The Republican journal., 1896-02-20

| harvest, considering its dement's. After
considerable experience with the filth
and unsavory smells of most Latin cities,
we are astonished to find the market and
marketpeople, in fact the whole city and
all classes of its inhabitants. so remark
ably clean. This may be owing to the eff
ticiency of the city government, which
consists of a board of seven aldermen and
a president, all of whom are elected by a
popular vote; but, Judging from other
Portuguese communities, who are similar
ly governed, we are inclined to think that
the immaculateness OF this may be largely
due to the influence OF the wealthy for
elgners who flock here in search of health
and naturally demand its first essential,
cleanliness. The Governor of the Ma
deras is appointed by the crown and re-
sides in Funchal, in a So called '!Palace. -
which is built like a military barrack,
with turrets and bastions and mullioned
windows; but inside its gloomy walls you
find court yard which is indeed "a thing
of beauty and a JOY forever
The Governor and his gracious lady are
renowned for their hospitality, which is
always extended to reputable strangers,
whether their stay in the city be long or
short. One thing that strikes you in this
lazy Old Portuguese place is the absence
OF all the noises of the modern city,
though $1,000 people are collected in
Funchal and its suburbs. There is no
hum or whistle of the factory, no buzz
of machinery, or sound of street cars,
or rattle Of wheeled vehicles. The prin-
clpal noises are the eternal iingling of
church bells, and the barking of innum-
cradle dogs, the jabbering of dlers in the
native idioms which sounds like flock of
asthmetic blackbrds holding caucus,
and the shrill cries of the sledge drivers.
Ca ca ooa ca para mi dol. Come, whoa,
come here to me, o oXen.' The steep
streets are paved with small beach stones
set up on edge, and the roadway is usual
ly divided into three narrow sections by
two rows of large cobbe stones. There
are no sidewalks, and tt e pavements are
worn so fiat and polished so smooth bv
the constant passage of the carros, (sleds
ON wooden runners, and their grease bags,
that it is almost impossible for one On
civilized shoes to walk about much. The
native ladies make their calls in ham
mocks, or on the backs of donkeys, or
la hat 1;1- L
sheep. In either case they carry a para
SOL and if in the saddle are attended by a
burrequiero, or donkey boy, who leads
the animal and keeps off the flies by
t1ourlshlng horse-tail switch. Latterly
some of them have borrowed the Ito
them,) brand new fashion from feminine
tourists, that of the alpenstock: and now
you see many of them toddling up and
down the slippery thoroughfares on their
ridiculously high heels, carrying long
canes made of ebony. The streets are
capes of red flannel and bodices of bril-
liant cOloring, laced in front and rear; the
men in shirts and zouave trousers of white
linen, with wide suspenders in every hue
of the rainbow, little skull caps of dark
blue broadcloth prolonged into sort of
tail, stuffed and standing up stiff1y from
the crown, and scarlet lapets on the RIM
Both sexes wear broad collars fastened in
front with couple of large gold buttons,
and high white leather boots, quite loose
in the leg, and turned down in a flap on
the top.
1t will not take long to make tour of
the shops. They abound in exquisite en-
broideries, native handiwork, but equaling
those of the French both in quality and
cost; and the beautiful inlaid work which
displays to best advantage the cabinet
woods from which the island takes it's
name. The basis of all the inlaid work is
Til-wood, resembling rosewood in color
and capable of exceedingly fine polish,
which is found only on this island and in
the Canaries. From the shops we go to
the churches. The Sc, or cathedral, is of
considerable size, with spire surmounted
! ny CIV Slout SyHlDOIiZlnR Cne former
world wide dominion of Portugal. 1t is
said to have been designed by Matthews
Fernandez, one of the great architects
who constructed the famous church and
cloister of Batalha. The ceiling of the
nave and transept is beautifully carved
out of juniper wood, tinted and gilded
Another interesting old church is that of
Santa Clara. 1t contains the tomb of
Marco, the Portuguese discoverer of Ma
deira, a much decorated Gothic arch
with three lions couchant at the base
The high walls of the church are entirely
covered with brilliantly colored tiles of
various designs, here and there combin-
ing in large pictures illustrating scriptur-
al subjects. To visit the church of Nostra
Senhora do Monte, Our Lady of the
Mountain,) 1000 feet above the sea, re-
quires a special trip. You may take your
choice of transit, between a saddle on a
donkey or pony, hammock, bullock