62 Voyage of the Novara. 



The greatest length of the island of Madeira, from Ponta 

 Furado in the east, to Ponta do Pargo, in the west, amounts 

 to 30 miles ; its greatest breadth, from Ponta do Cruz in the 

 south, to Ponta do Sao Jorge in the north, is 12^ miles, and its 

 area is about ^40 square miles. This volcanic and moun- 

 tainous island is intersected by innumerable deep ravines and 

 defiles, and its whole surface is so much broken and irregular, 

 that the representation Columbus once gave to Queen Isabella, 

 of the Island of Jamaica, when she asked him for a descrip- 

 tion of its configuration, might perfectly be applied to the 

 aspect of Madeira also. The great navigator, after having 

 crushed a sheet of paper in his hand, and partly opened it 

 again, placed it on the table, saying, he could convey to 

 Her Majesty no clearer idea of that island than that crumpled 

 piece of paper afibrded. 



A large portion of the island is not susceptible of cultiva- 

 tion ; for the heathy region which constitutes nearly one-third 

 of its surface, and rises to a height of about 2500 feet 

 above the level of the sea, is extremely steep, and too much 

 exposed to winds and rains in summer, to admit of any kind 

 of cultivation, even that of grain ; whilst another not less con- 

 siderable tract is too rocky and precipitous for that purpose. 

 In the south of the island, the highest limit of cultivation is 

 estimated to be at a height of 2500 feet, though in several 

 places rye and barley grow at 2800 feet. In the north of 

 the island, where a better system of irrigation prevails, the 

 extreme boundary of cultivation reaches a higher altitude. 



