MADEIRA. 
still greater than his appointments are liberal ; yet his whole 
income is barely 2000 /. a year, about 200 /. of which is in the 
shape of a present from the English merchants. 
The accidental discovery of Madeira is attributed, by most 
of the early voyagers and historians of Portugal, to an Eng- 
lishman ; and the subject is said to be painted on the walls of 
a room in the government-house. Whether the fact be really 
so or not, the adventures of Robert Macham and the lovelj' 
Anna d'Arfet furnish an interesting and an affecting story, the 
incidents of which are extremely natural, and not improbable. 
Goncalvez, indeed, who, after Macham, may be considered 
as the discoverer of IVIadeira, was so much convinced of the 
truth of the story Avhich was then prevalent, that he named 
the place of his first anchorage Poi^to dos luglezos ; and, on 
his second voyage, changed it to that of Porto de Machino, 
in honour of the unfortunate discoverer, which at this day is 
corrupted into Porto Machio or Machico. At this place are 
still shewn the remains of a cross, that was supposed to have 
been erected over the grave of the beautiful and amiable 
Aima d'Arfet, and which they pretend to have been cut out 
of the very tree under which she died and was buried. 
Whoever might have been the discoverer, it is certain the 
Portugueze were the first to take possession of it ; and in 
doing this they are not chargeable with any injustice or 
violence, for there was not found a single inhabitant of the 
human species upon it. Since that period it has not been 
out of their possession ; nor could it perhaps be better placed 
for the commerce and convenience of all nations, than in the 
