i 



The Corral. 

 I'tiaithilluii of Madeira. 



MADE III A. 



Wine of the Island. 

 Dre*i oftlic uilut<.t.ir>u. 



times holding on t«i the fail of the pony, then be- 

 stowing repented blows with their lout; sticks, and 

 ever and nnnn urging him on with their singular 

 tones of voice, so that the rider in compelled to 

 allow himself to be carried alone, contented with 

 passing safely over so novel and (to him) ap- 

 parently so im passable a roadway. 



On proceeding out of Funchal, fruits, flowers, 

 and vegetables stem crowding upon the sight \ in 

 the lower portions, groves of orange and lemon 

 trees are mingled with the vineyard*, the trees are 

 loaded with fruit ; then, as one mounts higher, 

 bananas, fies, pomegranates, <\.c. ure seen, and 

 again, still higher, the fruits of tint tropics ure 

 interspersed with those of ibe temperate zone, v'u.., 

 Bpples, currants, penis, and peaches, while tin- 

 ground is covered with melons, tomatoes, egg- 

 plant, kc. Farther beyond, the highest point of 

 cultivation is reached, where the potato alone 

 flourishes. Then the whole lower portion is spread 

 before the eye, Vineyards, occupying every spot 

 that is susceptible of improvement ; and one rides 

 through paths hedged in with geraniums, roses, 

 myrtles, and hydrangeas. These plants, which we 

 had been accustomed to consider as the inhabitant* 

 of our parlours and green houses, are here met 

 with iti gigantic forms, and as different from our 

 small, sickly specimens as crm well he imagined. 



Every one who visits Madeira should see the 

 Curral. It is a very remarkable spot, and it is 

 difficult, if not impossible, to give an idea of its 

 beauty and grandeur. Thin place is approached 

 by the usual ascent from Funchal, through the 

 narrow roads, or paths hedged with roses, &e., the 

 view gradually extending beneath, over the ter- 

 raced vineyards. Just before reaching it you 

 mount a Hmall ascent; you arc then on the summit 

 or edge of the Curral, and the whole scene sud- 

 denly bursts upon you. The eye descends to the 

 depth of two thousand feet, into the immense 

 chasm below, and wanders over the ragged and 

 broken outline of the many peaks that rise from 

 its very bottom ; then upwards, following the gra; 

 precipitous rocks, till their summit* an- lost in the 

 clouds, which are passing fitfully across it, occa- 

 sionally permitting the sunbeams to glance to its 

 very bottom- Thu whole looks more like en- 

 chantment than reality. Tin- shape of the Curral 

 and its peqiendicular sides give the idea rather uf 

 a gorge than of a crater. 



The islands of Madeira and Porto Sauto, under 

 the new constitution, promulgated in 1836, were 

 included in one district, called " Districto-adminis- 

 trativo do Funchal." It contains ten councils, in 

 which are forty-live parishes. Tho population, ac- 

 cording to the census taken in IfMb", amounted to 

 115,447 &°uls. The English population to I OB 

 families, numbering 324 souls. 



The revenue of the island is stated to bo about 

 210,000 dollars per annum. That portion which 

 is derived from the customs, is about one- half, or 

 1 10,000 dollars. The remainder is from taxes and 

 ttthe*. 



There are about five thousand proprietors of the 

 soil, of whom no more than six hundred and fifty 

 live on their rents; and there are about four hun- 

 dred who receive government salaries. 



Mendicants arc numerous, and one is much tor- 

 mented with i hero from the very moment of landing. 

 It is surprising to find them ho importunate in so 



tine an island, and where the necessaries of life 

 ought to abound. 



Wine is the staple commodity : the produce 

 during the year 101*7 was 14,150 pipes, The export 

 tin- year previous to mir visit amounted to 843! 

 pipes, of which about 3800 pipes Went to the United 

 States. The inhabitants of Madeira are much alive 

 and justly jealous of the reputation of their wines, 

 which are generally the engrossing topic of conver- 

 sation. An amusing excitement existed during our 

 ■> i-.it. A London paper ( The Times) had asserted, 

 that foreign wine had frequently been introduced 

 into Madeira, and afterwards exported as the ge- 

 nuine article to the United States in particular; 

 and what gave more force to the story, it misstated 

 as a fact, that 7" pipes hail lately been entered, at the 

 expense of 1000 dollars,nnd remanufactured. Even 

 body was up in arms. The commercial association 

 of Funchal passed resolutions denouncing the pub- 

 lication in strong terms, as designed by certain in- 

 terested persona to injure the reputation of the 

 wine of Madeira. So strict are the laws to prevent 

 frauds, that even genuine Madeira, after being once 

 shipped, cannot be returned to the island. I beard, 

 however, of an attempt, and but one, to smuggle in 

 Teneriffe and Fay a I wines, which was discovered. 

 Tho casks were broken, the wine destroyed, the 

 floats confiscated, and the smuggler condemned to 

 be transported to the coast of Africa. 



The people are industrious, sober, and civil, and 

 although ignorant, I should think happy. Then 1 is 

 little, if any, mixed blood among them. They are 

 of the old Arabian stock. Free negroes arc seen. 

 Dark hair, eyes, and complex ion, are most common; 

 but much diversity in form and feature, and in the 

 colour of the hair, cxiBts. The character of the 

 features of the inhabitant* is usually rather a 

 broad face, high cheek bones, and pointed nose, 

 full lips, good teeth, and retreating chin. The 

 men are very muscular, rather above the middle 

 height, strongly built, and capable of enduring 

 great fatigue. We all agreed that the women 

 were particularly ugly, which is to be imputed 

 in part to the hard labour required of them. 

 The two sexes do not appear to belong to the same 

 race. 



The nu n of the lower order are dressed in a 

 kind of loose trousers (cuecas), descending as funis 

 the knee, with a shirt or jacket of a gaudy colour. 

 Both sexes wear a kind o) cap (carapuea^'of very 

 small dimensions, tied under the chin. Its use is 

 not readily conceived, sb it is only a few inches in 

 diameter at its base, and terminates in a conical top, 

 like an inverted funnel. 



The women wear bodices, with short petticoats 

 of a variety of colours, in stripes. Thrv hWT* 

 usually shoes and stockings, but they generally go 

 barefooted, with these articles tied in a small bun- 

 dle, to be put on when they wish to appear fine. 

 The children arc poorly chid, have but one gar- 

 ment, and that dirty. 



The habitations of the lower order would be 

 called huts in our country. They arc composed of 

 walls nf stone, about five or six feet high, with a 

 roof rising on all sides to a central pole; an 

 thatched with straw or broom, ami coiituin nnlv 

 one room. The only aperture for light and smoke 

 is die door. There is but little necessity for chim- 

 neys, as tire is seldom required. It is said that in 

 the northern part of the isl .nd, some of the pea- 



