22 
A VOYAGE TO 
[At Madeira. 
isoi. the country, he granted his permission with the utmost readiness. 
Tuesday 4. After I had answered some questions relative to the settlement of 
political affairs in the north of Europe, we took our leave ; and were 
attended out by the officers in waiting, and saluted by the guard. 
Thursday 6. On the 6th in the evening, our supply of provisions was 
received, and the caulking of the ship completed. The scientific 
gentlemen returned from an expedition towards the Pico Ruivo ; 
which is the highest of a ridge of mountains occupying the central 
parts of the island, and is said to be ,5067 feet, or nearly an English 
mile, above the level of the sea. The ascent was found to be very 
difficult; and this, with the heat of the weather and limitation of 
their time to this evening, disabled them from reaching the summit. 
It was late when they arrived at the shore ; and in embarking abreast 
of the town, they had the misfortune to be swamped, and to lose the 
greater part of their collections and sketches, although the boat was 
managed by Portuguese watermen, accustomed to the place. 
The best landing is behind the Loo Rock ; but the stony beach 
in front of the town is usually safe in the summer time. It was so 
on our first arrival, until the strong eastern winds in the offing raised 
so much swell as to make it dangerous, even for people experienced 
in the management of a boat in the surf. 
The town of Funchal is placed at the foot of a mountain, which 
projects from the great central ridge ; and the houses being mostly 
white, they form a strong, but agreeable contrast with the back land. 
At different elevations up the side of the mountain, are scattered the 
country houses of the richer inhabitants, placed amongst groups of 
trees and surrounded with vines. These, with a convent dedicated 
to Our Lady of the Mountain, which, like the houses, is white, but 
partly hidden by foliage, give to the whole a picturesque and pleasing 
appearance from the ships in the road. The town is larger, and 
there was more trade and activity in it than I was prepared to expect 
in a small colony, where the students of the college and ecclesiastics 
of different orders form no inconsiderable part of the superior class 
