24 JOURNAL OF THE l 
upon. I had plenty of opportunity to perceive this; for 
during my stay, the weather was there constantly fine and 
warm, with, at the utmost, a gentle shower; but once 
beyond the mountains, I experienced the most furious winds, 
and the valleys were filled with thick mists, loaded with as 
much moisture as heavy rains. It were interesting to ascer- 
tain the duration and intensity of these mists, which are 
remarkably dense, and must be highly beneficial to a barren 
island and fertilizing to its valleys. Later in the season, the 
weather is said to be clear and settled in the interior also. 
The valley of Funchal receives several rivulets, and has not 
at this time any deficiency of water. Chestnut-trees abound 
in the valleys, and the lower declivities are frequently covered 
with patches of Pines. To the gardens at Funchal the pre- 
vailing state of the atmosphere is highly genial, and they 
command splendid prospects towards the town and bay. One 
really may fancy oneself in the East when walking, and still 
more when riding between these gardens, which are enclosed 
with stone walls, over which it is easy to behold the nu- 
merous hedges of roses full of bloom. The singular spectacle 
of the union of Bananas and Pine-apples with our European 
oaks bees ain 
fruit-trees, has been frequently noticed, and is particularly — 
attractive to any new comer. Horticulture, from what I 
could see, was chiefly practised for profit's sake: though in 
several gardens there were some choice plants, which struck, 
on account of their finer growth, the European traveller, who 
had hitherto only seen them in the greenhouse or stove. Large 
Dracenas were rare: whether this tree still occurs in an un- 
cultivated state, I know not: no one collects the Gum-Dragon, 
except as a curiosity. Dr. Renton showed me some fine 
Coffee-trees, covered with fruit, of which the quality is said 
to be good. He regretted, that instead of Festuca Donaz, the 
Bamboo was not more generally grown, as it succeeds so 
well; and I agree with him. ; 
. On Monday and Tuesday I made excursions in the valley 
called the Corral; and to the great water-fall, which yielded me, 
besides the common plants of Madeira, a few rare ones, viz.: 
