82 
CBUISE OF E.M.S. CHALLENGEB. 
the sun. Every house, of high or low degree, ap- 
pears to have its latticed windows and balconies, 
behind which the ladies of the household seem to 
pass a large proportion of the day, gazing out on the 
passers-by. 
In the course of a few years the breakwater will 
probably be completed ; it is being carried out for 
some distance, and will be sufficient to shelter all the 
shipping that visit the port during the fruit season, 
which commences in November and ends in May, 
during which period it is usually very bad weather. 
On the evening of July 9th we left the anchorage 
under steam, and proceeded to the offing, when the 
ship was swung for magnetic and azimuth correc- 
tions. On their conclusion, a course was shaped for 
Madeira, which was reached on the 3 5th. Here, as 
at Fayal, we were informed by the health officer that 
small-pox was very prevalent ; it was therefore de- 
cided to have very little intercourse, and no com- 
munication with the shore was permitted. The island 
scenery, as viewed from the ship, is certainly very 
charming, and one cannot help enjoying the beau- 
tiful prospect stretching out before us. As there 
appeared to be no prospect of landing, it was de- 
cided to proceed on our way ; accordingly, on the 
morning of the 18th July, we left, and commenced 
to make a section along the west coast of Africa. 
The weather on the whole was very fine, and, with 
a capital breeze in our favour, good progress was 
