessly ruined—books, bags, boots and shoes, alike soaked and useless. Two of the panels of the cabin had been smashed in by a heavy sea ; and the water had completely filled all the lockers. A great deal more must also have come in from above and from all sides, for the sofa-berth, a pretty high one, on which most of my things had been piled for safety, was inundated. From my travelling bag, containing all my little needments, more than a gallon of water was poured; while my favourite de¬ spatch bag, in which, among other things, were numerous letters of introduction, was reduced to a pulp. The contents of a bank-note case were so saturated and mixed together, that it was with difficulty the numbers of the notes could be read. Soon after we had been moved, the steward brought us a little warm water in a tin pan, apologetically explaining that every jug in the ship was broken, which news did not surprise me, after the appalling noises which we heard last night. He also asked us what we should like to have to eat; at the same time suggesting that cooking was difficult, and c • ■ ----- . _ ___! IO A HOME ON THE ‘ ROLLING DEEP: mentioning that we could not have anything cold, as the meat-safe and its contents had been washed overboard. I don’t think that it mattered much, for nobody appeared to have a keen appetite. The ship continued to roll and labour heavily, and the seas to wash over her fore and aft, making everything above and below wet and miserable. One sea, more mountainous than its predecessors, broke, as we were afterwards informed, thirty feet over the heads of those on the bridge. This state of things continued without interruption throughout the night, until early on Sunday morning, when things began to look a little brighter. About noon a few passengers might be seen to creep out of their berths and to compare notes on the experiences and miseries of the last forty-eight hours. It was not an enlivening scene; even now. The water was still washing about everywhere. It was impossible to have a bath, because the ten bath-rooms were full of wet cloths and \\ U -5 clothes; the carpets from the cabins were hung up to dry all over the place, together with garments of every description; AN ENCAMPMENT IN THE SALOON while the passages were cumbered with soaked portman¬ teaus, hat-boxes, and luggage of various kinds, which it was not practicable to send on deck to be dried, as the sea was still coming over freely fore and aft. The saloon was dark and airless, owing to the canvas covers on the skylights. There too the water was swashing backwards and forwards, three or four inches deep. The few people who were in the saloon wore mackintoshes and sea-boots. One old gentleman had even provided himself with a ‘ sou’-wester ’ and an umbrella, and was sitting at the centre table holding on to a large glass of whisky and hot water, a necessary precaution against its being upset. In another, the driest, corner, was quite a picturesque little gipsy-like encampment, consisting of a Caffre and a Hottentot nurse with their mistresses’ respec¬ tive babies and children, all squatted on the floor on some bright coloured blankets and shawls, under umbrellas, with rugs and mackintoshes over them to protect them from the drippings from above. Of course it was useless to think of having the usual church service; but the weather continued to improve, and towards the after¬ noon many of the pas¬ sengers came up to en¬ joy the bright sunshine on the few dry spots on deck. Among others, our two maids appeared in gorgeous array, each provided with a novel with a yellow cover ; but being told by more than one person that they would be much better employed below drying the clothes and getting things straight, they promptly AT THE MOUTH OF THE TAGUS. retired to their berths again and were seen no more. Per¬ haps it was as well for their own comfort that they thus vanished, judging from my own experiences; for, in trying a little later on to get to my cabin on deck, I was caught by a sea which struck the vessel heavily, and drenched me to the skin. CASCAKS BAY The sea was so much smoother when evening came, that at dinner there was quite a fair muster of passengers; including a few ladies; and I decided to sleep in my airy though some¬ what damp cabin on deck again, in preference to the stuffy abode below, which the heat of the steam-pipes from the pantry rendered almost insufferable. At eleven o’clock we made the Burling Light some distance off; and the next morn¬ ing (Monday, October i) at 4 a.m. we found ourselves rolling about at the mouth of the Tagus, waiting for daylight, and a pilot to take us over the bar. Cascaes Bay, where we have more than once lain in the ‘ Albatross,’ ‘ Meteor ’ and * Sunbeam,’ waiting for a storm to abate, or for the wind to change, looked bright and pretty in the early dawn, the little fort of St. Julien just catching the A FLEET OF FISHING BOATS. 3 light between the passing showers; and as the sun rose, its rays produced the most beautiful rainbow effects on the MULETAS mountains of Cintra, and the wooded heights, crowned by the Castle of Penha. Cintra, lovely Cintra! what happy days I have spent, time and again, among your groves and gardens ! Soon after getting under way again we met a large fleet of fishing boats going out to their daily labour, the variety of style shown in their shapes and rigs producing a pleasing- absence of uniformity. Among them might be seen the now- old-fashioned muletas, with their quaint bows, on board most of which a man stood on the gunwale throwing water into the sail with a long-handled metal ‘ sheet.’ Others were lateen rigged, with a quaint little sail amidships, which in nearly every case was now being spread to catch the first faint breeze of morning. Each boat seemed to carry a large crew; and, whatever other varieties of style their builders might have indulged in, one invariable feature was the representation of an eye painted in bold colours on the bow, to guard the fishermen from evil, and to ensure the protection of the Virgin. At the little village of Cascaes some sort of bathing festi¬ val must have been going on, for I never saw so many people on the beach there before. The king has a palace close by, where he generally resides at this season of the year ; and the 4 LISBON. place is also much frequented by the Portuguese in summer. The views on the water-way up the Tagus to Lisbon, including the mountains of Setubal and the Castle of Palmella on the heights on the one side, and the large church and picturesque Tower of Belem on the other, are delightful. You may be sure we lost no time after the anchor was dropped in going ashore in the steam-tug, in which Mr. Pinto Basto, the Company’s agent, had come alongside. Our first proceeding on landing was to visit a somewhat interesting market, where we enjoyed some fresh green figs and luscious grapes; and then we turned our attention to the finny wonders of the deep in the adjacent fish market and the picturesque costumes of their vendors. The carriages we had sent for having at last arrived, some of our party went on an excursion to Belem; while others, as I did, felt that having already neighbourhood, we might be allowed to amuse ourselves by strolling up and down the streets and looking about us. We went first to the ‘ Silver ’ and ‘ Gold ’ FRUIT MARKET, LISBON. streets which, I was sorry to find, have deteriorated of late. Twenty, or even ten years ago it was possible to pick up here the most exquisite brilliants and paste-work in antique settings (to say nothing of old orders and crosses), at modest prices: now everything is modern and reminds one only of the Palais Royal. We consoled ourselves by a visit to another market, where we found the entrance to the butchers’ de¬ partment, to which our coachman drove us by mistake, defended by six bull-dogs, tied up, but still alarmingly fierce. As I led ‘ Sir Roger,’ in terror of his life, past them, I confess I felt personally THE OLD ALMONER uncertain as to whether the fero¬ cious-looking brutes might not take a piece out of one of my own ankles in making a dart at the poodle. Inside the market-place, each stall was sheltered by a huge umbrella ; and very gay the costumes of the market-women looked among the heaps of scarlet tomatoes, orange, green, and red capsicums and chillies, oranges, lemons, chestnuts, quinces, pears, apples, grapes, figs, bananas, and various other fruits, besides vegetables out of number. In one place there was an odd-looking old man in a long red coat, something like a beadle’s, collecting coppers for some charitable object; while in another might be seen an aged priest in a violet cassock who was making his purchases, followed by a respectable¬ looking old major-domo bearing a huge basket in which to place them. A portion of the market was held in red wooden sheds, under the shade of some pepper trees, among which was one specially picturesque stall, presided over by i6 FRUIT MARKET, LISBON. a comely dame with a purple and yellow shawl across her shoulders, looking like a veritable Pomona among her lus¬ cious autumn fruits and succulent vegetables. The stall was hung round with wicker cages and baskets and rush chairs, and contained an immense stock of gourds, pumpkins, and vegetable-marrows, which people seemed to purchase, not exactly by the yard, but by the foot and even the inch, the required length being cut off for each customer. An entire too voluminous for any family, how- V\o ’ t - ever numerous. Set up on end in rows, they looked like the stones placed against the sides of the road to protect the pathway or the borders of a lawn. At two o’clock we had to be on board the tug, in which we returned to the steamer laden with fresh fruit, vegetables, butter, &c. The ‘ Norham Castle * was still surrounded by boats—for although the operation of coaling was finished, she was still taking in cargo; and the decks were crowded with people who had come to see their friends, and with vendors of every imaginable article of Lisbon manufacture. They were LISBON FISHERMEN. 17 quickly got rid of, however, and we were soon swiftly steaming down the river again. We met all the fishing boats returning from their day’s water on to the work, the men / ^ x sails, and their on board still /f[. ^ \ decks laden with ‘skeeting’ the / \ P^ es HAY-BOATS OFF FALMELLA various sorts. They had evidently had a good take; and the fishermen seemed in the highest pos¬ sible spirits. We also passed several hay- boats, which, except for the shape of the bows, differed little in ^ appearance from the familiar Thames hay- flat. Directly we got outside the ship began to roll horribly again, which made dinner a TAKING SIGHTS UNDER DIFFICULTIES most uncomfortable meal. Everybody was glad when it was over; though on deck things were not much more pleasant, for we were still i8 ADVANTAGES OF SMALL VESSELS . shipping large quantities of water. There was no alter¬ native, consequently, but to turn in early and hope that the next day might bring an improvement. The events of the last few days have more than ever con¬ firmed me in the opinion which I have always held, that while, up to a certain point, a big ship has advantages over a smaller craft in rough weather; directly you get beyond that point and meet with a really heavy gale, it is far preferable to be in a buoyant craft of 500 tons, that bounds lightly over the waves like a cork, than in one of 4,000 tons that goes right through them. Of course the smaller vessel may sometimes have to lie hove-to for many days, where the larger ship would still be ploughing her way bravely against the storm and wind; but even under those circum¬ stances I think that the former would offer considerable advantages in the way of comfort, if not of safety. How I have longed for the dear old * Sunbeam ’ during the last few days, and how glad I shall be to get on board her once more! The next morning was mainly spent in the not very lively amusement of sorting the debris from the Captain’s cabin, throwing overboard what was utterly spoilt, packing for England what it was possible to repair, and putting the slight valid remnant into my boxes for Madeira. If it had not been intensely annoying it would really have been amusing to see the curious shapes some of the things had assumed: particu¬ larly boots and shoes that had been afloat in the two drawers under the bed, from which gallons after gallons of water had been emptied. In the afternoon the first officer took us all over the ship, and even into the chart room, where we were allowed to look at the log and see the official description of the occurrences of the last few days. We were also shown the clinometer which, having registered a roll of 50° to port and 40° to starboard on the night of the storm, judiciously AFTER A STORM. 19 declined to register any more. The ‘Nor- ham Castle’ is a spar-decked ship; and the upper decks form delightful prome¬ nades in fine weather. To-day they were somewhat curiously decorated with strings of boots and shoes, of which there must have been many dozen pairs, and with the passengers’ clothing hanging up to dry. In the forward part of the ship there had been a considerable diminution among the live stock: one hen-coop had gone bodily over¬ board ; while the occupants of the others, as well as some of the sheep, had either been washed away or drowned in their pens. I wonder what the feelings of a poor Dork¬ ing fowl must be, fresh from a nice comfort¬ able English farm-house, where it pecked about as fancy led it, or wandered at its own sweet will among sunny orchards rosy with flowers in spring and full of fruit in summer and autumn, suddenly to find itself packed in a basket, sent off to market, and pent up in a closely-crowded coop with hundreds of strange congeners on board a vessel which rocks and tosses the unhappy bird in the ♦ CONDITION OF THE LIVE STOCK. most unaccountable manner, quite beyond the scope of all previous experience, and, perhaps, finally at the mercy of the waves in the Bay of Biscay. The poor Clydesdale looked very sorry for himself. The short-horn bull, of which the stall was on the lee-side of the deck, had not suffered so much and was pretty cheery; but the poor cow was lowing piteously and, I believe, utterly refused to give any milk. The handsome black retriever which General Valiant is t. fl v;ng out for Mr. Hinton looked rather miserable; but a little turn on deck and then a warm in the engine-room passage soon made him all right. We went all through the engine-room, down into the stoke-hole, and even along the screw-alley—in fact wherever the chief engineer was good enough to take us. He showed us the machinery lor XORHAM CASTLE, IX THE~OLDEN TIME producing the electric light and for working the refrigerator to preserve provisions; both perfect in their way. In fact, MUSIC IN THE SALOON. 21 nothing could be better arranged than all the appointments of this magnificent ship. The cooks’ and stewards’ depart¬ ments are equally well managed. The second steward, William Phillips, was our bedroom steward on boa,rd the ‘ Sunbeam ’ for some months, and went to Cyprus with us ; and as Tom had got him his present situation, you may be sure he does his best to look after us. His chief, Mr. Coe, has also been most kind and attentive, as indeed was everyone on board with whom we had anything to do. Our ship’s godmother is a picturesque old castle on the banks of the Tweed, founded about the middle of the seventh - century, by Oswald. It was for many years the stronghold of Christianity in the north of England; and derives a special interest from its connection with the marriage of James IY. and Margaret Tudor, and with the subsequent union of England and Scotland. The weather had so far mended in the evening that in spite of the heavy roll we thought that we would go into the saloon and try to have some music. This was a work of some time and difficulty, the piano being already occupied by a young couple going to settle somewhere in the interior of Africa, who were trying over duets which they did not in the least know how to play: very much to their own satisfaction, but somewhat to the annoyance of other passengers, especi¬ ally of those who, seated at a long table, were writing letters in readiness for to-morrow’s homeward mail. The varied expressions and attitudes of the reluctant listeners were quite an interesting study. I hope none of the letters were very urgent, for on the morrow, sad to relate, we met the ‘ Hawarden Castle ’ just steaming out of the bay as we steamed in, and a week must elapse before the departure of the next mail for England. Our last night on board. How delicious to think we shall 3 LAST NIGHT ON BOARD. arrive at Funchal quite early in the morning and see Tom and the ‘ Sunbeam ’ again. Roll’d to starboard, roll’d to larboard, When the surge was seething free ; When the wallowing monster spouted His foam fountains in the sea. CHAPTER II. AKING at 3.30 a,m., on Wednesday, % October 3, I could just see the De- | sertas in the distance, through my cabin window, and knowing that the m Captain was anxious not to remain ml longer than was necessary at Madeira, % I made haste to get up and collect the miserable remains of what one short week ago had been such a nice little outfit, in readiness to land. It was really melancholy to see each article, as it was brought in from the drying room and else¬ where, looking more deplorable than the last— my writing-pad a series of loose leaves of a dusky purple colour, books that had been re- 24 NEARING MADEIRA. duced to pulp and had now become solid grey cakes; paper and printed matter hopelessly mixed up and impossible to read or to write upon; letters of introduction in the same sad condition; and boots and shoes that had as¬ sumed the most awkward shapes in the process of drying, very curious to look at no doubt, but unsuitable for all prac¬ tical purposes. Other articles of wearing apparel appeared to be equally ruined, except what had been packed in Silver’s air-tight cases. These latter I cannot sufficiently praise ; for, in spite of their having been floating about in water for a considerable period, none of their contents were injured in the slightest degree. Soon all these misfortunes were forgotten, as we saw Funchal, not very far distant, with the ‘ Sunbeam,’ looking more beautiful than ever to my eyes, in a coat of new white paint, lying at anchor in the Bay, near several other ships. The engines were slowed; the anchor dropped; and we saw the ‘ Sunbeam’s ’ gig lowered and advancing towards us, with Tom steering. He was soon under the stern; and we were able to hold a conversation and compare notes as to our respective experiences during the past month. It seems that he has had charming weather throughout, and that he has thoroughly enjoyed his lonely cruise from Malta and Gibraltar. As soon as the health-officer had been on board we were greeted by Mr. Hinton, and were surrounded by several other friends and people we were glad to see, including Mr. Cardwell, the manager of the Santa Clara Hotel. The sellers of every kind of Madeira produce also flocked on board, and quickly made the decks almost im¬ passable. At 8 a.m. the ‘ Sunbeam ’ dressed ship in honour of our arrival, and fired (with considerable difficulty, as I afterwards heard) a salute from our two little brass carron- ades. One large heterogeneous mass of luggage was trans¬ ferred to the various * Sunbeam ’ and shore boats; and ON BOARD THE ‘ SUNBEAM: 25 after an early breakfast Tom went the round of the ship with Captain Winchester, while we said good-bye to all our kind friends on board. In a brief space of time we found ourselves once more on the deck of the yacht, greeting many old friends and making acquaintance with the new hands, whom we hope to know better before many weeks are over. Soon afterwards we heard the farewell bell ring, and then the anchor being weighed, on board the steamer. As she left the roadstead, she passed close under the stern, the band on the poop playing, and every soul on board, judging by the number, cheering and waving hats, caps, and handkerchiefs. It was a kind thought and a graceful com¬ pliment : a pretty way of bidding us farewell which was much appre¬ ciated by us all. I suppose that the weather had kept most of the passengers below during the voyage, for I had never seen a twentieth part of them before, close companions as we must have been for a week. We lost no time, you may be sure, in making a general inspection of the ‘ Sunbeam,’ which we found in the most perfect order, looking delightfully bright, fresh, and home¬ like after our recent voyage. GOOD-BYTC E 26 AN EMIGRANT SHIP. From the yacht we could see an emigrant ship, bound for Australia, which had put in here to renew her water-supply. She had had a very rough and prolonged passage from Scot¬ land, and the poor emigrants had suffered great discomfort. The captain had appealed to the Consul, who, in his turn, had appealed to Tom and Mr. Humphreys, as holding master’s certificates, to hold a formal enquiry into the state of the water-tanks, the contents of which were condemned as unfit for consumption. Tom thought I should be interested to see the vessel, and we therefore boarded her on our way to the shore from the ‘ Sunbeam.’ Our approach evidently created great excite¬ ment, and directly we drew near we were received with ringing cheers and waving of handkerchiefs. The emigrants appeared to be greatly interested in the children, and would all have shaken hands with us if they could. One man clapped Tom hard on the shoulder, and said, 4 Well, sir, you have got the Missus out safe, and the wee bairns; God bless them and you too! ’ I went into every hole and corner of the ship with the doctor, including the hospital, where one dear little child was lying, looking dreadfully ill, but where two new-born babies and their mothers seemed very bonny. The emigrants, as a rule, appeared to be of a respectable class; most of them being married, and having large families of children. There were also many domestic servants going out to make their way at the antipodes. 4 Sir Roger ’ caused great amusement on board, especially among the children, for whose benefit he was put through some of his tricks. As we said good-bye, with many a hearty hand-shake and exchange of good wishes, and went down the ladder again, deafening cheers were raised, which continued as long as we were in sight. Poor things ! I felt that we had not done much to deserve such a display of enthusiasm, and wished sincerely LANDING IN A ‘LUMP' OF A SEA. 2 7 that it had been possible to do more to relieve what I fear must almost inevitably be the misery and discomfort of their long voyage. It is to be hoped, however, that they may be better favoured than hitherto in the matter of weather, and that the renewed water-supply may be more satisfactory than the first. From the emigrant ship it was quite a hard pull to the shore, for the North-east Trades were blowing hard, and there was quite a heavy little 4 lump ’ of a sea on. Half-way we had all to be transferred to two of the island boats, in which to go through the surf. The natives manage the land¬ ing very cleverly: turning the boat round with her bow outwards, and keeping her steady till a large wave comes, on the very crest of which they run her ashore stern fore¬ most. On the beach rollers are placed to receive her, and many willing hands are ready to pull her up the steep, shelving shore, high and dry, before the next wave can beat over her. Once landed, we were surrounded by people and carried off along the stony beach, and put into one of the quaint bullock carts, which are the only kind of—I cannot say wheeled carriage, inasmuch as they move on runners, as you will see—but the only kind of vehicle at all approaching our idea of a carriage to be met with in the 28 ON SHORE AT MADEIRA. island. There are, however, many other conveyances of all kinds, of which more hereafter. The long-horned, large¬ eyed, patient-looking oxen, with two men going in front, carrying oiled cloths or cactus leaves, which they put under the runners to make the stones more slippery, dragged us up the fine shady old avenue of plane trees leading to the Grande Place, or Pra$a, where everybody walks and talks and gossips, and where the band plays two or three times a week. The old familiar, narrow, steep streets looked just as they had done in 1876, with their whitewashed walls, over which fragrant jessamine, stephanotis, hoya, roses, gorgeous scarlet hibiscus, grey plumbago, and yellow allamandas, threw their luxuriant festoons, as if to give a faint, dreamy idea of the beauties that may be concealed within. The distance from the shore to the Santa Clara Hotel is about half a mile. The hotel, which had been specially re¬ commended to us, on account of its high and cool situation (an all-important consideration at this time of year), is charmingly situated in the midst of a pretty garden, and con¬ tains many cool, airy, clean rooms of all kinds. How trim they did look, to be sure, after that uncomfortably moist steamer ! Mr. Reed, the proprietor, and Mr. Cardwell, the manager, and his wife (the latter of whom have both been servants in English families, and therefore know exactly what one requires), spare no pains, as we afterwards found, to insure the comfort of their guests. The table is excellent, the charges not extravagant, and altogether we had every reason to be satisfied and pleased during our stay. Mr. Cardwell took charge of our luggage on board the steamer; and though Mr. Reed, I am afraid, had a great deal of trouble at the Custom House, especially as to our saddles, ice suffered none, and knew nothing more about it until we saw it all in our own rooms. The contents were unpacked without delay; and the A MADEIRA GARDEN. 29 balconies, garden, and every available spot, were speedily covered with the sad debris and melancholy remains of oar outfits. In the afternoon we made our first expedition: some of the party walking, some in hammocks, the latter carried by bearers in the usual costume of white shirts and trousers, sailors’ hats with gay ribbons, and neck-handkerchiefs, to see our old friend, Dr. Grabham, the one English physician here, a most accomplished man, brimful of information on every possible subject. His garden contains an interesting collection THE LOO BOCK of plants and trees, all of which he showed us, and some of which particularly attracted my attention. Among them was the sloth tree ( Cecropia ), all arms and legs—an old Brazilian friend—and the scarlet banana, appropriately named Banana cardinalis (Musa coccinea). Surely never was Cardinal half so gorgeous as this shrub, with its brilliant scarlet spikes, growing beside the quaint orange and purple, crane-headed, Strelitzia regince , the flowers of which always look to me so like some arrogant farmyard roosters trying their best to get 30 TREES OF MADEIRA. their heads one above another and to have the last crow. Dr. Grabham has a great fancy for clocks, of which he possesses a beautiful collection. Fifteen are regulated by one electrical machine; and I do not know how many are not regulated at all. Then there was a very fine telescope, and a variety of other attractive things to be seen, so that our visit was somewhat prolonged. I am not sure that the best did not come almost at the last—the beautiful lily-of- the-valley tree (Clethra arborea) which bears branches of white flowers, like five or six sprays of lilies-of-the-valley growing from one stalk, and emitting the most delicious scent. It also yields a fine white wood, much valued in Madeira, though scarcely, if at all, known in England. There was also the black Til (Oreodaphne foetens —so called from its horrible smell) or native laurel, which produces a hard, black wood like ebony—and some fine specimens of a lovely red lily with a goldrcoloured tassel in the centre, almost filling its beautiful scarlet cup. It is a pity that the want of leaves slightly detracts from the otherwise perfect beauty of this lily. Not by any means the least among the attractions of this delightful garden are the glorious views that it commands over the bay beneath, in which we could now see the ‘ Duntrune,’ 4 Eed Jacket,’ and other ships lying at anchor, as though in a picture, framed by the branches of the splendid old tulip tree, planted by Captain Cook. The * Eed Jacket ’ was, when first built, supposed to be the fastest clipper afloat. Another interesting ship that was pointed out to us was the ‘Erna,’ which, some years ago, was abandoned by her crew off the northern coast of Scotland. She remained afloat, however, and was seen again later on off Queenstown; after which nothing was heard of her until some fortunate fishermen, going further afield—or afloat— than usual, to earn their daily bread, found her drifting A ‘ QUINTA? 3i about, and towed her, as a derelict, in to Funchal, where she now does duty as a coal hulk. The ‘ Duntrune ’ is a type of one of the fast clipper-built ships of the present day; in which category the ‘ Sunbeam,’ though much smaller, may also fairly be classed. A short descent took us to Mr. Blandy’s ‘ quinta,’ in the grounds of which we found almost every flower we could think of, in the fullest bloom and in the greatest profusion: rare ferns growing as thickly as weeds, and all the trellises covered with stephanotis, hoya, roses, and heliotrope, diffusing their sweetest fragrance on the evening air. There are shady walks all about the garden, and a capital tennis court of concrete, close by a magnificent Bella-Sombra tree, the huge roots of which have forced themselves above the ground, while its branches grow in a perpendicular direction, looking as if they would soon take root downwards and make a vast tent, like one of those Indian fig or banyan trees, under which it is said that an army could encamp. But it was now growing rapidly dark; so we had to tear ourselves reluctantly away and descend to the hotel, where, after a delicious evening on the verandah, we were glad to enjoy the luxury of a steady bed that does not pitch its occupant out unexpectedly, and the still greater comfort of not being obliged to wear sea boots, or to run the risk of stepping into a gentle ‘ wash ’ of six or eight inches of sea water. Perhaps, before proceeding further with the description of our stay in Madeira, it may not be out of place to say a few words as to the history of the island. 32 HISTORY OF MADEIRA. Mentioned as the Purple or Mauritanian Islands by Pliny, and supposed to have been colonised by the Phoeni¬ cians, nothing really authentic was known of the place until the time of the famous all-discovering navigator Prince Henry of Portugal. An expedition despatched by him in 1418 discovered Porto Santo, and, a year after, the island which was called Madeira, from the immense amount of wood and forests which it contained. Tradition, however, relates that, nearly a hundred years before, in 1336, an English nobleman, Robert Machim by name, fell in love with Anna d’Arphet, a young lady of higher rank, who returned his affection, but whose parents would not hear of their marriage. The young couple determined to escape from Bristol to France. They chartered a small vessel; encountered rough weather; were driven about by gales; and, after fourteen days’ tossing about, were cast ashore on the Island of Madeira, at a place subse¬ quently called Machico, to commemorate the event. The poor lady succumbed to the hardships of the voyage: her husband died a few days afterwards, and they were both buried at Machico, where their companions built a small church to the memory of the ill-starred pair. A large cedar- wood cross was also erected a few miles further on at the place now called Santa Cruz. Some of the crew escaped to the coast of Africa, only 400 miles distant, where they met a Portuguese pilot, who subsequently told the story to his royal master, Prince Henry, and Zargo was in consequence sent on a voyage of investigation. He unfortunately made use of his discovery of the Island of Madeira to burn much of the wood and destroy the splendid forests, some historians assert¬ ing that the fires continued to burn for seven years. Zargo returned to Portugal; and the following year he returned to take possession of the country, which was entirely unin¬ habited. He erected the existing church at Machico, using FUNCHAL. 33 as part of his materials the wood of the tree under which Robert Machim and his wife were originally buried. Perestrello, one of the first of the explorers who landed at Porto Santo, had an only daughter, who married Christopher Columbus, and who appears to have shown her husband various charts and memoranda relating to her father’s numerous voyages in the Atlantic. These documents first inspired the great navigator with the idea of searching for a New World. Columbus lived for many years at Porto Santo, paying occasional visits to Madeira and Lisbon in the inter¬ vals of his long voyages. In 1508 Funchal was made a city; in 1514 a bishopric; in 1539 an archbishopric. Then, in 1547, it was reduced to a bishopric again, and the Archiepiscopal see was removed to Goa, in India. In 1566 the Island was attacked by a band of French marauders, who landed from eight galleons, doing much damage, carrying off everything they could lay hands on, and, for a time, seriously checking the prosperity of the inhabitants. In 1580, when Portugal became subject to Spain, Madeira shared the fate of the mother country, until 1640, when Portuguese rule was again restored. In 1768, Captain Cook, on his way round the world in the ‘Endeavour,’ battered the fort on the Loo rock, with the assistance of a British frigate, as a reprisal for some insult to the British flag. The Government of the day discountenanced the pub¬ lication of this not very creditable incident, which is therefore not recorded in Hawksworth’s account of Cook’s first voyage. In 1773, the Marquis de Pombal, the Portuguese minister, terrified by the number of slaves in Portugal, promulgated a decree ordering the suppression of slavery, which was pub¬ lished at Madeira in 1775. In 1801 the British Government, as allies of Portugal, sent an army under Colonel Clinton, to occupy the Island till after the Peace of Amiens, when Madeira was evacuated by our troops. In 1807 it was F 34 FUNCHAL. again seized by a British force under General Beresford, and the inhabitants were made to swear fealty to King George III. The island was nominally given up in the following April, but continued to be garrisoned by English troops till the conclusion of the general peace in 1814. In 1826 Madeira, like Portugal, was divided against herself by the Miguelite troubles; but when in 1853 poor Dona Maria’s authority was definitively established, things in the island assumed a more peaceable footing. Her untimely death was followed by the regency of her husband, until the coming of age and acces¬ sion to the throne of her son, Dom Pedro; which event was celebrated with great rejoicings at Funchal in 1855. Since then everything has been quiet and peaceful. Long may it continue so ! THE ‘ENDEAVOUR’ u SOCCORRIDOS CHAPTER III. Thursday, October 4th. W E were to have started for Cabo Girao (so named because Zargo and his companions are said to have turned back there) at ten o’clock this morning; but the delay in passing our saddles through the Custom House made it much later before we got away; and our eleven im- MADEIRA. A land of streams ! Some like a downward smoke, Slow dropping veils of thinnest lawn, did go ; And some through wavering lights and shadows broke, Kolling a slumbrous sheet of foam below. 36 RIBIERO DOS SOCCORRIDOS. patient steeds were pawing the ground for a long time in front of the hotel while we waited within. They were all nice little horses, very fresh after a summer’s rest. Such a clatter and caracoling they made on the hard paved streets, as we at last set forth on our expedition, each with an attendant bur - riquiero , or groom! It was not long before we were clear of the town and got on to a capital soft road, under shady trees, where we enjoyed a good gallop. Some of the horses were in the highest spirits, and performed all manner of antics, kicking and curvetting about at random. The sea was close on our left; and the views across it were splendid: especially in the direction of the Gorgulho Fort and Pray a Formosa. Between the two there is a curious hole in the rock, through which the sea is visible; and in stormy weather the waves are driven upwards with great violence in a column of water and spray. The good road was on far too grand a scale to last long. It came to an ignominious termination at a bridge over the Ribiero dos Soccorridos, so called from the fact that two of Zargo’s companions were nearly drowned but were happily rescued here. The river rises in the mountains of the Grand Curral; and the view upwards from the bridge is strikingly fine. Dana says that 4 one of the greatest peculiarities of the mountain scenery of Madeira consists in the jagged outlines of the ridges, the rude towers and needles of rock that charac¬ terise the higher peaks as well as the lower elevations, and the deep precipitous gorges which intersect the mountains almost to their bases.’ The Ribiero dos Soccorridos was once a vast stream, on the broad bosom of which the trunks of noble trees from the pine forests above were floated down to the coast. The destruction of the forests, unfortunately, involved the impoverishment of the river; and now nothing remains but a few comparatively insignificant trees and a rapid moun¬ tain torrent. London;Longmans