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AND PORTO SANTO. If
CHAPTER II.
Mount Church.— Geology of Western Cliffs.—Lava.—Hut of Idiot,
— Waterfall. — Tutinegro. Corn-Mills. — Ariero. — Camera de
lobos.—Sida carpinifolia.—Cliff.—Pao Branco— Coural das Freirás—
First attempt to go to Pico Ruivo.—Second attempt.—Ferns.
—St. Vicente.—House of Donna Anna.—Poul da Serra.—Pico da
Crus.—Second Excursion to the Westward— Malmsey Plantation.
—Cavern.—Brazen Head.—-Excursionfto the Eastward.—St, Cruz
Machico.—The Lagoa.— Concluding remarks.
N O N E of the several vessels, we found at anchor in the hay of
Funchal, being bound for Sierra Leone, and none being immediately
expected, I prepared to make some excursions into the
interior of the island. To those who have visited the tropics,
nothing can be more gratifying, than to find the trees they have
there dwelt on with so much pleasure, and which are decidedly
the most beautiful of that part of the creation,—to be reminded of
the vast solitudes* where vegetable nature seems to reign uncontrolled
and untouched,—to see the bright blue sky through the
delicate pinnated leaves of the mimosa, whilst the wood strawberry
at its feet, recalls the still dearer recollection of home,—to gather
the fallen guavas with one hand, and the blackberry with the other,
—to be able to choose between the apples and cherries of Europe,