Wine-cairlt-n. 



Hauncr of making wine. 



MADK IRA. 



[■criUiiy of ilic hUnd. 

 Pico Huiro. 



5 



s-mts make their habitation in envts or excavn- 

 i ii .us mi the hill-side. 



In the town of Funclial there are many elegant 

 establishments, and much luxury among the higher 

 classes, hnt the poorer classes are lodged misera- 

 bly. The houses arc generally of one stun-, of 

 «ln. h the exterior is well kept, being neatly white- 

 washed; hut (lie interior is any thing but comfort - 

 nhle. They have but one entrance. The floor* 

 arc paved with round stones, and the wails are <if 

 rough stone, presenting no better an appearance 

 than our wood-cellars. The furniture is Beauty, 

 and of the coarsest kind. 



Travelling is performed in sedan-chairs. This 

 mode is always considered the safest for ladies, 

 particularly in crossing the mountains. Horses 

 ami mules are seldom used. (In leaving Funrhal 

 for the country, it is one continued ascent between 

 high stone walls, these forming abutments to the 

 terraces, which are covered with vines, and afford 

 protection from the sun. After reaching the hill*, 

 one enjoys a delightful view of the beautiful gar- 

 dens. The roadsides are lined throughout with 

 flowers (to us those of tie- green-house), among 

 them fuchsia*, digitalis, rose geraniums, punica 

 gmnatn, msa indica cocciuea, hydrangea hortensis, 

 mixed with box-trees, myrtles, &c. 



The valleys are covered with the belladonna 

 lily, and the mountain-passes cannot lie compared 

 to any thing mntv appropriate than to a rich 

 flower-garden left to grow wild. Added to all 

 this, a climate which resembles our finest spring 

 weather. 



Such of the peasantry as do not gain a subsist- 

 ence in the vineyards have usually a small patch 

 of ground wdiiclv they cultivate, raising grain, com, 

 potatoes, ami the tarn (arum esculent urn), in rpian- 

 tities barely sufficient to eke out a scanty living. 

 The cultivation is commonly performed by hand, 

 although a plough of very simple construction is 

 sometimes used. Many of the peasantry arc em- 

 ployed as carriers, and one is much struck by their 

 numbers when entering Fuuchal early in th*> 

 morning, with sheep-skins filled with wine on their 

 shoulders, that look at a distance more like the 

 live animal than a filled skin. These skins are 

 preserved as entire as possible, even the legs of 

 the animal being retained. They are generally 

 kept steady by a band that passes over the fore- 

 head, which supports a great part of the weight. 

 About twenty-five gal Inns, weighing more than 

 two hundred pounds, is a load. They move rapidly, 

 and carry this load five miles for a mere trifle. 

 To us, one of the most remarkable features in the 

 population was to see a female not only thus em- 

 ployed, but a stout mountain lass trudging tip a 

 steep path with ease, under a load that would have 

 staggered one of our labourers, even for a short 

 distance. 



The manner of expressing the juice I have no 

 where seen particularly described; and although a 

 description of it may not add a relish to the cup, 

 yet it will show the manufacture as conducted ac- 

 cording to the old custom, nt the present day. A 

 friend of our consul was obliging enough to show 

 us his works, and the machinery for expressing 

 the juice from the grnpe. It was in a rude sort of 

 shed. On our approach we heard a sort of song, 

 with a continued thumping, and on entering saw 

 six men stamping violently in a vat of six feet 



square by two feet deep, three on each side of a 

 huge lever beam, their legs bare up to the thighs. 

 On our entrance they redoubled their exertions till 

 the perspiration fairly poured from them; the vat 

 had been filled with grapes, and by their exertions 

 we were enabled to see the whole process. After 

 the grapes bad been sufficiently stamped, and the 

 I men's lega well scraped, the pulp was made into 

 the shape of n large bee-hive, a rope made of the 

 young twigs of the vine lading wound around it. 

 The lever was then used, which has a large stone 

 or rock attached to it by a screw. The juice flows 

 oil', jmd is received in tubs. The [trod nee of the 

 press is on an average about fifty gallons daily. 

 Each gallon requires about ten bushels of grapes. 

 The taste is very much like sweet eider. The 

 process is any thing but pleasing, and endeavours 

 have been made by English residents to substitute 

 machinery, but the prejudices, voxatinns, and diffi- 

 culties experienced have caused them to give up 

 tin' attempt. The general average is from one to 

 three pipes of wine per acre annually. 



Tie- south side of Madeira, as i» well known, 

 nil hough not the most fertile, produces the finest 

 wines. Every point which cam he cultivated buc- 

 <■> .-■ -fully is attended to, and earth is brought to 

 increase the soil from other parts. The kinds of 

 grapes are various, and the wines manufactured aa 

 numerous. The common Madeira is obtained from 

 a mixture of Jlual, Verdelho, and Negro Molle 

 gmpes; the Malmsey and Sercial from grapes of 

 the same name. There is a great difference in the 

 spots and peculiar exposure where the vine grows; 

 and different kinds of w ine are produced, accord- 

 ing to the state of maturity to which the grape is 

 allowed to arrive at before being gathered. After 

 being expressed, it is put into casks, undergoes the 

 process of fermentation, is clarified with gypsum 

 or isinglass, and a small portion of brandy is added, 

 two or three gallons to the pipe. 



The deportment of the lower classes is a mixture 

 of politeness and servility. They invariably noticed 

 us in passing by taking off the cap; and on re- 

 ceiving any thing, kiBsed iheir hands, or made 

 s other respectful salutation. 



The language spoken in Madeira Lb Portu- 

 guese, but with a rapid utterance, or nit her, 

 clipping or abbreviating of their words and expres- 

 sions. 



The ignorance of the common people seems 

 great. Few can read, and still fewer write. It is 

 said they are acquainted with no more than three 

 coins, all of which are Spanish, namely, dollars, 

 pistarcens, and hits, and that many kinds of Por- 

 tuguese coins current at Lisbon will not pass in 

 Madeira. The want of a email description of 

 money is much felt. 



I directed a party of officers to make an excur- 

 sion to the top of Pico Kuivo, in order to ascertain 

 its height, and that of the several points on their 

 way up, They remained four hours on the sum- 

 mit, during which time simultaneous observations 

 were made at the consul's house by lieutenant t.arr 

 and myself. They ascended by the Santa Anna 

 mid, w hich is the only one now said to be practi- 

 cable. J'uula d'Einpefm, the highest point of cul- 

 tivation, was found to be four thousand one hun- 

 dred feet above the sea. 



The magnetical observations for dip and inten- 

 sity were also made, and the longitude by chrono- 



