The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-02-27


snakes and not a single dangerous crea-
ture of any Kind in Madeira The only
thing to be dreaded is small tarantula,
but he is not common. and his bite,
though sometimes painful, is never dead
ly There is kind of big, spotted spider,
called the zebra, which is quite harm
less despite its blood -curdling appearance.
1t confines itself exclusively to the prick
ly pear, where it weaves thick, strong
ropes from thorn to thorn, like suspen-
sion bridges, and on the middle of each
rope a cocoon. The latter is shaped like
a kettle drum, and the spider sits on the
flat side of it when incubating.
All the way, up hill and down dale,
past Quintas and barren lands and through
the ravines, rapid, noisy stream of ice
cold water dances along one side of the
road, often on both sides, through arti-
fetal channels foot wide. They are the
''Levadas, - part of Madeiras fine system
of irrigation, by which the town and
fields and gardens are all supplied with
water. Cultivation is largely dependent
upon irrigation, for while there are plenty
of streams running at all seasons, their
sources are high up in the mountains and
the water, falling from great heights into
deep ravines, cannot be made available
for watering the arabic lands except by
engineering skill. SO the streams are
stopped high up near their sources. and
diverted into narrow channels meander-
ing along the vertical sides of stipend
uous precipices, then coursing by easy gra-
dations along the gardens and terraces of
the island; or springs are collected into
great tanks far up on the heights, from
which several main conduts take the
water down to the lower table lands,
whence many branches are directed down
the steep streets Of the town and into the
fountains and courtyards. The law al
lows each land holder Is hours in every
40 days use of the current which dashes
past his grounds; and he must be ready to
avail himself of the privilege whenever
notified that his tuIn has come, or his
held will 90 without water another 40
days. Ii is a common thing to see men
cropping about their gardens with hoes
and lanterns at midnight. One of the
main irrigating conduits is drawn from
the cataract OF Rabaca, where has been
accomplished one of the most daring en-
cheering feats of the age. The water
fall is on the north side of the island,
away up in the mountains at the head of
a narrow gorge, and has sheer descent
OF l, 00o feet. During most of the year it
is rather meagre stream, slipping laZily
down the side of the cliff The ridge,
which here divides the northern and
southern slopes of the central Sierras, is
engineer conceived the bold project of
tunnelling through it, catching the water
fall in its descent and making it flow
through to the north side where it is most
needed. To accomplish the undertaking
it was necessary for the workmen to lower
themselves over the edge of the precipice,
and thus, suspended in the air by ropes,
600 feet from the top and 400 feet from
the bottom, pursue their perilous task,
constantly drenched by the ice-cold cata-
ract. When blasting, those unrecorded
heroes swung themselves to one side on
the fearful face of the crag and held on by
any bush or projection that met their
hands until the explosion had taken place.
Several men we're killed before the work
was completed. At last trench was ex-
cavated in the hard rock of the cliff, by
which means part of the waterfall was
intercepted and conducted to the tunnel
bored through the mountain, and thus
reduced to service.
The hills of Madeira are all cultivated
from base to summit, some of the finest
vineyards and gardens being 1000, even
1000 feet above the sea. The mountains,
too, are terraced to the very top, like a
succession of steps. Most of these are
natural terraces, 3 or 4 feet apart and
from 30 to 40 feet wide, and the people
have walled them and planted thereon
their grape vines, sweet potatoes and
sugar cane. There are hundreds of these
terraces on our route between the shore
and the mountain tops, some of item
thousands of feet above the sea. We
passed peasants at work in their poor lit
tie patches on the narrow shelves and
marveled at the amount of labor and
daily climbing necessary to such small re-
suits. SO few and scant are the level
spaces on this side of the island that even
the threshing- floors are terraced plat
forms, often overhanging precipices. Up
and down these fearful declivities men
and women travel all day, bearing heavy
loads ON their heads; and always at walk
more rapid, graceful and apparently easier
| than one often sees ON the level roads of
| other countries Each carries a stout
staff, and sings as he, Or she, trots mer-
| rily along. The Madeirans, like their
relatives in the Azores are a musical