TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 87 



evening, when thin clouds began to overspread the 

 horizon, we saw several birds, among others the 

 Procellariapelagica, swimming on the surface, which 

 were all indications of the vicinity of land. We 

 therefore shortened sail during the night. At 

 six o'clock the following morning we descried, 

 about six miles south of us, the three desert islands, 

 Ilhas Desertas, belonging to the group of Madeira, 

 rising like ruined portals or immense arches, out of 

 the boundless ocean. The most northern of these 

 three bare rocks, which has scarcely any inhabit- 

 ants but a few sea-gulls, nor any other vegetation 

 than the dyers' lichen *, is the lowest ; the mid- 

 dle one, the largest in circumference, and the most 

 southerly one (Bogia), on the other hand, are 

 steeper, and may both be seen at a distance of 

 eight or nine miles. The channels between these 

 rocks, and between them and Madeira, are safe, 

 in very few places less than sixty fathoms deep, 

 and here and there from two to five hundred. In 

 the summer months, during which the N.E. wind 

 regularly prevails, a south-western current of the 

 waters is perceived in them. The fog, which 

 had hitherto concealed Madeira, which bore S.W., 

 dispersed as the sun rose higher, and about nine 

 o'clock we clearly distinguished the eastern promon- 

 tory, Cabo de S. Louren90 ; the multiform reddish 

 cliffs rising steeply above each other, extend far 

 into the sea. Leaving it to the north of us, we 



* See Note 1. page 125. 

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