1880 Facts about Port and Madeira by Henry Vizetelly

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The Thieyards and Wines of Madeira.

to give a very fair yield. We are now in the region where chestnut-trees abound,and pass for some distance under their pleasant shade, then make a short cut over the surrounding fazendas, and finally reach the summit of the Cape. Here we look over the perpendicular sides of what is said to be the highest cliff against which the sea dashes in the world. The altitude is almost 2,000 feet; and the vineyards formed by landslips at its base,and the produce of which is much esteemed, when viewed from above look scarcely larger than a sheet of foolscap paper. Here we lunched,and while we chatted over our ■cigars our tired hammock-bearers took their well-earned siesta. After an hour's repose we descended on foot along a villainous breakneck road to the picturesque fishing village of Cama do iobos—literally the sea-wolves', that is, the seals'-den where we noticed that many of the menwore flat green-glazed hats of the circumference of a small umbrella. A boat which we had ■ordered round fromFunchal was in readiness to row us home ■again, and we were soon gliding along past many a jutting rock over which the sea was wildly breaking, and through many a ■dangerous eddy, the worst being off Ponta da Cruz, where omr hoatmen reverently doffed their caps and religiously crossed fhemselves, for here many of their fellows have found a watery grave. Arrived at Punchal, we rode up to the Mount by the light of a brilliant moon. On a subsequent day we made an excursion to the Santo Antonio district, visiting among other vineyards rather an ex tensive one belonging to Senhor Salles, which in exceptionally ;good years has produced as many as a hundred pipes of wine. Hefore proceeding thither we made a farewell tour roundMr. Leland Cossart's beautiful Quinta do Monte, with its lawns and rivulets, its brilliant floral parterres and sculptured marble fountain, and its projecting signal tower commanding a fine "view of Punchal and the shipping in its bay. Pleasant it was to thread its groves of English oaks, and shady sequestered side walksplantedwithchoice trees fromtropicaland temperate climes. Here were pines, gum, cork, and india-rubber trees, loquats,