Chapter XUl—zAPRIL 



Mountains and Islands 



" Laborious indeed at the first ascent, but else so smooth, so 

 green, so full of goodly prospect." — Milton, " Of Education** 



THE lengthening of the days, and 

 the greater likelihood of settled 

 weather are a temptation to " step 

 a little aside from the noisy crowd 

 and the incumbering hurry of the world," and 

 to seek the majestic solitude of the hills. To 

 do so does not necessitate any so elaborate or 

 prolonged a journey as the exploration of the 

 north side of the island. In the course of a 

 day's excursion from Funchal some of the 

 finest mountain scenery in Madeira may be 

 visited without undue exertion. If these 

 spacious moorlands and rocky crags are less 

 characteristic and less lovely than the wooded 

 valleys of the north, they have a charm, a 

 sense of freedom, and a breeziness which are 

 their own. 



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