dually, however,
sky and sea as it were separated, woods and fields, and hills and
valleys, and convents and churches, and quintas and cottages, came out,
and colours divided themselves, and the wonderful landscape, in all its
beautiful variety, appeared before us. Still every object was
diminished so much, that even the Church of Libramento, which is itself
situated 2000 feet above the sea, appeared but a small speck at the
bottom of a huge basin. After enjoying the scene for some time we were
summoned to proceed, and higher still we went, round and round by
winding paths, superb views bursting on our sight each instant, for an
hour or more, till we reached the foot of the _Pico Grande_, higher than
which our four-footed beasts could not go. However, one of my
companions and I, with a guide, climbed to the very top of the Pico, and
such a view as that of mountain, valley, and blue laughing ocean, I had
never before beheld. On one side was the _Pico Huivo_, the embattled
_Torrinhas_, the rugged _Sidrao_ and _Arnero_; and on the other, the
long unbroken ridge of Paul with the Terra d'Agoa, clothed in an
evergreen mantle of forest far below it. Our burroqueros had brought on
their shoulders some baskets of provisions, off which we made a capital
luncheon. I could not help wishing all the time that Herbert and Henry
Raymond could have been with me--they would have so enjoyed the scenery;
for though Solon seemed to think it all very good fun, he evidently
would have said that the luncheon was the best part of the expedition.
We got back much faster than we went up, for our horses were far less
inclined to stop to allow us to admire the views. Somehow or other, one
is always influenced, even in that respect, by the animal one bestrides:

Madeira may be said to consist of a mass of mountains, the highest
points of which rise in a central ridge. Cliffs varying in height from
100 to 2000 feet form the coast boundary of the island. On the north
they are the highest and most abrupt, while on the south they are lower
and more accessible. The central mountains branch down to the sea in
ridges parted by deep ravines, in some places full of dark forests,
adding to their gloomy grandeur. The towns are generally situated in
the more open parts of these ravines. From the tops of the mountains
the sea can be discovered on all sides; but this adds to the grandeur of
the prospect, as a person cannot but experience a feeling of a