The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-02-13

N.e jIN, PORTO sANTo AND THE
-IErAS.
urr>pondence OF The journal !
t Madeira, Dec 3oth 1t
n2e that so little is known in
states about the Madeiras; and
l.H our wealthy countrymen,
uH the world over in quest of
winter and summer resorts.
long have passed unnoticed
-hjful Islands of eternal June.
almost no books on the Madei-
u- lave little knowledge of them
E4} notion that they belong to
ud are flowing with wine and
ud also that they are a favorite
3 vonsumptive Europeans and of
l4 cashiers who crave seclusion.
atst get their bearings well in
he TWO inhabited islands and
ur rocks that rejoice under the
name of "Madeiras, lie 1000
dine east from Charleston, South
nl--only $50 miles from the west
Africa and about twice the dis
midwest from Lisbon. They are
Mo- miles southeast from Ponta Del
tle Azores. and $50 miles above
Ir n the CanaTles. You may
fNem by sailing vessel from the
states in 20 days, if all goes rea-
we'll, and of course in good deal
ur by steamer; or in three days
He azores, by the steamship line
-~a lnsulana de Navagacao," on its
say between New York and the
I ianean.
umn island-which the discoverer
Madeira, (the Portuguese word
uin kind Of building TIMBER on
H'utits mighty forests Of that vaiu-
Yd-is about - miles long by u
.. tl Funchal, the capital of the
l only city of consequence, on
rJn coast. Like the Azores, it
Nu up from the Atlantic 10y vol
at a comparatively recent peri
covered with mountains. vet it
trle resemblance t. those islands.
t1 eonical hills nor apparent era
Nevertheless, it is of magnificent
falling abruptly into the sea at
ed. With Lofty precipices and vast
. rocks. Of fantastic shapes and
auio tints, along its whole coast
selIated ridge, in places 1000
". deeply grooyed and turreted So
uks like the bastious and piana-
colossal fortress. extends from
'ud forming the backbone of the
From his central mass enormous
rom down 10 tile shore, set at al
ar Intervals, as if to bu1tress
rN range. Between these ridges
Oe valleys every foot of them richly
rei, sloping upward from the sea
central mountains. The foot OF
uley is indented, forming a small
luuar bay between the headlands !;
altered around the shores OF each
alleys and on the mountain slopes
lO seems TO rise in narrow, natural
rs. and all the terraces are covered
he most luxuriant verdure-the
elbow Of sugar cane. the dalk green
flee and orange groves, and the
nding Vineyards from which the ia
wine is made-every shelf of rock
's iniest spot of soil between them be
u.tlvated to the utmost. Sugar mills
wine-presses dot the shore, and a
rescue road winds around the whole
li, following the innumerable curv-
of the coastline. In places it is a
3w shelf cut low down on the face of
allt; anon it mounts far up to dizzy
1hts; then creeps around rocky head
oNs. through tunnels lighted by narrow
1luw Sits blasted out of the solid rock
again it leaps from crag to crag, ON
'lS of masonry at the edge of the sea.
ting this wonderful road from ship
"fd, you may be sure we promised our
aYes that, please Heaven, when once
Shore, not much time should be wasted
etere We traversed every rod of it.
feunding Point San Lorenzo, the east
mmost end of the island, the green ter
"rs deep valleys and sloping sierras
I4'.enly disappear, the mountain spurs
minating in sheer precipices, some OF
The color of old red sandstone, seam
With black and streaked with burnt
rnna and bright vermilion. No words
u describe their grandeur of form and
8lly of coloring-with tleecy clouds
Ing their submits and surf casting its
'l'e crest high up the jutting rocks. A
miles to the southwark and a promi-
l"nt feature in the glorious view are the
ree rocky islets known collectively as
Las Desertas, - rising from ! 200 to 3,
vo feet, and so narrow that they look
6e winding wall. Presenting lofty
.frcipices on all sides to the sea they are
bot easily accessible, and violent squalls
1ten spring unannounced from the cliffs,
'bllging mariners to exercise unusua
caution in their vicinity. Off the end o.
haeo, the northernmost island, is gi