The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1903-03-18
From Abroad.
LETTER NO. III.
MADEIRA ISLANDS,
Monday, Feb. I6, 1903.

- MONDAY, req. 10, 1JVo.
b Dear Judge:-We are anchored
one mile out in front of Funchal.
IVY eyes dwell upon the gorgeous
grounds yonder that surround the
archaic palace of the Governor.
Tht vast portico of solid masonry
s;l--.-'r,vnuing 20 rne edge of the sea
and lifted high above the quiet
waters is the outlook from the ca
racions hall with It's waxed floors,
fy ceilings and richly decorated
walls and golden chandeliers, where
I'll sEs chosen few dance off the even
escent hours of the night. Within
those palace walls dwelt, and hope
still abides, the fair and radiant
Ermelinda. Upon that green knoll
beneath the bloom of the orange
and the myrtle l first saw her raven
ringlets caressed by the balmy
breeEe of this eternal summer, and
her dark eyes sparkling in the
midst of her maidens, like two lin
gering stars that defy the rivalry
Of the day. Yonder are the soldiers
at the ponderous gates, whose bay
fUnets ] pushed aside as Ermelinda
started down che floral knoll with
radiant smiles to meet my daugh-
ter. Her gracious hospitality in
Thepalace and unaffected cordiality
brought upon Us the envy of about
500 tourists who were turned away
by the bayonets of the palace
guards. Here is the leaf from my
notebook bearing the address of
Ermelinda inscribed in the cali
graphy of her own artistic hand,
inst oAA year ago. She enacted
froq>. Mary Tibbs promise to
correspond with her in French-a
promise not yet fulfilled Let j.
commence at once. (See postscript.
we coasted along this rugged and
rockbound island for thirty miles,
dis morning before we arrived at
Fanchal on the southern shore, the
capital of the group governed by
Portugal. This island is 3S miles
nag by IL broad, and boasts a
population of about 10000. The
only other island of the group
worth mentioning is Porto Santo,
with population of 5000, includ-
ing penal colony. "Madeira"
means wood" so named from the
vassteSs of the rich forests that
once covered the islands, but long
since destroyed by fire that for
seven years swept over the islands.
Perhaps no sailor in any part
of the world ever gazed upon
scene SO picturesque and
beautiful as the approach to
Funchal, set in background Of
snow-capped mountains, while rap
i'd rivers ripple. sparkle and dash
with musical sounds through
feets red 1T of tropical, spicery
d gorg with ever blooming
sRsrs, towering cliffs on
Cher sid hat-drop precipitously
WITNESSES A5m a height of 1000
feet, and mighty columns of rock
rising in the harbor far cut from
shore; the very face of the cliffs
adorned with vast vines, fowery
with brilliant colors and silvered
with ceaseless cascades that dash
into the sea from lofty heights
and the city in climate that has
never known the heat of summer,
nor the frost of winter
From the cathedral at the top of
the mountain, in wicker basket
on runners shot down to the front
of a hotel, two miles, in five minutes.
Two natives stood on the rear end
Of the runners to guide the tobog-
gan and charged forty cents for the
ride. Baskets on runners drawn by
two moth-eaten bullocks or buffaloes
conveyed us about the streets.
Mail neonle ride in hammacks car
ried on the shoulders of lazy men
who stop frequently at the wine
stores for .refreshment.
chri$92her Columbus once lived