Geology ^ and Climate of the Uland of Madeira. 345 



plantations,* and gardens, and vineyards form a paradise of 

 rich and graceful scenery ; and the beauty of the place, like 

 that of the valley of St Vincente after crossing the mountains, 

 is the more striking from the contrast with the wild and 

 gloomy grandeur of the scenes through which the day's journey 

 has lain. 



Between St Ann's and Funchal are also some fine scenes, es- 

 pecially in approaching the neighbourhood of the principal river 

 of the north coast, the Ribeiro Frio, the steep banks of which 

 are covered with evergreen forests. At a little distance from 

 the road, neai* the Ribeiro Frio, a path at the side of a Levada 

 or water-course, leads through a pass in the mountains, at the 

 end of which we look down upon the Meyo Metada, an abyss 

 like the Corral, yet on a scale still more gigantic. This is 

 certainly the finest point in all the scenery of Madeira. The 

 depth of the valley must be very great, because the distance 

 from the sea is not great, and the river has not a very rapid 

 descent after escaping from the mountains ; while the wall of 

 the ravine opposite to where we stand, is formed by the preci- 

 pitous sides of the Pico Ruivo and other highest summits in 

 the island. It would be needless to attempt to describe the 

 efi'ect of the combination of rock and ravine, cascade and fo- 

 rest, which constitute this marvellous scene. Indeed, all of 

 the mountain-district of Madeira presents to the traveller, at 

 every step, scenes of which the pen of the poet or the pencil 

 of the painter t could give but a feeble conception. The scenery 



* " In the North," remarks Mr Lowe (in Bot. Miscellany), " I have wit- 

 nessed whole acres in the woods completely covered, in October, with the 

 lovely flowers of the Amaryllis Belladonna ; a scene exceeding in beauty 

 even the dreams of poets." 



t Many artists have endeavoured to delineate the scenery of Madeira, but 

 of the views hitherto published, I have seen scarcely any that might not be 

 set down as failures. Mr Bowditch, who has given some sketches in his 

 work on Madeira, speaks, in reference to the Corral, of the " interest in a 

 geological point of view of a delineation of the place ;" and hopes that some 

 " skilful hand will yet be able to give the world a coiTect view of that won- 

 derful scene." By far the most successful attempt to eflcct tliis, has been 

 made by Mr Picken, a young artist of great genius, who has resided for se- 

 veral winters in the island on account of his healtli. He has made some 

 admirable paintings of the principal scenes, including the city of Funchal, 

 the Corral, the Ravine of Bi Jorge on the north const, and other sitos alluded 



