20 MADEIRA. 



are extensively employed about the town as carriers, and a 

 stranger is at times apt to be struck with the novel charac- 

 ter of their load ; when at a distance, he sees them bearing 

 on their shoulders what he supposes to be a live sheep, but 

 on nearer approach he discovers that they are only the skins 

 of that animal filled with wine. These skins are preserved 

 as entire as possible, even the legs being retained ; they 

 are kept steady by a band which passes oTer the forehead 

 and supports a considerable part of the weight. Twenty 

 gallons is considered an ordinary load, and they will carry 

 it to any part of the city for a pistareen. 



There are few public amusements to be found in Funchal, 

 and strangers very soon complain of monotony. There is n o 

 theatre, no cafe, no resort, in fact, but the billiard-table. 

 The members of the Portuguese Club have a ball, once a 

 month during the season, and very agreeable and pleasing 

 re-unions they are. According to Portuguese etiquette, 

 previous to the commencement of dancing, the ladies sit 

 formally at one end of the room, apart from the gentlemen, 

 and it is customary at two or three o'clock in the morning, 

 to hand round cups containing hot chicken broth. The 

 ball seldom breaks up before daylight. 



Yisiting among the ladies of Funchal is performed in 

 Palanquins, and a kind of vehicle lately introduced, resem- 

 bling one of our New England sleighs. The latter is gen- 

 erally drawn by oxen, and seems to answer better than a 

 wheel vehicle, on account of the steepness and narrowness 

 of the streets. 



The rides about Funchal are delightful ; the roads are good, 

 and lined on either hand with vineyards, mingled with groves 

 of the orange and lemon tree. The most agreeable way of 

 taking these rides is on horseback, horses being plentiful and 

 generally well broken. Their owners invariably accompany 



