194 Mr. A. Newtou^s two Days at Madeira. 



like those at Amsterdam, by the occasional application of a 

 greasy rag to the runners. Notwithstanding this precaution, 

 however, so heavy is the draught up the steep hills, that the 

 poor beasts were constantly down on their knees. At length 

 we arrived at our friend's house, a pleasant quinta ; and having 

 done justice to his hospitality, and admired the view from his 

 garden, we started on our expedition to the Curral dos Freiras. 

 The day was beautiful. As we rode on, the strangeness of the 

 scene struck us with increasing force at each succeeding step. On 

 each side were fields of corn or sugar-cane, cabbages or yams, 

 or sometimes a vineyard that had survived the ravages of the 

 O'idium, studded with orange- or apple-trees, and intersected by 

 hedge-rows of fuchsias or blackberries; while overhead were 

 fig-trees and pines, poplars and dates, enough to confuse for 

 ever one's notions of geographical botany*, and rivalling the 

 odd jumble of the classic " Groves of Blarney." We passed over 

 a comparatively low range of hills to the north-west of the town, 

 when a wonderfully bold headland, Cabo do Girao, upwards of 

 two thousand feet in height, appeared on our left ; then a deep 

 ravine, the channel of the Ribeiro dos Socorridos, spanned by a 

 viaduct of almost Roman proportions. About the streams of 

 water, whether natural or artificial, were numerous Grey Wag- 

 tails [Motacilla sulphured), a species I had long known, on Mr. 

 Hewitson's authority, to be found in the island. Flocks of 

 Linnets [Linota cannabina), the cock birds with their breasts still 

 crimsoned, rose twittering cheerfully from the furze-bushes and 

 cactus-thickets by the road-side. In the air were poised dark- 

 plumaged Kestrels [Tinnunculus alaudarius, var. rufescens, Sw.), 

 occasionally dropping down, I presume in quest of the lively 

 little Lizards [Lacerta dugesi), of which plenty showed them- 

 selves on the dry stone walls. As we gradually reached a 

 higher level, we were favoui-ed by a repetition of yesterday's 

 rain. At length, passing by the Jardini da Serra, and through 

 a wood of Spanish chestnuts, which no doubt would have been 

 picturesque had we been able to see it, we emerged at the foot 

 of a steep slope overgrown with coarse grass. Here we got off 



* It will, of course, be uuderstood that nearly all the prevailing plants 

 are introduced species. 



