14 MADEIRA. 



in girth at a height of two feet from the ground. These have by 

 former travellers been reported as pines. Mr. Drayton's illustrative 

 drawing of these remarkable trees is very characteristic. 



After a fatiguing day's ramble, in which they collected many 

 specimens, they returned to Santa Anna, quite wet, it having rained 

 most of the day on the mountain. The next day they set out for San 

 Vincente, their kind host furnishing them with a letter to Padre 

 Jacinto Neri. Passing along the north side, over some of the most 

 mountainous and broken parts of the island, though at the same time 

 extremely beautiful, and in places well cultivated, they reached the 

 pass at Estroza. This is particularly striking, winding around the 

 precipitous cliff, almost overhanging the sea, several hundred feet 

 below, and with its pinnacles reaching the clouds. The path around 

 this bluff, which is only wide enough for one at a time, is a good 

 specimen of the roads around the island. It has been worked with 

 great labour, and made quite easy to travel by its zigzag direction. 

 The feeling of insecurity to those who are unaccustomed to these 

 mural precipices, with the extended ocean lying far beneath, serves 

 to give additional interest to the scene. 



To the plate of this pass, facing page 1, the reader is referred for a 

 correct representation of the same. 



They passed through several villages, all prettily situated, among 

 which was Porto Delgada, and about sunset arrived at San Vincente. 

 At Porto Delgada, their guides would not allow them to stop, as it 

 was necessary to descend and pass along the rocky shore before the 

 tide came in.* They succeeded in passing safely, but were kept on 

 the qui vive by the numerous stories detailed by their guides of the 

 accidents that had occurred there. The road to this part of the 

 island is little frequented by strangers, of whom only three are said 

 to have visited San Vincente during four months. 



On their arrival they found Padre Jacinto engaged at prayers. 

 After his duties w T ere finished he received them kindly, and accommo- 

 dated them for the night. San Vincente is but a small village of 

 fifteen houses, a chapel, and a distillery, in which, during the season, 

 they make between four and five hundred gallons of brandy a day. 

 As Padre Jacinto could not speak a word of English, they had but 

 little conversation with him. However, a little Spanish on both sides, 

 with gesticulatio is, enabled them to pass the usual compliments, and 

 to obtain the requisite directions for proceeding back to Funchal 

 on the next day. They were kindly and hospitably entertained by 

 the Padre, and left him with many thanks for his kindness. Taking 

 the road or rather path across to the Curral, they passed over a most 



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