Wine-carriers. 



Manner of making wine. 



MADEIRA. 



Fertility of the island. 

 Pico Ruivo. 



sants make their habitation in caves or excava- 

 tions on the hill-side. 



In the town of Funchal there are many elegant 

 establishments, and much luxury among the higher 

 classes, but the poorer classes are lodged misera- 

 bly. The houses are generally of one story, of 

 which the exterior is well kept, being neatly white- 

 washed; but the interior is any thing but comfort- 

 able. They have but one entrance. The floors 

 are paved with round stones, and the walls are of 

 rough stone, presenting no better an appearance 

 than our wood-cellars. The furniture is scanty, 

 and of the coarsest kind. 



Travelling is performed in sedan-chairs. This 

 mode is always considered the safest for ladies, 

 particularly in crossing the mountains. Horses 

 and mules are seldom used. On leaving Funchal 

 for the country, it is one continued ascent between 

 high stone walls, these forming abutments to the 

 terraces, which are covered with vines, and afford 

 protection from the sun. After reaching the hills, 

 one enjoys a delightful view of the beautiful gar- 

 dens. The road-sides are lined throughout with 

 flowers (to us those of the green-house), among 

 them fuchsias, digitalis, rose geraniums, punica 

 granata, rosa indica cocciuea, hydrangea hortensis, 

 mixed witb box-trees, myrtles, &c. 



The valleys are covered with the belladonna 

 lily, and the mountain-passes cannot be compared 

 to any thing more appropriate than to a rich 

 flower-garden left to grow wild. Added to all 

 this, a climate which resembles our finest spring 

 weather. 



Such of the peasantry as do not gain a subsist- 

 ence in the vineyards have usually a small patch 

 of ground which they cultivate, raising grain, corn, 

 potatoes, and the taro (arum esculentum), in quan- 

 tities barely sufficient to eke out a scanty living. 

 The cultivation is commonly performed by hand, 

 although a plough of very simple construction is 

 sometimes used. Many of the peasantry are em- 

 ployed as carriers, and one is much struck by their 

 numbers when entering Funchal early in the 

 morning, with sheep-skins filled with wine on their 

 shoulders, that look at a distance more like the 

 live animal than a filled skin. These skins are 

 preserved as entire as possible, even the legs of 

 the animal being retained. They are generally 

 kept steady by a band that passes over the fore- 

 head, which supports a great part of the weight. 

 About twenty-five gallons, weighing more than 

 two hundred pounds, is a load. They move rapidly, 

 and carry this load five miles for a mere trifle. 

 To us, one of the most remarkable features in the 

 population was to see a female not only thus em- 

 ployed, but a stout mountain lass trudging up a 

 steep path with ease, under a load that would have 

 staggered one of our labourers, even for a short 

 distance. 



The manner of expressing the juice I have no 

 where seen particularly described; and although a 

 description of it may not add a relish to the cup, 

 yet it will show the manufacture as conducted ac- 

 cording to the old custom, at the present day. A 

 friend of our consul was obliging enough to show 

 us his works, and the machinery for expressing 

 the juice from the grape. It was in a rude sort of 

 shed. On our approach we heard a sort of song, 

 with a continued thumping, and on entering saw 

 six men stamping violently in a vat of six feet 



square by two feet deep, three on each side of a 

 huge lever beam, their legs bare up to the thighs. 

 On our entrance they redoubled their exertions till 

 the perspiration fairly poured from them; the vat 

 had been filled with grapes, and by their exertions 

 we were enabled to see the whole process. After 

 the grapes had been sufficiently stamped, and the 

 men's legs well scraped, the pulp was made into 

 the shape of a large bee-hive, a rope made of the 

 young twigs of the vine being wound around it. 

 The lever was then used, which has a large stone 

 or rock attached to it by a screw. The juice flows 

 off, and is received in tubs. The produce of the 

 press is on an average about fifty gallons daily. 

 Each gallon requires about ten bushels of grapes. 

 The taste is very much like sweet cider. The 

 process is any thing but pleasing, and endeavours 

 have been made by English residents to substitute 

 machinery, but the prejudices, vexatious, and diffi- 

 culties experienced have caused them to give up 

 the attempt. The general average is from one to 

 three pipes of wine per acre annually. 



The south side of Madeira, as is well known, 

 although not the most fertile, produces the finest 

 wines. Every point which can be cultivated suc- 

 cessfully is attended to, and earth is brought to 

 inci-ease the soil from other parts. The kinds of 

 grapes are various, and the wines manufactured as 

 numerous. The common Madeira is obtained from 

 a mixture of Dual, Verdelho, and Negro Molle 

 grapes; the Malmsey and Sercial from gi-apes of 

 the same name. There is a great difference in the 

 spots and peculiar exposure where the vine grows; 

 and different kinds of wine are produced, accord- 

 ing to the state of maturity to which the grape is 

 allowed to arrive at before being gathered. After 

 being expressed, it is put into casks, undergoes the 

 process of fermentation, is clarified with gypsum 

 or isinglass, and a small portion of brandy is added, 

 two or three gallons to the pipe. 



The deportment of the lower classes is a mixture 

 of politeness and servility. They invariably noticed 

 us in passing by taking off the cap; and on re- 

 ceiving any thing, kissed their hands, or made 

 some other respectful salutation. 



The language spoken in Madeira is Portu- 

 guese, but with a rapid utterance, or rather, 

 clipping or abbreviating of their words and expres- 

 sions. 



The ignorance of the common people seems 

 great. Few can read, and still fewer write. It is 

 said they are acquainted with no more than three 

 coins, all of which are Spanish, namely, dollars, 

 pistareens, and bits, and that many kinds of Por- 

 tuguese coins current at Lisbon will not pass in 

 Madeira. The want of a small description of 

 money is much felt. 



I directed a party of officers to make an excur- 

 sion to the top of Pico Ruivo, in order to ascertain 

 its height, and that of the several points on their 

 way up. They remained four hours on the sum- 

 mit, during which time simultaneous observations 

 were made at the consul's house by lieutenant Carr 

 and myself. They ascended by the Santa Anna 

 road, which is the only one now said to be practi- 

 cable. Punta d'Empefio, the highest point of cul- 

 tivation, was found to be four thousand one hun- 

 dred feet above the sea. 



The magnetical observations for dip and inten- 

 sity were also made, and the longitude by chrono- 



