MADEIRA. 



17 



in part paved. The guides, who followed our 

 ponies, pricked them forward with the point of 

 their sticks, and ofteQ forced us to gallop, at 

 the risk of breaking our necks, whilst they 

 roared out a drunken chorus all the way 

 down, with perfect indifference to our fate. 



It was dark and late when I reached the 

 consul's house ; and full of the recollection of 

 the last night's horrors, I sent down my lug- 

 gage to the shore, and found a boat to carry 

 me to my cot in the North Star, 



14th. — At sea. I dined at a Portuguese mer- 

 chant's the day before we sailed from Funchal. 

 He had included me among the officers of the 

 ship, with whom he was personally acquainted, 

 and I had no reason to repent having accepted 

 the invitation. His Madeira wines were all 

 excellent, the dinner sumptuous, and his man- 

 ners, and reception of his guests, obliging and 



