8 FLOWERS AND GARDENS OF MADEIRA 



of the scene culminated at the little hamlet of 

 Cruzinhas, whence we looked into a labyrinth of 

 dark precipitous ravines, formed by the gorges of 

 the central group of mountains, whose peaks, for- 

 tunately unclouded for a time, resembled in their 

 fantastic ruggedness those of the Dolomites ; but 

 their sides being densely wooded with the spark- 

 ling laurel, and the ravines themselves more 

 tortuous, we, I need hardly say, reluctantly came 

 to the conclusion that even the Dolomite gorges 

 could not equal them. There was none of the 

 splendid rock-colouring of the Dolomites, but for 

 deep-wooded ravines of deep mysterious gloom, 

 descending from pinnacled mountains, it is a great 

 question whether the Tyrol must not yield to 

 Madeira." 



