TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 101 



ing Pal ma appeared, covered with heavy clouds; it is 

 almost always seen enveloped in mists, which is a 

 consequence of the westerly winds that prevail 

 here, and the rains brought by them, which are said 

 to be more frequent here than in any of the other 

 Canary Islands. At noon we saw the south point 

 to the S.E. by E., but thick fogs and a passing 

 shower of rain soon concealed it from our view. 

 An English brig, which had colonists for New Hoi- 

 land on board, passed close by us in this latitude. 

 There was a great number of women among them, 

 who, though banished from their native country, 

 appeared to go with good courage to their new 

 destination. On the evening of the same day we 

 descried the Island of Ferro, but, as usual^ enveloped 

 in fog. We had now passed the limit of ancient 

 navigation, from which the enterprising spirit of 

 Bartholomew Diaz, Columbus, Magalhaens, for* 

 merly steered to seek a new world j and, confiding 

 in human art and science, we proceeded across the 

 boundless expanse of the ocean to the destination 

 of our voyage. If the sojourner in the small and 

 frail vessel feels himself seized with shuddering, at 

 the view of the immense agitated element, yet 

 when he contemplates the skilfully constructed 

 edifice, triumphing over the air and water, steadily 

 pursuing its course, he is lost in wonder at the 

 greatness and the power of human invention. The 

 improvement of navigation and ship-building in our 

 times, inspires the voyager with a sense of Gom^ 



H 3 



