mountain, from which some favourable specimens have already been
obtained.

The manufacture of sugar has also been tried on the island, but
although the cane succeeds uncommonly well, the expense of conveying
it to Funchal, together with that of the process of extracting the
juice, and the want of skill in granulation, has rendered the
experiment too costly, it being found that Brazilian sugar can be had
cheaper than the native production.

_Sunday, August 12th, 1827_.--I accompanied Mr. Shortridge to the
English Chapel, where the congregation was small, in consequence of
the absence of the merchants and their families in the country, during
the summer months. The service was performed by the Rev. Mr. Deacon,
who is a member of the Established Church, and holds the appointment
of Chaplain to the English residents, of whom there are a great
number, consisting of merchants, shop-keepers, servants, and a few
invalids. I do not, however, consider it the best place in the world
for the last description of visitors. Bermuda is well known to be a
much more healthy climate; from the land not being so high, the
weather is less variable, and the temperature, of course, more equal.
Madeira, notwithstanding, has two advantages over Bermuda, worthy of
consideration; it presents more agreeable and better society, and
offers greater facilities of intercourse with England; so that the
accounts from home are more frequent and recent.

I left town in the afternoon, to dine with Mr. Webster Gordon, who
resides at the mount near the Church of Nostra Senhora del Monte,
about three miles in the country; where I was invited with Captain
Owen and some of his officers. They went on horseback, while I, being