August, certain fpot of ground for the growth of bamboos; for the
lattice-work cannot be made without them; and I was
told fome vineyards lay quite negledted for want of this
ufeful reed.
The wines are not all of equal goodnefs, and confe-
quently of different prices. The bell, made of a ’vine imported
from Candia, by order of the Infante of Portugal,
Don Henry, is called Madeira Malmfey, a pipe of which cannot
be bought on the fpot for lefs than 40 or 42 l. fterling.
It is an exceeding rich fweet wine, and is only
made in a fmall quantity. The next fort is a dry wine,
fuch as is exported for the London market, at 30 or 31 /.
fterling the pipe. Inferior forts for the Eaft India, Weft
India, and North-American markets, fell at 28, 2$, and
20 /. fterling. About thirty thoufand pipes, upon a mean,
are made every year, each containing one hundred and ten
gallons. About thirteen thoufand pipes of the better forts
are exported, and all the reft is made into brandy for the
Brazils, converted into vinegar, or confumed at home.
The enclofures of the vineyards confift of walls, and
hedges of prickly pear, pomegranates, myrtles, brambles,
and wild rofes. The gardens produce peaches, apricots,
quinces, apples, pears, walnuts, chefnuts, and many
other European fruits ; together with now and then fome
tropical plants, fuch as bananas, goavas, and pine-apples.
AU
All the common domeftic animals of Europe are like- au’ovst.
wife found at Madeira ; and their mutton and beef, though
fmall, is very well tailed. Their horfes are fmall, but
fure-footed; and with great agility climb the difficult
paths, which are the only means of communication in
the country. They have no wheel-carriages of any kind ;
but in the town they ufe a fort of drays of fledges, formed
of two pieces of plank joined by crofs pieces, which
make an acute angle before; thefe are drawn by oxenj
and are ufed to tranlport calks of wine, and other heavy
goods, to and from the warehoufes.
The animals of the feathered tribe, which live wild
here, are more numerous than the wild quadrupeds ; there
being only the common grey rabbet here, as a- reprefen-
tative of the laft-mentioned clafs. We obferved the fpar-
row-hawk, (falco jiij'us) ; ' feveral crows, (corvus coroie)-,.
magpies,, (corvus pica);, iky and wood-lark$; (alauda arvenjif,
& arborea) ; flarlings, (Jlarnus vulgaris) ; yellow hammers-,
0emberiza citrinella) ; common and mountain fparrows, .(fnV
gilla domejiica & rmntana) ; yellow wagtails and robin red.
breafts, (motaciUd Jlava & rubeeu/a); and wild pigeons, o f
which we 'could not determine the fpecies. We likewife
faw the houfe-fwallow and fwift, (birimdo rujiica- & apus) ;
and fome gentlemen of the Britilh fadiory allured us they
had alfo feen the martin, (h. urbica). This laft genus of birds
liv-es here all the winter, and only difappears for a few
Vox.. I.. E. days