306 NOTES ON MADEIRA, 



covered with clouds of an intense crimson, the reflection of 

 which upon the waves appeared a sea of blood. Upon the 

 deep red ground were vertical columns and streamers of bright 

 yellow light, like vast comets. These did not much alter their 

 position, although they varied from time to time in intensity. 

 No meteors were seen during the night. 



16^/^. — A most lovely morning. To our great joy, on coming 

 on deck, land was announced right ahead. By the time we 

 had breakfasted it was dietinctly visible., and we have now a 

 good view of the fine mountainous island of Porto Santo, about 

 fifteen miles distant^ and have just got a glimpse of one of the 

 peaks of Madeira, through a momentary break in the clouds 

 which cover that part of the horizon. 



\lth. — We made the north end of Madeira last evening, 

 and during the night stood off and on, and this morning had 

 a splendid view of Funchal. Although sunny, it was a showery 

 morning, and the atmospheric changes caused the prospect to 

 vary every moment. The clouds rested on the mountains, but 

 occasionally lifted and gave us a view of peaks in the interior, 

 towering into the sky. A thin misty veil hung over the terrific 

 gorges for which Madeira is so celebrated, and served to 

 increase their sublimity. Right at the mouth of the largest 

 and wildest of these ravines was planted the base of a splendid 

 rainbow. After gazing on nothing but blue waves so long, 

 it appeared quite fairy land to us. What a change since this 

 day fortnight ! Then we were shivering below at Gravesend, 

 now we are roasting on deck, with the thermometer at 75" in 

 the shade. 



\9th. — Caminho do Meiro. — Funchal. — Owing to some irre- 

 gularity in the ship's papers, we were nearly being consigned 

 to a six weeks' quarantine in the lazaretto, but luckily are now 

 comfortably settled in this locality ; at this moment (6 a.m.) 

 I am writing, half dressed, at the open window, with the ther- 

 mometer at 62°, and the bananas, sugar-canes, and other tropi- 

 cal trees waving in a fine cool mountain breeze in the cottage 

 gardens below me. Our situation is most lovely : — one of our 

 windows looks full upon the bay, the other right into one of 

 the principal ravines, the opposite bank of which is occupied 

 by a few thatched cottages, the gardens of which exhibit many 

 sorts of tropical trees and plants ; as they are not divided by 

 walls, they have a very picturesque effect. The ledges of the 



