MADEIRA, TENERIFFE, AND CAPE DE VERDE ISLANDS.
_Full many a green isle needs must be
In this wide sea of misery,
Or the mariner worn and wan
Never thus could voyage on._
[Illustration: Our First View of Madeira]
_Sunday, July 16th_.--Porto Santo being visible on the port bow, a
quarter of a mile ahead, by 3.55 a.m. this morning, our three
navigators congratulated themselves and each other on the good
land-fall they had made.
It looks a curious little island, and is situated about thirty-five
miles north-east of Madeira, with a high peak in the centre, of which
we could only see the extreme point, appearing above the clouds.
It is interesting to know that it was from his observation of the
drift-wood and débris washed on to the eastern shore that Columbus,
who had married the daughter of the Governor of Porto Santo, derived
his first impressions of the existence of the New World. Here it was
that he first realised there might possibly be a large and unknown
country to the westward; here it was that he first conceived the
project of exploring the hitherto unknown ocean and of discovering
what new countries might bound its western shores.
An hour later we saw Fora and its light, at the extreme east of
Madeira, and could soon distinguish the mountains in the centre of the
latter island. As we rapidly approached the land, the beauty of the
scenery became more fully apparent. A mass of dark purple volcanic
rocks, clothed on the top with the richest vegetation, with patches of
all sorts of colour on their sides, rises boldly from the sea. There
are several small detached rocks, and one curious pointed little
island, with an arch right through the middle of it, rather like the
Percé Rock on the coast of Nova Scotia. We steamed slowly along the
east coast, passing many pretty hamlets, nestled in bays or perched on
the side of the hills, and observing how every possible nook and
corner seemed to be terraced and cultivated. Sugar-canes, Indian corn,
vines, and many varieties of tropical and semi-tropical plants, grow
luxuriantly in this lovely climate. Nearly all the cottages in the
island are inhabited by a simple people, many of whom have never left
their native villages, even to look at the magnificent view from the
top of the surrounding mountains, or to gaze on the sea, by which they
are encompassed.
We dropped our anchor in the bay of Funchal at about twelve o'clock,
and before breakfast was over found ourselves surrounded by a perfect
flotilla of boats, though none of them dared approach very near until
the health-officer had come alongside and pronounced us free from
infection. At this moment all are complaining much of the heat, which
since yesterday has been very great, and is caused by the wind called
'Este,' blowing direct from the African deserts. It was 79° in the
coolest place on board, and 84° on shore in the shade, in the middle
of the day.
The African mail steamer, 'Ethiopia,' last from Bonny, West Coast of
Africa, whence she arrived the day before yesterday, was lying in the
bay, and the children went on board with some of our party to see her
cargo of monkeys, parrots, and pineapples. The result was an
importation of five parrots on board the 'Sunbeam;' but the monkeys
were too big for us. Captain Dane, who paid us a return visit, said
that the temperature here appeared quite cool to him, as for the last
few weeks his thermometer had varied from 82° to 96° in the shade.
We had service at 4 p.m., and at 5 p.m. went ashore in a native boat,
furnished with bilge pieces, to keep her straight when beached, and to
avoid the surf, for it was too rough for our own boats. At the water's
edge a curious sort of double sleigh, drawn by two oxen, was waiting.
Into this we stepped, setting off with considerable rapidity up the
steep shingly beach, under a beautiful row of trees, to the 'Praça,'
where the greater portion of the population were walking up and down,
or sitting under the shade of the magnolias. These plants here attain
the size of forest-trees, and their large white wax-like flowers shed
a most delightful fragrance on the evening air. There were graceful
pepper vines too, and a great variety of trees only known to us in
England in the form of small shrubs. This being a festival day, the
streets were crowded with people from town and country, in their
holiday attire. The door-posts and balconies of the houses were
wreathed with flowers, the designs in many cases being very pretty.
One arcade in particular was quite lovely, with arches made of double
red geranium, mixed with the feathery-looking pepper leaves, while the
uprights were covered with amaryllis and white arum lilies. The
streets were strewn with roses and branches of myrtle, which, bruised
by the feet of the passers-by and the runners of the bullock sleigh,
emitted a delicious aromatic odour.
The trellises in the gardens seem overgrown with stephanotis, mauve
and purple passion-flowers, and all kinds of rare creepers, the purple
and white hibiscus shoots up some fourteen to sixteen feet in height;
bananas, full of fruit and flower, strelitzias, heliotrope, geraniums,
and pelargoniums, bloom all around in large shrubs, mixed with palms
and mimosas of every variety; and the whole formed such an enchanting
picture that we were loth to tear ourselves away.
A ride of about twenty minutes in the bullock sleigh, up a steep hill,
by the side of a rocky torrent, whose banks were overgrown with
caladiums and vines, brought us to our destination, Til, whence we had
a splendid view of the town and bay stretching beneath us. During the
ascent we passed several cottages, whose inhabitants stood airing
themselves on the threshold after the great heat of the day, and
through the open doorways we occasionally got a peep into the gardens
beyond, full of bright flowers and luxuriant with vines, fig-trees,
and bananas. As we sat in the terrace garden at Til we enjoyed the
sweet scent of the flowers we could no longer see, and listened to the
cool splash of the water in the fountain below; whilst Allnutt, with
unceasing energy, searched amongst the bushes for moths, of which he
found a large number.
We jogged down the hill a great deal faster than we had come up,
stopping only for a short time in the now more than ever crowded
'Praça,' to listen to one or two airs played by the Portuguese band,
before we got back to the yacht at about half-past ten.
Next morning we were off to the fish-market by seven o'clock, but it
was not a good time for our visit, as there had been no moon on the
previous night; and, though there were fish of various kinds, saw
nothing specially worthy of notice. The picturesque costumes of the
people were, however, interesting. We afterwards went to the
fruit-market, though it was not specially worth seeing, for most of
the fruit and vegetables are brought in boats from villages on the
sea-shore; and, as it is necessary to wait until the sea-breeze
springs up, they do not arrive until midday. After our walk the
children and I went down to the beach and bathed, taking care not to
go too far out on account of the sharks, of which we had been warned.
We undressed and dressed in tents, not unlike clothes-horses, with a
bit of matting thrown over them, in which the heat was intense. The
beach is very steep; and as one gets out of one's depth immediately,
indifferent swimmers put on a couple of bladders--which stick out
behind their backs and produce a strange effect--or else take a
bathing-man into the water with them. I preferred the latter course;
and we all had a pleasant bathe.
[Illustration: Fish Carrier]
The natives seem almost amphibious in their habits, and the yacht is
surrounded all day by boats full of small boys, who will dive to any
depth for sixpence, a dozen of them spluttering and fighting for the
coin in the water at the same time. They will go down on one side of
the yacht too, and bob up on the other, almost before you have time to
run across the deck to witness their reappearance.
The Loo Rock, with its old fortress, close to our anchorage, forms a
picturesque object; and the scene from the yacht, enlivened by the
presence of numerous market-boats, laden with fruit and vegetables, is
very pretty. We lie about 150 yards from the shore, just under Mr.
Danero's quinta. The cliff just here is overhung with bougainvillæas,
geraniums, fuchsias, aloes, prickly pears, and other flowers, which
grow luxuriantly quite down to the water's edge, wherever they can
contrive to find a root-hold.
After five o'clock tea we rode up the Mount and through the woods on
horseback, along a road gay with masses of wild geranium, hydrangea,
amaryllis, and fuchsia. We dismounted at a lovely place, which
contains a large number of rare trees and plants, brought from all
parts of the world. Here were enormous camellias, as well as purple,
red, and white azaleas, Guernsey lilies, all growing in the greatest
profusion.
Our descent of the Mount, by means of a form of conveyance commonly
used on the island, was very amusing. At the summit we found
basket-work sleighs, each constructed to hold two people, and attended
by a couple of men, lashed together. Into these we stepped, and were
immediately pushed down the hill at a tremendous pace. The gliding
motion is delightful, and was altogether a novelty to us. The men
manage the sleighs with great skill, steering them in the most
wonderful manner round the sharp angles in the zigzag road, and making
use of their bare feet as brakes when necessary. The turns were
occasionally so abrupt, that it seemed almost impossible that we could
avoid being upset; but we reached the bottom quite safely. The
children were especially delighted with the trip, and indeed we all
enjoyed it immensely. The only danger is the risk of fire from the
friction of the steel runners against the gravel road.
After paying a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Blandy, whose house is
beautifully situated, we dined at the hotel, and afterwards sat in
the lovely semi-tropical garden until it was time to go on board to
bed.
_Tuesday, July 18th_.--We were called at 4.30 a.m., and went ashore
soon after six to meet some friends, with whom we had arranged to ride
up to the Gran Corral, and to breakfast there, 5,000 feet above the
level of the sea.
It soon became evident that the time we had selected for landing was
the fashionable bathing hour. In fact, it required some skill on our
part to keep the boat clear of the crowds of people of both sexes and
all ages, who were taking their morning dip. It was most absurd to see
entire families, from the bald-headed and spectacled grandfather to
the baby who could scarcely walk, all disporting themselves in the
water together, many of them supported by the very inelegant-looking
bladders I have mentioned. There was a little delay in mounting our
horses, under the shade of the fig-trees; but when we were once off, a
party of eleven, the cavalcade became quite formidable. As we
clattered up the paved streets, between vineyard and garden walls,
'curiosity opened her lattice,' on more than one occasion, to
ascertain the cause of the unwonted commotion. The views on our way,
as we sometimes climbed a steep ascent or descended a deep ravine,
were very varied, but always beautiful. About half-way up we stopped
to rest under a delightful trellis of vines, by the side of a rushing
mountain stream, bordered with ferns; then, leaving the vineyards and
gardens behind us, we passed through forests of shady Spanish chestnut
trees, beneath which stretched the luxurious greensward.
At ten o'clock we quitted this grateful shade, and arrived at the neck
of the pass, facing the Gran Corral, where we had to make our choice
of ascending a conical hill, on our left, or the Torrinhas Peak, on
our right. The latter was chosen, as promising the better view,
although it was rather farther off, so we were accordingly seized
upon by some of the crowd of peasants who surrounded us, and who at
once proceeded to push and pull us up a steep slippery grass slope,
interspersed with large boulders. The view from the top, looking down
a sheer precipice of some 1,500 feet in depth into the valley below,
was lovely. Quite at the bottom, amid the numerous ravines and small
spurs of rocks by which the valley is intersected, we could
distinguish some small patches of cultivated ground. Above our heads
towered the jagged crests of the highest peaks, Pico Ruivo and others,
which we had already seen from the yacht, when we first sighted the
island.
A pleasant walk over some grassy slopes, and two more hard scrambles,
took us to the summit of the Torrinhas Peak; but the charming and
extensive view towards Camara de Lobos, and the bay and town of
Funchal, was an ample reward for all our trouble. It did not take us
long to get back to the welcome shade of the chestnut trees, for we
were all ravenously hungry, it being now eleven o'clock. But, alas!
breakfast had not arrived: so we had no resource but to mount our
horses again and ride down to meet it. Mr. Miles, of the hotel, had
not kept his word; he had promised that our provisions should be sent
up to us by nine o'clock, and it was midday before we met the men
carrying the hampers on their heads. There was now nothing for it but
to organise a picnic on the terrace of Mr. Veitch's deserted villa,
beneath the shade of camellia, fuchsia, myrtle, magnolia, and
pepper-trees, from whence we could also enjoy the fine view of the
fertile valley beneath us and the blue sea sparkling beyond.
_Wednesday, July 19th_.--We were so tired after our exertions of
yesterday, that it was nine o'clock before we all mustered for our
morning swim, which I think we enjoyed the more from the fact of our
having previously been prevented by the sharks, or rather by the
rumour of sharks.
We were engaged to lunch at Mr. and Mrs. Blandy's, but I was so weary
that I did not go ashore until about six o'clock in the evening, and
then I went first to the English cemetery, which is very prettily laid
out and well kept. The various paths are shaded by pepper-trees,
entwined with bougainvillæa, while in many places the railings are
completely covered by long trailing masses of stephanotis in full
bloom. Some of the inscriptions on the tombs are extremely touching,
and it is sad to see, as is almost always the case in places much
resorted to by invalids, how large a proportion of those who lie
buried here have been cut off in the very flower of their youth.
Indeed, the residents at Madeira complain that it is a melancholy
drawback to the charms of this beautiful island, that the friendship
frequently formed between them and people who come hither in search of
health, is in so many cases brought to an early and sad termination.
Having seen and admired Mrs. Foljambe's charming garden by daylight,
we returned on board to receive some friends. Unfortunately they were
not very good sailors, and, out of our party of twenty, one lady had
to go ashore at once, and another before dinner was over.
They all admired the yacht very much, particularly the various cozy
corners in the deck-house. It was a lovely night; and after the
departure of our guests, at about ten o'clock, we steamed out of the
bay, where we found a nice light breeze, which enabled us to sail.
[Illustration: A Cozy Corner.]
_Thursday, July 20th_.--All to-day has been taken up in arranging our
photographs, journals, &c. &c., and in preparing for our visit to
Teneriffe. About twelve o'clock the wind fell light and we tried
fishing, but without success, though several bonitos or flying-fish
were seen. It was very hot, and it seemed quite a relief when, at
eight o'clock in the evening, we began steaming, thus creating a
breeze for ourselves.
_Friday, July 21st_.--We all rose early, and were full of excitement
to catch the first glimpse of the famous Peak of Teneriffe. There was
a nice breeze from the north-east, the true trade wind, we hope, which
ought to carry us down nearly to the Line. The morning being rather
hazy, it was quite ten o'clock before we saw the Peak, towering above
the clouds, right ahead, about fifty-nine miles off. As we approached,
it appeared less perpendicular than we had expected, or than it is
generally represented in pictures. The other mountains too, in the
centre of the island, from the midst of which it rises, are so very
lofty that, in spite of its conical sugar-loaf top, it is difficult at
first to realise that the Peak is 12,180 feet high.
We dropped anchor under its shadow in the harbour of Orotava in
preference to the capital, Santa Cruz, both on account of its being a
healthier place, and also in order to be nearer to the Peak, which we
wished to ascend.
The heat having made the rest of our party rather lazy, Captain Lecky
and I volunteered to go on shore to see the Vice-Consul, Mr. Goodall,
and try to make arrangements for our expedition. It was only 2 p.m.,
and very hot work, walking through the deserted streets, but luckily
we had not far to go, and the house was nice and cool when we got
there. Mr. Goodall sent off at once for a carriage, despatching a
messenger also to the mountains for horses and guides, which there was
some difficulty in obtaining at such short notice.
Having organised the expedition we re-embarked to dine on board the
yacht, and I went to bed at seven, to be called again, however, at
half-past ten o'clock. After a light supper, we landed and went to the
Vice-Consul's arriving there exactly at midnight. But no horses were
forthcoming, so we lay down on our rugs in the patio, and endeavoured
to sleep, as we knew we should require all our strength for the
expedition before us.
There were sundry false alarms of a start, as the horses arrived by
ones and twos from the neighbouring villages, accompanied by their
respective owners. By two o'clock all our steeds, twelve in number,
had assembled, and in another quarter of an hour we were leaving the
town by a steep stony path, bordered by low walls. There was no moon,
and for the first two hours it was very dark. At the end of that time
we could see the first glimmer of dawn, and were shortly afterwards
able to distinguish each other and to observe the beautiful view which
lay below us as we wended our way up and up between small patches of
cultivation. Soon we climbed above the clouds, which presented a most
curious appearance as we looked down upon them. The strata through
which we had passed was so dense and so white, that it looked exactly
like an enormous glacier, covered with fresh fallen snow, extending
for miles and miles; while the projecting tops of the other Canary
Islands appeared only like great solitary rocks.
The sun had already become very oppressive, and at half-past seven we
stopped to breakfast and to water the horses. Half-past eight found us
in the saddle again, and we commenced to traverse a dreary plain of
yellowish white pumice-stone, interspersed with huge blocks of
obsidian, thrown from the mouth of the volcano. At first the monotony
of the scene was relieved by large bushes of yellow broom in full
flower, and still larger bushes of the beautiful _Retama blanca_,
quite covered with lovely white bloom, scenting the air with its
delicious fragrance, and resembling huge tufts of feathers, eight or
nine feet high. As we proceeded, however, we left all traces of
vegetation behind us. It was like the Great Sahara. On every side a
vast expanse of yellow pumice-stone sand spread around us, an
occasional block of rock sticking up here and there, and looking as if
it had indeed been fused in a mighty furnace. By half-past ten we had
reached the 'Estancia de los Ingleses,' 9,639 feet above the level of
the sea, where the baggage and some of the horses had to be left
behind, the saddles being transferred to mules for the very steep
climb before us. After a drink of water all round, we started again,
and commenced the ascent of the almost perpendicular stream of lava
and stone, which forms the only practicable route to the top. Our poor
beasts were only able to go a few paces at a time without stopping to
regain their breath. The loose ashes and lava fortunately gave them a
good foothold, or it would have been quite impossible for them to get
along at all. One was only encouraged to proceed by the sight of one's
friends above, looking like flies clinging to the face of a wall. The
road, if such it can be called, ran in zigzags, each of which was
about the length of two horses, so that we were in turns one above
another. There were a few slips and slides and tumbles, but no
important casualties; and in about an hour and a half we had reached
the 'Alta Vista,' a tiny plateau, where the horses were to be left.
The expedition so far had been such a fatiguing one, and the heat was
so great, that the children and I decided to remain here, and to let
the gentlemen proceed alone to the summit of the Peak. We tried to
find some shade, but the sun was so immediately above us that this was
almost an impossibility. However, we managed to squeeze ourselves
under some slightly overhanging rocks, and I took some photographs
while the children slept. The guides soon returned with water-barrels
full of ice, procured from a cavern above, where there is a stream of
water constantly running; and nothing could have been more grateful
and refreshing.
It was more than three hours before Tom and Captain Lecky reappeared,
to be soon followed by the rest of the party. Whilst they rested and
refreshed themselves with ice, they described the ascent as fatiguing
in the extreme, in fact, almost an impossibility for a lady. First
they had scrambled over huge blocks of rough lava to the tiny plain of
the Rambleta, 11,466 feet above the level of the sea, after which they
had to climb up the cone itself, 530 feet in height, and sloping at an
angle of 44 degrees. It is composed of ashes and calcined chalk, into
which their feet sank, while, for every two steps they made forwards
and upwards, they slipped one backwards. But those who reached the top
were rewarded for their exertions by a glorious view, and by the
wonderful appearance of the summit of the Peak. The ground beneath
their feet was hot, while sulphurous vapours and smoke issued from
various small fissures around them, though there has been no actual
eruption from this crater of the volcano since 1704. They brought down
with them a beautiful piece of calcined chalk, covered with crystals
of sulphur and arsenic, and some other specimens. Parched and dry as
the ground looked where I was resting, a few grains of barley, dropped
by mules on the occasion of a previous visit, had taken root and had
grown up into ear; and there were also a few roots of a sort of
dog-violet, showing its delicate lavender-coloured flowers 11,000 feet
above the sea, and far beyond the level of any other vegetation.
It was impossible to ride down to the spot where we had left the
baggage animals, and the descent was consequently very fatiguing, and
even painful. At every step our feet sank into a mass of loose scoriæ
and ashes; and so we went slipping, sliding, and stumbling along,
sometimes running against a rock, and sometimes nearly pitching
forward on our faces. All this too beneath a blazing sun, with the
thermometer at 78°, and not a vestige of shade. At last Tom and I
reached the bottom, where, after partaking of luncheon and draughts of
quinine, we lay down under the shadow of a great rock to recruit our
weary frames.
Refreshed by our meal, we started at six o'clock on our return
journey, and went down a good deal faster than we came up. Before the
end of the pumice-stone or Retama plains had been reached, it was
nearly dark. Sundry small accidents occurring to stirrup-leathers,
bridles, and girths--for the saddlery was not of the best
description--delayed us slightly, and as Tom, Dr. Potter, Allnutt, and
the guide had got on ahead, we soon lost sight of them. After an
interval of uncertainty, the other guides confessed that they did not
know the way back in the dark. This was not pleasant, for the roads
were terrible, and during the whole of our journey up, from the port
to the Peak, we had met only four people in all--two goatherds with
their flocks, and two 'neveros,' bringing down ice to the town. There
was therefore not much chance of gaining information from any one on
our way down. We wandered about among low bushes, down watercourses,
and over rocks for a long time. Horns were blown, and other means of
attracting attention were tried; first one and then another of the
party meanwhile coming more or less to grief. My good little horse
fell down three times, though we did not part company, and once he
went up a steep bank by mistake, instead of going down a very nasty
watercourse, which I do not wonder at his objecting to. I managed to
jump off in time, and so no harm was done; but it was rather anxious
work.
About ten o'clock we saw a light in the distance, and with much
shouting woke up the inhabitants of the cottage whence it proceeded,
promising to reward them liberally if they would only show us our way
back. Three of them consented to do this, and provided themselves
accordingly with pine-torches, wrapped round with bracken and leaves.
One, a very fine man, dressed in white, with his arm extended above
his head, bearing the light, led the way; another walked in front of
my horse, while the third brought up the rear. They conducted us down
the most frightfully steep paths until we had descended beneath the
clouds, when the light from our torches threw our shadows in gigantic
form upon the mists above, reminding us of the legend of the 'Spectre
of the Brocken.' At last the torches began to go out, one by one, and
just as the last light was expiring we arrived at a small village,
where we of course found that everybody was asleep. After some delay,
during which Mabelle and I were so tired that we lay down in the
street to rest, more torches were procured and a fresh guide, who led
us into the comparatively good path towards Puerto Orotava. Finally,
half an hour after midnight, we arrived at the house of the
Vice-Consul, who had provided refreshments for us, and whose nephew
was still very kindly sitting up awaiting our return. But we were too
tired to do anything but go straight on board the yacht, where, after
some supper and champagne, we were indeed glad to retire to our
berths. This was at 3.30 a.m., exactly twenty-nine hours since we had
been called on Friday night.
It is certainly too long an expedition to be performed in one day.
Tents should be taken, and arrangements made for camping out for one,
if not two, nights; but, in the case of such a large party as ours,
this would have been a great business, as everything must be carried
to so great a height, up such steep places, and over such bad roads.
Still, there are so many objects and places of interest, not only on,
but around, the Peak, that it is a pity to see them only when hurried
and fatigued.
_Sunday, July 23rd_.--Orders had been given not to call us nor to wash
decks, and it was consequently half-past ten before any one awoke, and
midday before the first of our party put in an appearance on deck.
Long before this, the 'Sunbeam' had been inundated with visitors from
the shore. We had given a general invitation to the friends of the
Vice-Consul to come and see the yacht; and they accordingly arrived in
due course, accompanied in many cases by a large circle of
acquaintances. Those who came first were conducted below and all over
the vessel, but the number ultimately became so great that, in
self-defence, we were obliged to limit their wanderings to the deck,
opening the skylights wide, however, to enable them to see as much as
possible of the saloon and cabins.
From breakfast-time until prayers, at three o'clock, when the yacht
was closed for an hour, there was a constant stream of visitors from
the shore. It was a great nuisance; but still it seemed unkind to
refuse to allow them to see what they had never seen before, and might
possibly never have an opportunity of seeing again. All steamers and
sailing-ships, as a rule, go to Santa Cruz; and the fame of our vessel
having been spread abroad by our visitors of Friday, many of the poor
people had come from villages far away over the mountains. We could
not help feeling a certain respect for the determined way in which
physical infirmity was mastered by curiosity for, though many
experienced very serious inconvenience from the motion of the vessel,
they still persevered in their examination.
About five o'clock we went ashore ourselves, and drove up to Villa
Orotava. The wide road is macadamised and marked with kilometre
stones, and is planted on either side with pepper-trees, plane-trees,
and the _Eucalyptus globulus_, which has grown 35 metres, or 115 feet,
in seven years. The hedges are formed of blue plumbago, scarlet
geranium, yellow acacia, lavender-coloured heliotrope, white jasmine,
and pink and white roses.
After driving a few miles, we turned down an old paved road towards
the sea, and, by dint of a considerable amount of shaking, arrived at
the celebrated Botanical Gardens, mentioned by Humboldt and others. We
passed through a small house, with a fine dragon-tree on either side,
and entered the gardens, where we found a valuable collection of trees
and shrubs of almost every known species. The kind and courteous
Curator, Don Hermann Wildgaret, accompanied us, and explained the
peculiarities of the many interesting plants, from Europe, Asia,
Africa, America, Australia, New Zealand, and the various islands of
the North and South Pacific and Indian Oceans. The climate of
Teneriffe is so equable, that the island forms a true garden of
acclimatisation for the vegetable productions of the various countries
of the world; by the judicious expenditure of a little more money,
this establishment might be made an important means of introducing to
Europe many new and valuable plants. At present the annual income is
5,000 francs, the salary of the Curator being 1,000 francs.
A rough drive over paved roads, commanding extensive views of sea and
rocks, and of some palm-trees on a promontory in the distance, brought
us, at about seven o'clock, to the boat, which was waiting our return.
We arrived in due course on board the 'Sunbeam,' laden with bouquets
of the choicest flowers, and soon after dinner we all retired to bed,
not having yet recovered from the fatigues of yesterday.
_Monday, July 24th_.--What one gains in the beauty and abundance of
vegetable life here, one loses in its rapid and premature decay. Fruit
gathered in the morning is scarcely fit to eat at night, and the
flowers brought on board yesterday evening were dead to-day at 4.30
a.m.; whilst some of the roses we brought from Cowes lasted until we
reached Madeira, though it must be owned so many fell to pieces that
my cabin used to be daily swept with rose-leaves instead of
tea-leaves.
We went ashore soon after six, and drove straight to the garden of the
Marquis de Sonzal, where there is a beautiful palm-tree, 101 feet
high, the remains of an enormous dragon-tree, old even in the
fifteenth century, besides hedges of myrtle, jasmine, and clematis,
and flowers of every description in full bloom. The dragon-tree is a
species of dracæna, and looks rather like a gigantic candelabra,
composed of a number of yuccas, perched on the top of a gnarled and
somewhat deformed stem, half palm half cactus. Another beautiful
garden was next visited, belonging to the Marquis de la Candia, who
received us and showed us his coffee and plantains in full growth, as
well as a magnificent Spanish chestnut-tree, coëval with the
dragon-tree. Out of one of its almost decayed branches a so-called
young tree was growing, but it would have been thought very
respectable and middle-aged in any other locality.
Every one here, as in Madeira, has been more or less ruined by the
failure of the vines. Most of the large landed proprietors have left
their estates to take care of themselves; and the peasants, for the
last few years, have been emigrating by hundreds to Caraccas, in
Venezuela. Things are, however, beginning to look up a little now. The
cultivation of cochineal appears to succeed, though the price is low;
coffee answers well; and permission has been obtained from the Spanish
Government to grow tobacco, accompanied by a promise to purchase, at
a certain fixed rate, all that can be produced. Still, people talk of
the Island of Teneriffe as something very different now from what it
was twenty-five or thirty years ago, both as regards the number of its
inhabitants and the activity of its commerce, and mourn over 'the good
old times;'--a custom I have remarked in many other places!
[Illustration: A Palm-tree in a Garden, Orotava, Teneriffe.]
The Marquis de la Candia and Don Hermann Wildgaret returned on board
with us to breakfast. The anchor had been weighed, and the 'Sunbeam'
was slowly steaming up and down, waiting for us. The stream of
visitors had been as great and as constant as ever during our absence,
in spite of the heavy roll of the sea, and the deck seemed quite
covered with baskets of flowers and fruit, kindly sent on board by the
people who had been over the yacht the day before. Amongst the latest
arrivals were some very handsome Spanish ladies, beautifully dressed
in black, with mantillas, each of whom was accompanied by a young man
carrying a basin. It must, I fear, be confessed that this was rather a
trial to the gravity of all on board. It certainly was an instance of
the pursuit of knowledge, or the gratification of curiosity, under
considerable difficulties.
Immediately after breakfast, our friends bade us adieu, and went
ashore in the shore-boat, while we steamed along the north side of the
island, past the splendid cliffs of Buenavista, rising 2,000 feet
sheer from the sea, to Cape Teno, the extreme western point of
Teneriffe. In the distance we could see the Great Canary, Palma, and
Hierro, and soon passed close to the rocky island of Gomera. Here,
too, the dark cliffs, of volcanic form and origin, are magnificent,
and as we were almost becalmed by the high land whilst we sailed along
the north shore of the island, we had ample opportunities of admiring
its rugged beauty. During the night we approached Palma, another large
island of the Canary group, containing one of the most remarkable
_calderas_, or large basins, formed by volcanic action in the world.