AND PORTO SANTO. 17 



CHAPTER II. 



Mount Church. — Geology of Western Cliffs. — Lava. — Hut of Idiot. 

 — Waterfall. — Tutinegro. — Corn-Mills. — Ariero. — Camera de 

 lobos. — Sida carpinifolia. — Cliff. — Pao Branca. — Coural das Frei- 

 ras. — First attempt to go to Pico Ruivo. — Second attempt. — Ferns. 

 — St. Vicente. — House of Donna Anna. — Poul da Serra. — Pico da 

 Cruz. — Second Excursion to the Westward. — Malmsey Plantation. 

 — Cavern. — Brazen Head. — Excursions to the Eastward. — St. Cruz 

 Machico. — The Lagoa. — Concluding remarks. 



None of the several vessels, we found at anchor in the bay of 

 Funchal, being bound for Sierra Leone, and none being imme- 

 diately expected, I prepared to make some excursions into the 

 interior of the island. To those who have visited the tropics, 

 nothing can be more gratifying, than to find the trees they have 

 there dwelt on with so much pleasure, and which are decidedly 

 the most beautiful of that part of the creation, — to be reminded of 

 the vast soUtudes, where vegetable nature seems to reign uncon- 

 trolled and untouched, — to see the bright blue sky through the 

 deUcate pinnated leaves of the mimosa, whilst the wood strawberry 

 at its feet, recalls the still dearer recollection of home, — to gather 

 the fallen guavas with one hand, and the blackberry with the other, 

 — to be able to choose between the apples and cherries of Europe, 



