' ■ *»»-
jJZr. top of a Reep black rock, furrounded by the fea at bigh-
■ water, and called by the Englifh Loo-rock. On a neighbouring
eminence above the town there rs another, called
San Joao do Vico, or St. John’s caflle. The hills beyond the
town ferve to complete the beamy of the landfcape, being
covered with vineyards, inclofures, plantations, and groves,
interfperfed with country-houfes and feveral churches.
The whole feemed to raife the idea of a fairy-garden, and
enabled us to form fome conception of the hanging gardens
of queen Semlramh.
About feven o’clock a boat came off to us called the
Pratique-boat, having on board a Capitan do Sal, who is one
of the two Gmrda-Mores of the board of health, appointed
to regulate the quarantine of fuch fhips as come from the
coaft of Barbary, the Arches, and other parts fufpected of
infectious diflempers. This gentleman enquired into the
Rate of health of our Ihip’s company, and the place we came
from, and returned on fhore with fatisfactory information
on this fubjedt.
After breakfafl we landed, and went with the captains,
to the houfe of Mr. Loughnan, a Bridfh merchant, who-
fupplied the king’s fhips, as contractor, with all the ne-
ceffaries. The conful, Mr. Murray, lately appointed, was-
not yet arrived, but Mr. Loughnan received us with fuch
hofpitality and elegance, as do honour to himfelf and to
the nation in general.
The
The city is far from anfwering the expectations which
may be formed from its appearance towards the road. Its
flreets are narrow, ill-paved, and dirty; the houfes are
built of freeftone, or of brick, but they are dark, and only
a few of the beft, belonging to Englifh merchants or principal
inhabitants, are provided with glafs-windows; all
the others have a kind of lattice work in their Read,
which hangs on hinges and may be lifted up occafionally.
The ground floors are moflly appropriated for the ufe of
fervants, for fhops, and flore-houfes.
The churches and monafleries are very plain buildings,
without any difplay of the architectonic art: their infide
exhibits a flriking want of tafle ; the little light which is
admitted into them, ferving only to difplay heaps of tinfel
ornaments, arranged in a manner which is truely Gothic.
The convent of Francifcan friars is clean and fpacious, but
their gardens feemed not to be kept in the befl order.
The nuns of Santa Clara politely received us at their grate,
but afterwards deputed fome old women, to offer the artificial
flowers of their manufacture for fale.
We walked with Mr. Loughnan to his country-feat,
which is fituated on the hills, about a mile from the city.
We there met an agreeable company of the principal Britifh
merchants eftablifhed at Madeira. The captains returned
on board in the evening, but we accepted of Mr. Lough-
nan’s obliging offer of his houfe during our fhort flay.
C 2 Our
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