HOMEWARD BOUND. 251 



to twelve hundred feet. By 7.45 we passed the light- 

 house at the north end of Canaria, and now go forth into 

 a stormy, pitchy-dark atmosphere towards Europe, which 

 will be the next land we see. 



I noticed in Rio de Janeiro advertisements for emi- 

 grants required to go to the Canary Islands. This really 

 seemed to me too good a joke, to ask a country with three 

 or four people to the square mile to send off emigrants. 

 I know nothing about the place and its productions, 

 except a certain old-fashioned canary wine, which is to be 

 got in Brazil, and is called Canary Indian wine, because 

 from the Canaries it makes a voyage to the East Indies 

 and then to England, from whence it is sent to Brazil. 



August 14. Caught the first sight of the Portuguese 

 coast at 10.30 ; by midday the Cintra Hills stood out in 

 great distinctness, and we were soon amidst numerous 

 fishing-smacks, with the charming shoulder-of-mutton sails, 

 besides two or three wonderful minute and incomprehen- 

 sible triangular sails on the bowsprit and aft. 



We anchored over Belem in the quarantine roads at 

 2.30, outside the harbour and town proper. It was just 

 such a day as when we landed in Lisbon on the 1 2th of 

 June last year ; but now we have the ominous yellow flag, 

 denoting quarantine, flying from the foremast. 



The official boat came off, threw some papers on board, 

 received ours in the same way, and then sheered off to 

 examine them. We were, of course, quarantined, which is 

 the rule coming from Brazil, two gendarmes being sent on 

 board to watch us. 



Coaling soon began, as we had only taken two hundred 

 tons at St. Vincent ; but this time the coal was brought 

 up in baskets from the lighters, and pitched direct into 

 the bunker's down-shoots in the ship's sides, so there was 



