SEPT. 1768 MADEIRA 9 
Adam and Eve dwelt before the fall, for had it been so, the 
inhabitants here would never have been induced to put on 
clothes; so much are they resolved in every particular to 
follow exactly the paths of their forefathers.” 
Indeed, were the people here only tolerably industrious, 
there is scarcely any luxury which might not be produced 
that either Europe or the Indies afford, owing to the great 
difference of climate observable in ascending the hills. This 
we experienced on a visit to Dr. Heberden, who lives about two 
miles from the town; we left the thermometer when we set 
out at 74°, and found it there at 66°. The hills produce 
almost spontaneously vast quantities of walnuts, chestnuts, and 
apples, but in the town you find some few plants natives of both 
the Indies, whose flourishing state puts it out of all doubt, 
that were they taken any care of, they might have any quantity 
of them. Of such they have the banana (Musa sapientum, 
Linn.) in great abundance, the guava (Psidium pyriferum, 
Linn.) not uncommon, and the pine-apple (Bromelia Ananas, 
Linn.)—of this I saw some very healthy plants in the provi- 
sion-garden, the mango (Mangifera indica, Linn.)—one plant 
also of this in the same garden bearing fruit every year, and 
the cinnamon (Laurus Cinnamomum, Linn.)—very healthy 
plants of which I saw on the top of Dr. Heberden’s house 
at Funchiale, which had stood there through the winter 
without any kind of care having been taken of them. 
These, without mentioning any more, seem very sufficient to 
show that the tenderest plants might be cultivated here 
without any trouble; yet the indolence of the inhabitants 
is so great, that even that is too much for them. Indeed, 
the policy here is to hinder them as much as possible 
from growing anything themselves except what they find 
their account in taking in exchange for corn, though the 
people might with much less trouble and expense grow 
the corn themselves. What corn does grow here (it is not 
much) is of a most excellent quality, large-grained and very 
fine. Their meat also is very good, mutton, pork, and beef 
more especially, which was agreed by all of us to be very 
little inferior to our own, though we Englishmen value ourselves 
