MADEIRA THE BEAUTIFUL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10042, 9 January 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

MADEIRA THE BEAUTIFUL.

(By Frederick K. Steams.)

History records the fact that Christopher Columbus, seeing Menrna Perestrello at a Echool in Portugal, fodowed her to ber home in Madeira, and there married her, nearly a quarter of a century before ho est out in search of the new world, having his abode for some years in Punchal. Just why Columbus should • have seen fit to leave his island and set out in search of other and unknown lands is not apparent to the visitor to Madeira. For one seeking to spond a quiet timo free from tho noise acd traffic arxl the bvstling affairs of tho business worid, in an ideal climate and amid charming scenery, Madeira leaves nothing to bo desired, lie island is quite small, being oniy thirty-throe miies long, with a population of 200,000, yet hero is to to lour.d as fine £c:cery as one cooSd see anywhere. Hsro aro united the beauties of tho sea, the splendor of large mountains, and a luxuriant growth cf foliage in the valleys that entrance the lover cf nature. It wajn*t alone the fact that Madeira was the firat land wo sighted after being at m foil seven days, part of the time of the midst of a howling blizzard, that main th;- island look good to us. Our first impression was only strengthened by closer inspection, and tho longer you stay the more yoa become impressed with" the island's attractions. The wonderful! harbor at Punchal, tha principal city, is in a lesser way as beautiful as the bay of Naples, with its background of rJgged mountains aod its precipitous coast, in keeping with which, and forming a striding contrast to the tropical \egetatio:i that co\ers the hillsides with a denes mantle of vivid green, is Loo Rock, its ■great fortifications facing the city and controlling the military situation. Scarcely has ths vessel entered the breakwater than it is surrounded by a host of meri and boys in every, sort of craft, who dive into the water after coins thrown overboard by the passengers. When the steamer has tied up at tho dock tha struggle becomes even more Etrennous, these unable to procure a boat or'raiwn'iing to venture out into the harbor joining in the chase after coppers that find their way into the waters, only to reappear a few seconds later in the possession, of these caring swimmers. Ihey will dive from all heights, even the upper deck of a vessel, and the bigger the coin the higher the dive. The harbor is said to bo tillEd with sharks, but the swimmers pay little or no attention to them, valuing the coins tossed them above the possibility of injury or death. The first thing that strikes you as peculiar once you hare set foot on shore is the entire absence of vehicles with wheels, the claim being made t!»at there is not cme on the entire island. Be that as it may, we saw none during our stay. In their stead are sledges drawn by bullocks, in which you can make to three miles an hour. The "chauffeur" of this unique outfit is a native armed with a long whip or a sharp pointed stick, with which he urges the bollock on, occasionally inducing it to adopt a gallop that while it does not materially increase the speed furnishes plenty of thriils. The "mechanician" is a nusky feliow armed with a bundle of rags tied to- a stick, not unlike a crude sort- of mop. and a backet of greae. When the going is hard he will dip the rags in the oil , and let the rnmner slide over them, thus . greasing the way and assisting the bullock. ,

"•*= " LUL- uuiiuia. And whan the outfit comes to a corner, as is frequently the owing to the irregular manner in which the town is laid out, ihe will sieze the back of the cart and with a mighty pall slew it around so that the turn may be made in safety. The pavement in Funchar, and there is not much of it, consists of small round stones placed closely together. The surface thus formed is comparatively smooth, and when assisted by frequent applications of grease it insures good going, provided you are headed down hill. We foisnd tliw to be true. The first day .in Funchal we took a ride on ono of the sledges to Read's hotel, where we dined. - After dinner we returned to the boat, being driven to tie wharf on a bullock sledge. In an unguarded moment we instructed the driver to let the outfit go as fast it could, and the ride furnished, plenty of excitement. Down the hill he went in a way that would make a drunken chauffeur with a touring . car envious, sliding around corners on one ranner, and nearly toppling over a number of times, so anxious was the driver to make a record. Whether he did or not I am unable to say—but we did. Car next ride proved even more exciting. We went up the mountain on the funicular railway, the journey occupying about half an hour. From the toj> of the mountain a magnificent view of the ocean and bay is obtained, and we spent some hours here. Then we took a slide down the mountain in sleds, each guided by two natives. The descent is about two miles straightaway over a pavement of small cobblestones kept well oiled. It took us, I should judge, about twelve minutes, the native who acted as steersman occasionally pullin.? the sled back when it got- to going too frst. They say this course has been covered in three minutes. I was perfectly wiiling to take their word for it. We broke no speed regulations, but it did seem every minute as though everything else, including our entire outfit, would be shattered. There are comparatively few roads in Madeira, and if you are desirous of travelling across country any distance from Funchal the most satisfactory way is to hire two etout natives with a hammock which they swing between them, and in which yon can journey with comfort. These hammocks are employed largely by the women of Funchal, and even the men are not averse to getting about in this manner. Some years ago the largest industry. in Madeira was the production of wine. To-day Madeira is considered most highly by connoisseurs, but the quality i 6 not equal to that of fifty years ago," on account of a disease which then attacked the vines, and from which they have never fully recovered. Madeira is said to ■have the most equable climate in all the world. In summer the average heat is a little above 70, and in the winter it sel- - dom goes below 60. For this reason, it is a favorite resort for invalids, especially those suffering from tuberculosis and pulmonary troubles. The gardens of Madeira are wonderful in their profusion of flowers, especially roses, although honeysuckles and other varieties are found in great abundance. All tropical fruits, especially those of the citrus variety, as oranzes and lemons, grow in great- quantifies, fresh figs are abundant, and the English walnut, popular the world over, originally came from here. In spite of Nature's aid in making- Madeira a veritable paradise, and the fact that the people are industrious, poverty is to be encountered everywhere. Wages for a laborer average about 300 reio or thirtycents a day, and as a rule, little real money changes hands, the worker being paid in vegetables or foodstuffs, on which th« employer expects to make a profit. In Ftmchnl are to be fonnd many comfortable homes, the wealthier class living in pretentious houses. Once you leave the city, however, the houses ire little more than hovels, many havinir neither floors or windows. If cleanliness was ever a part of the training of these people it has long been a lost art-. An entire family, and they are almost invariably large ones, will occupy a hut having but one or two rooms, crowding together in an area that could not with comfort accommodate half their number. They seem to get a certain amount of enjoyment- out- of life, in spite of straitened circumstances and circumscribed quarters, and are polite and hospitable to a degree. Over-population and under-production may bring hard timea, even famine, but it'ean not rob the islanders of their cheerfnlnees. There is a splendid casino at Funchal, situated ia ■ the Vegia Gardens, and which is the Ma- • deiran Moute Carlo. The gardens are , amenj the most beautiful in the world, esr pecially when -viewed at night, or-when ■ illuminated in honor of some feast- day or ■ the arrival of an unusually large party of > tourists. Unfortunately, both for us and [ for him, the King of "Portugal had been i killed a few days before we landed, _so t that the casino was closed and all feetivi- ) ties done away with.