Chap, ii.] 



THE GRAND CURAL. 



35 



when the pace was fast. ^Ve passed through the gardens on 

 the outskirts of the town ; then higher, through fields of sugar- 

 cane and corn, up amongst the vineyards, terraced on the hill 

 sides, and with the vines trained on horizontal trellis work ; 

 then past the hovel-like cottages of the country people, till we 

 reached the district of pine and sweet chestnut trees. 



The pine woods were deliciously cool. We passed them 

 and came out upon open grass slopes with occasional patches of 

 basalt rock sticking up out of them, the slopes themselves being 

 composed of disintegrated scoriae. We climbed the slopes on 

 foot and reached a height of about 5,000 feet. From thence 

 we had a commanding view of the Grand Cural, a huge gorge 

 or rent in the mountain mass, precipitous on one side and 

 almost so on the other. The precipitous side opposite us was 

 in the deepest shadow, so much so, that we could hardly trace 

 the details upon its surface, but we could yet see that every 

 available ledge had been terraced and brought into cultivation. 

 The sun shone brightly on the dark red and purple scoriae and 

 lava, and on its clothing of chestnuts and pines, on our side of 

 the chasm, which being thus in high light contrasted forcibly 

 with the deep gloom of the opposite wall. A magnificent pano- 

 rama of the south side of the island was visible from our 

 position, with its volcanic cones and white houses scattered 

 amidst the green. After we had enjoyed the scene but a few 

 moments, a thick mist shut it from our view and we descended. 



It is only in the highest parts of the island of Madeira that 

 anything is to be seen of the true 

 indigenous vegetation. Below, cul- 

 tivation has destroyed the native 

 plants. On the upper slopes the 

 common furze and broom and the 

 brake fern grow in abundance. 



The countrymen of Madeira wear, 

 on gala days, curious pointed blue 

 cloth caps, very small, and resting 

 only on the back of the head. The 

 point is a long pointed cylinder, 

 which sticks out stiffly from the back 

 of the head. It seems to be a 

 curious abnormal development, due 

 to insular isolation, of the pointed 

 bag which hangs down from the 

 knitted worsted nightcap-like head 

 covering of Mediterranean and 



Spanish seamen, and English yachting men. The point seems 

 to be a sort of rudimentary organ which has undergone subse 



CAP WORN BY PEASANTS OF 

 MADEIRA. 



