Leaves from a Madeira Garden 



I have already described the chief route across 

 the island as far as the Ribeiro Frio, the 

 excursion which gives to many visitors their one 

 glimpse of the northern valleys. The traveller 

 who instead of returning to Funchal pursues 

 this route to the village of Sta. Anna will pass 

 through a succession of enchanting scenes, " an 

 intermingled pomp of hill and vale." He will 

 ascend ridge after ridge and descend into valley 

 after valley, each differing from each in character, 

 yet now and then displaying that curious repeti- 

 tion of feature, that suggestion of imitative 

 power, which are sometimes very marked in the 

 scenery of volcanic mountains. Perhaps the 

 finest part of the route is where the traveller 

 crosses the Metade valley, a good deal lower 

 down than the point of view already described. 

 Looking back, he gazes once more into the 

 stupendous recesses of the great ravine ; the 

 view if less intimate is more mysterious ; and 

 if clouds have gathered on the crests and hide 

 the topmost crags of Arriero and the Torres, 

 their lower cliiFs will appear the more appalling 

 for the gloom above. At this season the lower 

 hills are made glorious by the common broom, 

 " flooding the mountain-sides for miles with 



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