I am informed, that smuggling is so common a practice in this island,
that there is no difficulty in procuring any prohibited article you
may desire: among the most abundant are French brandy and Dutch gin.
The former of these articles continued to be smuggled, in large
quantities, for some time after the prohibition, from an idea that it
was the best spirit they could use, and under an apprehension that the
wines could not maintain their character without it:--experience,
however, has shewn them, that they can not only do without French
brandy, but that the spirit which is made on the island, is much
better adapted to their purpose.

An extensive seizure of gin was made during our short stay at Madeira,
under the following circumstances: A boat went off to a Dutch vessel,
on the same evening that she left the port, which, no doubt, had been
previously arranged, and took 300 cases of gin, which she landed at
the N.E. side of the island. She remained there that day, and
proceeded, under the obscurity of the following night, towards the
town of Funchal; but on her way she struck, and must have been wrecked
but for the assistance of a fishing-smack that happened to be near at
the moment. The fishermen were, as a matter of course, easily bribed
to assist the smugglers in landing and depositing the illicit store in
a cavern at Prior Bay, a little to the westward of Funchal. The next
day, however, a most unfortunate accident revealed the whole
proceeding. Two lovers had formed an arrangement to make an excursion
from Funchal to Kama de Loba, and leaving the former place in a small
boat, were in due time landed at Prior Bay. They had not proceeded
far, before they discovered the cave, and tempted, by its coolness and
its solitary situation, they entered it, when, to their surprise, they
saw a man lying in a remote part of the interior. As he appeared to be