Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-02-08


q place appears at first sight II
y improves on closer acquaint-
ance. AS one becomes familiar
" with its labyrnthine, cow
path streets, winding steepily
ND hill and down he discovers many OBJ
iects OF interest that make him forget
its lack of architectural beauty. No
where else In the world is there a city
so well built, from the standpoint of
"the eternal fitness" in which architec-
tural art has been so entirely ignored;
nowhere one so clearly and prosperous,
where the lazy people seem to live with
out work. The houses are all plain
and square, generally two-storied,
succeed and white washed outside,
with green jalousles, behind which Por-
tuguese girls sit tanning themselves
and smiling at passers-by, Many OF
the buildings have queer little balconies
In the second stories, where the faml-
hes receive their evening guests; their
gay Portuguese chatter, light laughter,
songs and guitar music plainly audible
In the street below. All this, combined
with the extreme friendliness OF
the people and the loveliest climate out
side OF Paradise, produces a most
agreeable impression on the stranger
and is no doubt an important aid In the
cure OF nvalids-hundreds OF whom
come here from all parts OF Europe In
successful search OF health,
II art has accomplished little In
Funchal, nature has done her best to
atone for the omission. The yegeta-
ton Of two zones seems to be equally
at home here--the palm and the pine.
the cyprus and magnolia, the apple and
coffee tree, bananas, walnuts. guayos,
elms, almonds, INTERVIEWING their Yari-
Gus shades Of perennial yerdure while
corn and cane fields lend the landscape
tints Of green and yellow. pomegranate
blossoms flush the hillsides vines and
roses Chamber over every wall and trel-
lis. and flowers OF every hue and spicy
odor grow wild In untold profuson.
The city Of Funchal shows evidences
Of good taste, as well az OF wealth and
comfort. The central square, (Praca,
In Portuguese), occupies the middle OF
the main street, at one end Of which
tique guns and small peaked turrets;
and the other end is terminated by an
ancient cathedral with affairs, doors
and ceiling OF juniper wood, beautifully
carved by the monks OF long ago. Pass
ing up this principal street from the
landing, under shady arch of syca-
more trees set In double rows on either
side, and through the Praca--of course
On foot--you find the hotels at the farth-
est limit of the town, on the northern
slopes of the steep hillsides BY the
way you need fear no hardships in
Madeira in the way Of accommodation
The hotels are many and good, and
their charges are remarkably low, cal
culated In English money at the rate
OF from eight 70 fifteen shlllngs a day.
All have beautiful gardens attached.
ana command glorious Views Of sea and
mountains, and cleanliness Is O car
dinal virtue among the islanders. You
may have your choice between the
Royal Edinburgh" the Hotel Hor-
ta," the SAINT Ana" and a dozen
others, and be disappointed in none
Of them, We chose the first
named, because OF lis homely sound,
after long wandering on the African
ointment III turns out 10 be not half
so grand as It's Understanding title
would lead one 10 imagine more Ike
an English cottage than the leading
hotel in city of thirty thousand resi-,
dents and half as many "transientsp
during the northern winter The Roy
al Edinburgh stands In the middle Of
big garden which. like all the other
island estates, Is surrounded by enor-
mously thick walls, twelve feet high
and topped by all the glass bottles
which its English frequenters have
been emptying during the last decade
and that Is saying great deal for the
quantity Of a glass atop. The whole
garden Is rooted with bowery trellls
work, oNergrown with passion vine and
clematis beneath which wonderful
roses bloom and cape jessamine ard
other flowers perfume the air. The