Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 March 1902 — A Letter From the Madeira Islands, [ARTICLE]

A Letter From the Madeira Islands,

The following letter was just received by our townsman, J. W, Williams, from his brother, J. J. Williams now on a trip to Egypt and the Holyland. We expect to be able to present a series of these interesting letters to our readers from this close and intelligent observer. Funchal, Madeira Island, 2-18-1902. We arrived here on Sunday afternoon at 3, and were met at the landing by about fifty small row boats loaded with native divers and all anxious to earn a piece of silver, by diving in the water for it. We would throw over board 25 or 50 cent pieces of silver and after it had started for the bottom they would dive off their small boats and catch it before it would reach bottom, very seldom would they miss it. You could not fool them with a nickle or pennies Some boats were loaded with willow baskets and chairs, some of them would use their boat hooks and scale up the side of the ship the same as our firemen would scale up a building from one window to the other and then draw their baskets and chairs up by a i ope. Some of the divers would dive from the upper deck which is about 10 ft above the water level. Funchal is located on the south side of one of the larger islands and the city contains about 8,000 inhabitants and this island contains 311 sq miles, I understand there are about 30 islands in the group, they belong to Portugal. The highest mountains are about 1 5000 ft high and are quite steep but are cultivated up about 2,000 above the level of the sea. Every inch of ground is cultivated by being terraced up, in looking up the mountain you will see stone wall after stone wall as far as one can see. We had to anchor out in the bay about one mile and were taken ashore in small row boats by the natives. About all the English they could speak was shilling, drink, bread. They know the value of English money. The streets at Funchal are from 6 ft to 20 ft wide and are well paved with small cobble stones from the size of a hickory nut to as large as your fist Owing to the steep roads the vehicles consist of sledges drawn by oxen. We took a ride in one of them for about one mile one boy or man runs ahead of the oxen and the other behind so as to guide it or rather to keep it from slipping around too much, the hind man carries a greased bag and every rod or two slides it under the runner to make it run easier. The oost of the trip was 125 reis, they wanted 250 reis, but as we had made a bargain with them we refused to pay more. We were met all the way by beggars holding out their hands for reis, some time there would be as high as 15 or 20 after us. All kind of cripples and several blind men, some without hands who would thrust their stubs in our faces and follow us up for ten rods or more. We went up the mountain on a cog wheel road, fare 450 reis the round trip. On the way up ae were showered with flowers from the base to summit. The boys and girls would throw a lot in on us and then run alongside of the oar for a quarter of a mile or so, or until some one would throw out some money in their hats. It was a beautiful eight from the top of the rail road, the city and bay with several boats lay at our feet. The public gardens are very fine , also the Caseno grounds are grand, with tropical trees and plants. Palm trees that would measure three feet through. Everything grows here date trees, coconut trees, pine apple, bananas, all variety of ferns and flowers. The average temperature of Funchal is 75 degrees and I understand it does not vary 10 degrees from that. The highest part of the mountains were obscured by the clouds so that we could not see the tops. There is a small stream that runs through the center of the city which is walled up about 30 ft high. It was quite a novelty to see the women bring their washings to the river, they use a large reck in place of a wash board as we do at home. The clothes were spread out over the rocks and looked nice and white. The women carry all the water from

public fountains home in earthen jars same as was done 2000 years ago, the jars are the sapre shape as those we see pictured in the bible. I must not forget the goats, they are driven along the street* from house to house and just as much jnilked as the customer may want. One is sure of getting pure milk in tha" way and not one half water as we get at home. I>will send you one of their daily papers. You will notice in the advertising columns that some things seem rather high as they are priced up as high as 1000 reis, but when you know it takes 10 reis to make one cent out of our money it does not seem so much. .We will arrive at Gibralter Wednesday the 19th, at 6 a. m., and spend the day ashore. All are glad to get ashore. All well, your bro. J. J. W.