34 APPEARANCE OF THE INTERIOR. [1838. 



There are, also, many fine rides in the interior. After as- 

 cending the heights in rear of Funchal, you may travel miles 

 on miles, over hard and well-conditioned roads, or bridle-paths, 

 Dordered with hedges of roses and myrtles ; with trellises sup- 

 porting an infinite variety of gaudy colored creepers, or aro- 

 matic shrubs that load the air with perfume ; or with stone 

 walls, literally buried beneath the long trailing vines loaded 

 down with their rich. clusters of grapes. Gardens stocked 

 with fruit trees, extensive vineyards, and fields of wheat, bar- 

 ley, rye, and maize, arrest the attention on every hand. Neat 

 cottages are discovered imbosomed amid thickets of tropical 

 plants ; and the humbler habitations of the peasantry, with 

 their low walls formed of huge blocks of lava, and their tall 

 thatches of broom, are constantly peeping out from the lux- 

 uriant foliage which surrounds them. Through the gorges 

 of the mountains, glimpses open of almost fathomless depths, 

 at the bottom of which are labyrinths of sweet-scented shrub- 

 beries, miniature forests of dahlias, fuchsias, hydrangeas, 

 geraniums, variegated convolvuli, and Ethiopian lilies. The 

 spreading plane tree, the majestic palm, the dark and glossy- 

 leaved banana, and the Madeira walnut,* enlivened, now and 

 then, by the white tufts of the cotton-wood, abound on the 

 lower terraces ; and the beetling cliffs above are crowned 

 with mountain heath and laurel, with towering cedars, oaks, 

 and elms. Over all this bright and glorious scenery, rests an 

 atmosphere remarkably soft, pure, and transparent. 



Travelling is usually performed on the Madeira ponies, — a 

 tough and hardy, race of animals, like the Shetland breed, — 

 or in sedans. The latter are generally preferred by the ladies. 

 The hauling of heavy articles is principally done by the small 

 oxen of the island, on sledges resembling the stone boats in 

 use among American farmers. These are employed alto- 

 gether in the seaport towns, for conveying pipes of wine ; but 

 the liquor is brought from the interior, in sheep-skins, sowed 

 together so as nearly to preserve the form of the animal, 

 which are slung over the backs of the peasants. 



* The Madeira nut is the product of this tree. 



