The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-04-07
AROUND THE WORLD AND HOME
AGAIN.
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ing place and the capital of the is
lands. The sides Of the island are
very steep and in order to utilize all
the space terraces are used to keep
the moisture and soil in place. All
the titled soil In Funchal has been
brought from surrounding islands and
from Spain or Portugal at great ex-
pense, as the native soil was not
suitable for gardening and fruit
growing. High up on the mountain
side doomed a huge building, Ger
man sanatorium, very much patron
lied by invalids as the climate here
is one of the best in the world vary
ing only about ten degrees and being
neither too hot nor too cold. This is
land is unique in its quaintness | be-
lieye and l wish | could picture it SO
you could see the strange sights we
saw. The popular conveyances in
Funchal are not carriages but bullock
carts like perambulators built for
double twins, with Tapping curtains
of figured red stuff They slide slow
ly along on slippery runners made of
wood instead of on wheels, each drawn
by two mild-eyed bullocks in charge
of jovial driver. The streets are all
paved with small round stones set on
edge so you hobble along like Grip
pie in trying to walk, the stones
hurt so. The natives all wear shoes
made something like moccasins worn
by woodsmen In our country, only
they are higher in the leg and have
tops of red leather turned over like
% hnY Ia IN thA klYN ~
of the mountains in the little railway
train and then came flying down
through the narrow winding streets in
more baskets, guided and held in
check by two natives holding firmly
to ropes attached to either side. These
baskets are provided with fiat wooden
runners made slippery with grease
and as the cobblestones are worn as
smooth as glass by constant friction,
and as the streets are very steep and
narrow, the ride is at times wildly eX-
citing to say the least. Dignity could
not be maintained in such a convey
ance on such route and every one
was feeling very cheerful when we
lodged around the last corner and
landed safely in the business street
of the town at the foot of the noun
tain. We lunched at Reuls Palace
hotel located on a slightly hill,
overlooking the harbor, and had
the distinction of eating in the same
room with the Duchess D'Oasta, a
sister of the Queen of Portugal. She
was an aristocratic looking person
but very plain with the stiffly arrang-
ed hair usually affected by royalty.
or course we hunted bargains in the
embroideries for which Madeira is
famous, but | think even in this out
of the way corner and this early in
our travels the Cleveland passengers
suffered the disadvantages we encoun-
tered all tn way, of being advertised
as party of American millionaires
and large purchasers; and prices
went up in every port long ere our
ship cast anchor in the harbor. All
day long native boys we're focking
about the Cleveland diving from their
small boats after pennies and silver
pieces thrown from the deck by pas
sengers into the clear water One
little fellow of ten or eleven made a
sensational dive from the boat deck
of the Cleveland to the sea a distance
of between sixty and seventy feet,
making a line as straight as an arrow
In his flight. 1t was day long to be