Pico Ruivo, by Captain Sabine. 77 



ous spring, which collects in a shaded basin formed in the rock 

 by the workmen by whom the road was made. The tempera- 

 ture of the water in this basin was 47°.2, that of the air 46°, 

 and at Funchal 65°; its elevation 4454 feet. 



Whilst these observations were making, the sumtiiit of the 

 Pico Ruivo, which was enveloped in clouds during the day, was 

 visible for some minutes ; and it may be worthy of notice, that 

 this was the only period in which the proportion of moisture in 

 the upper air to saturation \^as observed to be less than at 

 Funchal. The wind throughout the day was easterly and light, 

 but with little of the unpleasant sensation which usually charac- 

 terizes the Leste. 



The time pressing, we committed our horses to the Portuguese 

 attendants, and descending ourselves on foot more quickly than 

 we should have done on horseback, although stopping occasion- 

 ally in admiration of the splendid scenery on every side, which it 

 was impossible to pass without notice, we crossed at noon the 

 Ribeiro di Curral on a tree which had fallen across the torrent, 

 the horses fording it lower down, and pursued a road which 

 led to the head of the valley. We there recommenced the ascent* 

 and passing through districts of brooms and ferns, entered the 

 snow at a somewhat lower elevation than on the heights near 

 the coast. At two P.M. we reached the highest point attainable 

 on horseback, by reason of the depth of snow, and of the 

 frequent quebradas, or breaches, in the road, caused by the 

 descent of torrents. It is a ridge 4380 feet above the sea, over 

 which the road passes at the foot of the Pico das Torrinhas, 

 which is inferior in height only to the Pico Ruivo. From hence 

 Mr. Whitelaw and myself proceeded on foot, the others of our 

 party returning to the valley to await us. Entering a thick wood 

 of^evergreens, consisting of laurels, of the Quercus Ilex, and of 

 the Erica Arborea which attains a large size and grows even at 

 the summit of the mountains, we were soon enveloped in the 

 clouds by which the Peak was hid from our sight; and after 

 an hour and a halfs good walk through snow, which latterly ex- 

 ceeded two feet in depth, impeded occasionally by the quebradas, 

 which arc passable only by the aid of roots and branches of trees. 



