TRAVELLING IN MADEIRA, 9 
t3odv ; it makes dreadfid havoc on the cheeks, lips, 8vc. of 
the poor females, and yet they do not consider it infectious. 
The soldiers here are very niean^ and are great thieves : some 
of them stole' our purser's dn k while he was vvah\ing in the stieels* 
The wives of tlse niercbanis are carried about in paL nquhis 
îîiade extremely neat. Tiieir besiiiorsts come from Aoienca: for 
removing their wine, &c. to the beach, they use a curious kind 
of sledge, dravs'n by two bullocks: a boy always walls l^efore 
their head, while a iiian guides them with a pole; a'td when 
there are oo casks on the aledge, tliey in general stand oc it 
and drive; they are extremely expert at this^ and very seldom 
any accident happens to them. 
We seldoiii hear of any nmrders being committed here; and 
I am, as 1 hi fore mentioned, credibly informed, that in the 
country the people are extremely hospitable, and will not accept 
any return for the little assistance they may render a stranger. 
Poultry is very dear, a fowl costing six shillings. Fish are caught 
in abundance : the sea-pikes are siot inferior to the river ones. 
Oor consort, the Arab, lost here some men, who swam away; 
two fell from a rock forty feet high, but, though much bruised, 
recovered. We had only two men punished for drunkenness. 
We obtained here a plentifuli supply of beef, wine, and water. 
W hen we came to Funchal, we found the wine we had picked up 
at sea, to be the best Madeira Burgundy. This island produces 
beans, apples, and every kind of fruit belonging to hot climates. 
The helds are covered with most beauliful flowers, and odo- 
riferous herbs; and die honey produced liere, is supposed be 
the finest in the world. The nuns employ4hemseives In making 
artificial fruit and flowers, some of which w^ere bi ought on buard 
to be sold. I had heard much of their preserves, b'it saw 
none. The man we pressed out of the little Li^eipool vessel ran 
awav here. This island has been so often and so well described 
by various authors, that it would be useless for me to enter into 
any farther particulars, as the shortness of our stay prevented 
nre from making any excursions on it. 1 should have been 
happy, had my time been longer, and enabled me to give a full 
description of the customs and manners of the people; but let 
an author only relate what he sees on lise spot, and catch the 
manners living as they rise," instead of compiling from others, 
and he w ill gain sufficient credit from his readers. ' 
October 19th. We took our departure from Madeira, leav- 
ing our commodore behind, and having in company our convoy. 
On the ^Ist we made Teneriife, S. W. |. S. distant about 35 
leagues; at twelve o'clock, the Peak bore S. W. | S. distant 
25 leagues : its ancient name was Teyde, and it is m the centre 
of the island. At sun-set, Pahiia bore W. i S. distant 15 leagues; 
SPILSBURY.] B 
