76 Barometrical Measurement of the 



their computed results, at the close of the letter, and purpose 

 to give you a slight sketch of our route, such as may possibly 

 be useful to persons desirous of making a similar excursion. 



We quitted Funchal before day-break, and proceeded about 

 six miles along the coast to the westward to Camera de Loubos, 

 from whence we commenced the ascent in a northerly direc- 

 tion. At eight we stopped to breakfast at the Jardim de Serra, 

 a house which Mr. Veitch, the British consul-general, has built, 

 at an elevation of nearly 2800 feet. In approaching this height, 

 the vegetation reminded us at every step of England ; the 

 people of the country, whom we met on their way to mass, im- 

 pressed us favourably by their courteous demeanour towards 

 each other, as well as to strangers ; they were well, and even 

 handsomely clothed ; the men able-bodied and good-looking, 

 but the women, almost without exception, very plain. 



We found the temperature at Mr. Veitch's 16° less than at 

 Funchal, being a much greater difference than we had expected 

 as due to the elevation. An ascent of about half an hour from 

 the Jardim opens the first sight of the Curral, which struck 

 me, who am, however, but little accustomed to mountain 

 scenery, as the most magnificent view I had ever seen; the 

 Curral das Freiras, which means literally,'^! believe, the Sheep- 

 fold of the Nuns, is a ravine extending several miles in a north 

 and south direction, and of considerable width, the sides ex- 

 tending four thousand feet in height, in character frequently 

 precipitous, and where so, being in fine contrast with the deep 

 green foliage of the trees, by which the sides are more gene- 

 rally clothed ; these trees are principally laurels, amongst 

 which we noticed the Nobilis, Indica, and Foetens. The valley 

 of the Curral is occupied by n, small river, which descends 

 from the high land of the interior with all the character of a 

 mountain torrent. Our route led into the Curral for the pur- 

 pose of ascending its valley, but the descent being impracti- 

 cable at the spot where the first view is obtained, the road 

 continues to ascend, passing over an elevated ridge, on which 

 there was much snow. In descending on the Curral side of 

 this ridge, and at some distance beneath its summit, is a cppir. 



