2 
MADEIRA. 
A thick white cloud covered its mountains, which gradually dissi- 
pating as we advanced, disclosed their snowy summits beautifullv 
contrasting with the dark foliage of their declivities. The squadron 
hove to about ten o’clock in the forenoon, off the town of Funchal, 
at the distance of two or three leagues from the land. 
Having prepared every thing for collecting objects of natural his- 
tory, I waited impatiently for the appearance of a boat, to carry me 
to the fulfilment of my anticipations. Examining with my glass 
the aspect of the rugged shores, I exulted in the geological interest 
of their appearance, and collected, in imagination, plants which, 
from number and rarity, would give a long and delightful em- 
ployment. What then was my disappointment, when I was informed 
by His Excellency, that he wished no one to leave the ship, lest any 
chance of delay should arise to the sailing of the Alceste, as soon as 
she had obtained the necessary supplies. As Lord Amherst denied 
himself, for public reasons, the pleasure which he much desired, of 
visiting the island, no one of his suite had a shadow of right to 
remonstrate, and I prepared to suffer my disappointment with all 
possible patience. After the lapse, however, of two or three hours, 
Capt. Campbell, of the General Hewitt, came on board, and offered 
to take me on shore ; and, being almost immediately to return, I 
readily accompanied him. 
On approaching the beach, where I had hoped to find some spe- 
cimens of sea-weed, I found the depth of water up to the shore so 
great, that a vessel might almost anchor with her bowsprit over the 
land, and consequently, that no marine production was to be met 
with. The beach is made up of large rounded fragments of lava, 
generally of a vesicular structure, very ponderous, and of a bluish 
colour. Landing to the westward of the town, I found a mountain 
torrent, having its bed sides formed of huge masses of volcanic matter, 
as far as the eye could follow its romantic windings. I entered its 
bed in search of plants, but found very few, as the apprehension of 
losing my chance of returning to the ship prevented my looking very 
narrowly. The Fumaria Parviflora, which was growing in great 
