44 EXCURSIONS IN MADEIRA 



their share of the profits, to their tenants, for the first seven years. 

 It is 2080 feet above the sea ; the temperature of the air was 63°, 

 at eleven o'clock in the morning, and De Saussure's hygrometer 

 stood at 74°, or 15°lovv^er than on the heights above. 



The bed of the torrent is crossed by stepping from one rolled 

 mass of basalt to another, and that with some uncertainty, es- 

 pecially when they are slippery from the rains ; then turning to 

 the left, you continue for some time along a tolerably level path, 

 and pass a romantic little bridge with a waterfall, on the right. 

 It seemed as if every turn would terminate my progress, by bring- 

 ing me directly in contact with the towering walls of basalt and 

 tufa, which faced me in all directions. We then commenced the 

 steep ascent of the Lombo Grande, first, through thick and close 

 bushes of broom, which, at a higher point, became mingled with 

 ferns : the distant mountains loomed through the mist, like the 

 first appearance of land at sea. My guide, who, it turned out, had 

 never been to the Pico Ruivo, missed, or rather was ignorant of the 

 obscure turning which is to be taken on the right hand, about two- 

 thirds up the Lombo Grande, and we continued straight forward 

 in the same path until we met a countryman, who told us we were 

 wrong, and conducted us down to the turning off. We had not 

 proceeded 300 yards, before a small avalanche necessitated my 

 leaving the mule behind, and indeed made our own passage rather 

 nervous. We proceeded at a pretty brisk pace, considering the 

 steepness and ruggedness of the path, for about two hours, when 

 my guide announced that he had again missed the path, that the 

 peak was two hours distance to the south east, and that we should 

 be benighted in our attempt to reach it. The clouds above us 

 were frequently scattered in the finest particles, which seemed in 

 their turn to dissolve into aether. 



in case of the invasion of the island by foreigners, or any other attack or outrage 

 upon their convent or persons. 



