enter Charleston.--The
"Lump."--A Narrow Escape.--The Scotch Lithographers and their
work.--Crossing the Bar.--Transfer of the Giraffe to the
Confederate Government.--She becomes the "R. E. Lee."--The Major
fulfills his promise, but fails in his object.

Our voyage to Madeira was uneventful with the exception of a heavy gale
of wind, during which the Giraffe showed her superb qualities as a sea
boat.

We were hospitably entertained during our three days' stay at Funchal.
The process of coaling ship there is a tedious one, the port being an
open roadstead, and there are no wharves. With a moderate breeze blowing
on or along shore, all communication is interrupted. Loading and
unloading ships is accomplished by lighters; and passengers are carried
to and fro in surf boats which are expertly managed by their crews. The
vines had failed for several years previous to our visit; but the
inhabitants had substituted the cultivation of vegetables for which they
found a market on the continent and in England; and the numerous
cultivated patches along the mountain sides presented a very pretty
appearance from the anchorage--laid out as they were with seemingly
geometrical precision. The hardy little horses could be hired very
cheaply, and the justly extolled natural beauties of the island in the
vicinity of Funchal were fully explored. The greater portion of it is
quite inaccessible except on foot, but the tough little native ponies
which are as sure footed as goats perform wonderful feats in the way of
climbing, and are quite equal to the double duty of carrying their
riders, and dragging along their owner who holds by one hand to the
pony's tail while he occasionally "progs" him with a sharp stick held in
the other hand. This island is, as every one knows, of volcanic origin;
although its volcanoes are now either dormant or extinct; and its lofty
vertical cliffs rise abruptly from the ocean. The highest peak in the
island is more than six thousand feet above the level of the sea. The
disintegrated lava forms the best soil in the world for the grape; and
the south side of the island, from its more favorable exposure to the
sun, is supposed to produce the more delicately flavored wine. Wonderful
stories are told of the exquisite sense of taste possessed by the
professional "tasters" who never swallow the wine. So soon as they
indulge in this luxury they lose the faculty of nice discrimination.

We slept se