Wall's, t'lcvrii (lavs liaviiijj; tdapsiM! siiifc K-uvhii;' 

 Plymouth, from wliL-nct' we had taktni our de- 

 partaro. The appcaTauce of the island^ when we 



it, was generally barren, varied by an occasional 



verdaut patch scattertid over tlu- I'uggod nu-ks, 

 which terminated in steep cliiis to the water s 

 edge. 



On the {bllmlnf mmnng at day-light, lha 

 4*rfe tp^rering land of Madeira* was visible, 



risingj like a liri<>'(! black mass from tlm Idiio 

 water. By eight a. m. wt^ were in the |iassati"o 

 between the south-east side of Madeira and the 

 group df kl^nt}^ kaOwn tb6 Bes^rfa^, sailjng, 

 wifix a light and agreeable breeze, fifom tdhsft m&\r 

 ward, which enabled ns to have an excellent WW 

 both of tlie former islands and Madeira : and m 

 our progress seemed to be quicker than would 

 have been expected fifmi onx gentle zephyrs, we 

 were p^)c^i)ijat4f lAiQ tided by a cnrr6nt. t 



* Madeira Bigni6et» in the Portuguese langu^e^ " woody;" 

 and tJie island was so named ftont the very wooded apfiear- 

 ance it had on its discovery. 



In summer, Horsburgh states that tfMf tlorth'east winds 

 •jxrevail, and a south-west current scls tliifotl^h tile channel, 

 between Madeira and the DesLM tas. The current ahtn^j; the 

 south side of Madeira and the Desertas mostly sets to the lee- 

 vml ksiroi^^ales ; but at<tM f$Q^«8u»n: «f a ®9t^ it «»iie* 

 iixssm changeM suddeidy^ and b^Ib ^trary td the witid^ 



