80 Baron Von Buch's Observations on Madeira 



fresh cheese made from this goat's milk is equal in excellence to 

 the serac of Switzerland. 



We descended the declivity of Chahorra, over a wide and de- 

 solate field of lava, on which the poor villages Guia, Chio, and 

 Arguaio, are but miserably supported, into the valley of St Jago, 

 which joins the north and west sides of the island. Smith at 

 length found the beautiful Euphorbia atro-purpurea^ in tall beau- 

 tiful bushes, a species which was first discovered and described 

 by Broussonet. We would cheerfully have examined the nu- 

 merous hills of volcanic ashes upon the height, from which so vast 

 a mass of lava has flowed down through the valley to the sea ; but 

 a dense fog and rain prevented us. We took a full half hour in 

 crossing the great stream of lava, which in 1705 destroyed Gara- 

 chico. The road led us, with a rapid descent, to Icod los Vi- 

 nos, a place surrounded with verdure, beautiful, extensive, and 

 opulent. It is one of the most famous wine districts. The 

 harbour of Garachico, before the lava destroyed it, was indebt- 

 ed for its principal trade to Icod, whose malmsey was celebrated 

 and in demand a hundred years ago. It is still the same, and 

 is shipped at Orotava for England. 



A vast extent of obsidian, flowing from the Peak, and ex- 

 tending miles in breadth, has filled up the Barancos, and levelled 

 the declivity. The pines of Pinar, from the pine-woods above, 

 descend along with these streams ; and some trees of that kind 

 are found near the sea-coast. This is remarkable ; for, in such 

 an extension of zone of temperature, no other kind of pine re- 

 sembles that beautiful tree. Far up on the Peak, it grows to 

 perfection in a climate which can be compared only with that of 

 Norway ; while, on the sea-coast below, it thrives in the climate 

 of Mogador and Morocco. Its form in the latter situation is 

 somewhat different and singular. The Pino Santo, a single 

 tree between Icod and Guanches, with a figure of the Virgin 

 Mary, is, by reason of this figure, visible to a great distance. 

 The branches do not rise high, but spread out to a great ex- 

 tent, and occupy a large space. Cones of one and a half and 

 even of two feet long, are observed hanging from them, and in 

 great abundance, drooping towards the ground like inclined 

 heads, with long hair descending from the crown. Above, in 



