MAD 
government-remittance to Lifbon was by giving Madeira 
milreas, for which the merchants gave their bills on Lif- 
bon for the fame number of milreas, payable at two years. 
By thefe means they paid about to per cent, per aim. for 
the ufe of money for two years, at the expiration of which 
they often paid their bills, as they became due, by iffuing 
frefh ones. Thefe tranfaftions, though very convenient 
to the government, and (till more foto the merchant, have 
often been productive of ferious injuries, by inducing in- 
confiderate people to over-trade their capital; and, on the 
lead fufpicion of their folvency, the crown has feized the 
whole; laying, as in England, violent hands on landed 
property which has been fold by the government-debtor 
after the debt was contradled. 
A bilhop is at the head of the ecclefiaftical eftablWh- 
ment of Madeira ; and his income is confiderably greater 
than that of the civil governor. It conllftsof no pipes 
of wine and 490 bufttelsof wheat; which upon the whole, 
it is faid, amounts to 5000I. a-year. The dean has about 
2000I. a-year ; he prefides in the bifhop’s abfence, and alfo 
in the chapter, which contains 16 canons. The fecular 
priefts on the ifland are about two hundred ; fome of them, 
as literary men, having graduated at the univerfity of 
Coimbra, are employed as tutors and as advocates. The 
ftudents on the ifland, as well as the priefts, are diftin- 
guilhed from the other inhabitants, by wearing black 
gowns. The convent of St. Francis is occupied by the 
friars of that order; they gradually diminilh in number, 
and only about forty are at prefent to be found. It is, 
however, but juftice to quote the obfcrvations made by 
captain Cook on bis vifit to them. “ We vilited,’’ fays he, 
“ the good fathers of this convent on aThurfday evening, 
juft before fupper-time, and they received us with great 
politenefs and kindnefs: ‘We will not afkyou, faid they, 
to fup with us, becaufe we are not prepared, but, if you 
will come to-morrow, though it is a fait with us, we will 
have a turkey roafted for you.’ This invitation, which 
fhowed a liberality of fentiment not to have been ex- 
petted in a convent of friars at this place, gratified us 
much, though it was not in our power to accept it. We 
vifited alfo a convent of nuns dedicated to Santa Clara ; 
and the ladies did us the honour to exprei's particular 
pleafure in feeing us there. They nad heard that there 
were great philofophers among us; and, not at all know¬ 
ing what were the objefls of philofophical knowledge, 
they aflced us feveral queftions that were abfurd and ex¬ 
travagant in the higheft degree : one was, When it would 
thunder ? and another, Whether a fpring of frefli water 
was to be found any where within the walls of their con¬ 
vent ? It will naturally be fuppofed that our anfwers to 
fuch queftions were not fatisfaftory to the ladies ; yet their 
difappointment did not the leaft leffen their civility, and 
they talked without ceafing during the whole of our vifit.” 
“ The rocky fhore of the ifland of Madeira,” fays fir 
George Staunton, “ and the violent furge conftantly beat¬ 
ing on it, form a natural defence againlt invafion. What 
art has added at the capital, which extends three-quarters 
of a mile along the beach, and nearly half a mile in depth, 
confilts, as captain Parifli obferved, in four fmall forts; 
one fituated at the eaftern extremity of the beach of Fun¬ 
chal, with a perpendicular height riling immediately in its 
rear. This fort (lands fo low as to be expofed to the fire of 
(hipping; although an opportunity offered of occupying 
an height clofe to it, where might be erected a very com"- 
manding work. This fort is called St. Jago. That of 
St. Lawrence, within two hundred yards of the weftern 
extremity of the town, is an irregular work, whofe greatefl 
length is about one hundred yards, and its breadth nearly 
as much. It has three fmall baftions and a battery to¬ 
ward the fea, and flanking the beach. This is occupied 
as the refidence of the governor. A third, called Peak 
Caftle, is fituated at the north-weft angle of the town, 
upon a hill, diftant about half a mile from the fhore. It 
Js very difficult of accefs from the fouthward ; but, if the 
hill above it were once gained, no formidable refiltance 
E I K A. fij 
could be expefled from if, as it is completely overlooked. 
The fourth fort (lands upon the Loo-rock, higher than 
the largelt (hips, but by no means fuffkiently fo to war¬ 
rant the difpofition made upon its fummit. The guns 
are crowded together en barbette ; and the little parapet, 
over which they look, appears unequal to refill a cannon- 
(liot. The beach may further be defended by a diretl line 
of mufquetry from a low-line-built wall, on which a few 
guns are mounted at intervals, and which has occafional 
projections that afford fmall flanks. This line appears in¬ 
adequate for defence, when troops are covered, in their 
landing, by men of war; but the conftant furge, upon the 
beach, would prove a powerful affiftant in obttrucling the 
management of boats in an attempt to land. It is faid 
that a very convenient landing-place may be found about 
two miles to the weftward of Funchal-bay, round the 
Pico da Cruz, perhaps at Praya. From hence two roads 
lead diredtly to Funchal ; one afcending into the valley 
under the Peak Caftle, from which it is enfiladed; the 
other keeps the fhore, and would perhaps be preferred, 
as lefs expofed to the fire of the Peak Caftle, and as being 
fheltered, in a great degree, by the intervening buildings, 
from the fire of St. Lawrence. The line-wall, extending 
from the fea to the height on which is fituated Peak 
Caftle, is not of a better conftruftion than that of the 
bc-ach ; and, being deftitute of cannon, would make but 
a feeble refinance. The Peak Caftle feems to afford the 
principal defence; it is well built, and in tolerable repair. 
Its walls are of a confiderabie height; but it has no ditch ; 
and it is completely commanded from the rear. About 
twelve guns are mounted on it, of different calibres and 
conftrufiions, generally very old guns of Englifh make. 
Such, too, are all the cannon of the place ; and their car¬ 
riages are quite out of repair. Moll of the merlons are 
of Hone, generally from two and a half to three feet thick. 
In the Peak Caftle there is a fmall armory, containing 
about one hundred and fifty Hand of arms, and three brals 
field-pieces of Englifh conftruftion. 
The forces on the ifland are, of regulars, one hundred 
and fifty artillery, and as many infantry; with two tbou- 
fand militia, who are occafionally under arms. They are 
formed into two battalions, and are obliged to clothe 
themfelves in uniforms ; alfo ten thoufand irregular mili¬ 
tia, who are not fo clothed or exercifed ; but who, in 
confideration of their being at no expenfe on that ac¬ 
count, are obliged to repair highways, to take charge of 
fignals, and to do duty in the garrifons. They are di¬ 
vided into three diftricls, each commanded by a colonel ; 
and fubdivided into companies, with a captain and lieu¬ 
tenant to each. The regular troops are partly compofed 
of natives of Angola, a Portuguefe fettlernent on the 
coafl of Africa. They are preffed into the fervice from 
among the nioft idle and diforderly inhabitants of the 
place. Angola is, as well as Madeira, one of the valfc 
number of the conquefts achieved, or difcoveries and fet- 
tlements made, in Africa, Alia, and America, by the fub- 
jefts of one of the finalleft and weakelt kingdoms now in 
Europe ; but under the aufpices of the molt enterprifincr 
princes that liiftory has recorded, 
Madeira is fituate in 32 degrees, 3.7 minutes, 40 feconds a 
north latitude; and in 16 degrees, 56 minutes, longitude 
weft of Greenwich. It is about 240 miles north-by-eaft 
from Teneriffe ; 360 miles from Cape Cantin, on the coafl 
of Africa; and nearly 300 miles north from the Ifle of 
Ferro. 
A packet regularly fails from Portfmouth for Madeira 
at the beginning of every month, and affords the fafefl 
mode of conveyance and the beft accommodation. In all 
cafes, thofe who apply earlieft have the choice of cabins j 
and for this reafon a friend (hould as early as poffible fix 
e-very thing with fuch accuracy, that no room can be left 
for future cavil. It may not be improper here to obferve, 
that, if the perfon going out be a female, (he (hould be 
accompanied by a maid-fervant, who (hould not perhaps 
be in the bloom of youth, nor above the office of fuper- 
z intending 
