The Cnrral. 

 Population of Madeira. 



MADEIRA. 



Wine of the island. 

 Dress of the inhabitants. 



times holding on to the tail of the pony, then be- 

 stowing repented blows with their long sticks, and 

 ever and anon urging him on with their singular 

 tones of voice, so that the rider is compelled to 

 allow himself to be carried along, contented with 

 passing safely over so novel and (to him) ap- 

 parently so impassable a roadway. 



On proceeding out of Funchal, fruits, flowers, 

 and vegetables seem crowding upon the sight ; in 

 the lower portions, groves of orange and lemon 

 trees are mingled with the vineyards, the trees are 

 loaded with fruit ; then, as one mounts higher, 

 bananas, figs, pomegranates, &c., are seen, and 

 again, still higher, the fruits of the tropics are 

 interspersed with those of the temperate zone, viz., 

 apples, currants, pears, and peaches, while the 

 ground is covered with melons, tomatoes, egg- 

 plant, &c. Farther beyond, the highest point of 

 cultivation is reached, where the potato alone 

 flourishes. Then the whole lower portion is spread 

 before the eye. Vineyards, occupying every spot 

 that is susceptible of improvement ; and one rides 

 through paths hedged in with geraniums, roses, 

 myrtles, and hydrangeas. These plants, which we 

 had been accustomed to consider as the inhabitants 

 of our parlours and green- houses, are here met 

 with in gigantic forms, and as different from our 

 small, sickly specimens as can well be imagined. 



Every one who visits Madeira should see the 

 Curral. It is a very remarkable spot, and it is 

 difficult, if not impossible, to give an idea of its 

 beauty and grandeur. This place is approached 

 by the usual ascent from Funchal, through the 

 narrow roads, or paths hedged with roses, &c., the 

 view gradually extending beneath, over the ter- 

 raced vineyards. Just before reaching it you 

 mount a small ascent; you are then on the summit 

 or edge of the Curral, and the whole scene sud- 

 denly bursts upon you. The eye descends to the 

 depth of two thousand feet, into the immense 

 chasm below, and wanders over the ragged and 

 broken outline of the many peaks that rise from 

 its very bottom ; then upwards, following the gray 

 precipitous rocks, till their summits are lost in the 

 clouds, which are passing fitfully across it, occa- 

 sionally permitting the sunbeams to glance to its 

 very bottom. The whole looks more like en- 

 chantment than reality. The shape of the Curral 

 and its perpendicular sides give the idea rather of 

 a gorge than of a crater. 



The islands of Madeira and Porto Santo, under 

 the new constitution, promulgated in 1836, were 

 included in one district, called " Districto-adminis- 

 trativo do Funchal." It contains ten councils, in 

 which are forty-five parishes. The population, ac- 

 cording to the census taken in 1836, amounted to 

 115,447 souls. The English population to 108 

 families, numbering 324 souls. 



The revenue of the island is stated to be about 

 210,000 dollars per annum. That portion which 

 is derived from the customs, is about one-half, or 

 110,000 dollars. The remainder is from taxes and 

 tithes. 



There are about five thousand proprietors of the 

 soil, of whom no more than six hundred and fifty 

 live on their rents; and there are about four hun- 

 dred who receive government salaries. 



Mendicants are numerous, and one is much tor- 

 mented with them from the very moment of landing. 

 It is surprising to find them so importunate in so 



fine an island, and where the necessaries of life 

 ought to abound. 



Wine is the staple commodity : the produce 

 during the year 1837 was 14,150 pipes. The export 

 the year previous to our visit amounted to 8435 

 pipes, of which about 3800 pipes went to the United 

 States. The inhabitants of Madeira are much alive 

 and justly jealous of the reputation of their wines, 

 which are generally the engrossing topic of conver- 

 sation. An amusing excitement existed during our 

 visit. A London paper (The Times) had asserted, 

 that foreign wine had frequently been introduced 

 into Madeira, and afterwards exported as the ge- 

 nuine article to the United States in particular; 

 and what gave more force to the story, it was stated 

 as a fact, that 70 pipes had lately been entered, at the 

 expense of 1000 dollars, and remanufactured. Every- 

 body was up in arms. The commercial association 

 of Funchal passed resolutions denouncing the pub- 

 lication in strong terms, as designed by certain in- 

 terested persons to injure the reputation of the 

 wine of Madeira. So strict are the laws to prevent 

 frauds, that even genuine Madeira, after being once 

 shipped, cannot be returned to the island. I heard, 

 however, of an attempt, and but one, to smuggle in 

 Teneriffe and Fayal wines, which was discovered. 

 The casks were broken, the wine destroyed, the 

 boats confiscated, and the smuggler condemned to 

 be transported to the coast of Africa. 



The people are industrious, sober, and civil, and 

 although ignorant, I should think happy. There is 

 little, if any, mixed blood among them. They are 

 of the old A-rabian stock. Free negroes are seen. 

 Dark hair, eyes, and complexion, are most common ; 

 but much diversity in form and feature, and in the 

 colour of the hair, exists. The character of the 

 features of the inhabitants is usually rather a 

 broad face, high cheek bones, and pointed nose, 

 full lips, good teeth, and retreating chin. The 

 men are very muscular, rather above the middle 

 height, strongly built, and capable of enduring 

 great fatigue. We all agreed that the women 

 were particularly ugly, which is to be imputed 

 in part to the hard labour required of them. 

 The two sexes do not appear to belong to the same 

 race. 



The men of the lower order are dressed in a 

 kind of loose trousers (cuecas), descending as far as 

 the knee, with a shirt or jacket of a gaudy colour. 

 Both sexes wear a kind of cap (carapuca), of very 

 small dimensions, tied under the chin. Its use is 

 not readily conceived, as it is only a few inches in 

 diameter at its base, and terminates in a conical top, 

 like an inverted funnel. 



The women wear bodices, with short petticoats 

 of a variety of colours, in stripes. They have 

 usually shoes and stockings, but they generally go 

 barefooted, with these articles tied in a small bun- 

 dle, to be put on when they wish to appear fine. 

 The children are poorly clad, have but one gar- 

 ment, and that dirty. 



The habitations of the lower order would be 

 called huts in our country. They are composed of 

 walls of stone, about five or six feet high, with a 

 roof rising on all sides to a central pole; are 

 thatched with straw or broom, and contain only 

 one room. The only aperture for light and smoke 

 is the door. There is but little necessity for chim- 

 neys, as fire is seldom required. It is said that in 

 the northern part of the island, some of the pea- 



