The doctor’s party by his advice had decided to use their first half-day on shore in making a visit to the church of “Nossa Senhora do Monte,” or “Our Lady of the Mountain,” which is located on a hill nearly two thousand feet above the sea. The place affords a beautiful view of Funchal and its surroundings. It was an up-hill walk; but most of the ascent was gradual, though a portion of it was very steep. On the way they had an opportunity to see some of the modes of conveyance mentioned by the professor of geography and history.
“It don’t seem to me that I should feel very comfortable to have men carrying me about the island,” said Murray, as he stopped to see one of the hammocks, which was not unlike a palanquin. “I should feel as though I were a burden upon my own kind.”
“They have very good horses here, though they are rather small,—about the size of those they use for the ascent of Mount Vesuvius.”
At last the church was reached after a most fatiguing tramp, for the students had not got on their land legs. Most of the way, the road, paved with cobble-stones, was enclosed by a wall over which none of the party were tall enough to see; and this made the walk dismal at times, though they always had a view when looking behind them. But this wall was covered with vines; and, as it was springtime, the air was laden with the perfume of flowers.
There is nothing about the church worth seeing; and the business of the day was concluded by ascending one of the two towers that crown the building, where the party remained till sunset. The church faces the sea; and from the elevated tower a panorama of a portion of the city and a great deal of magnificent scenery was spread out before the observers; and they returned to their vessels delighted with the excursion.
Mr. Lowington was pacing the quarter-deck of the Prince when the students returned; and it was observed that he cast frequent glances to seaward in search of the missing steamer, but she did not put in an appearance in the offing that night.
CHAPTER XI.
BUDDING VINES AND ORANGE-GROVES.
THE night passed away, and the morning, and the Ville d’Angers did not appear off the island. The principal had a long and anxious conference with Mr. Fluxion. There was only one thing it was possible to do, and that was to send the Prince in search of the missing steamer; but it was decided to wait a day or two longer before this was done.
The next afternoon the doctor and his little party landed in the city, and began to explore the place. After months of constant sight-seeing, they found little in the way of public buildings, squares, or streets, to engage their attention, and were more inclined to get out into the country among the budding flowers and orange-groves.
“That’s one of the carts we read of,” said Scott, laughing, as he stopped to view a sort of sled on which a yoke of small oxen were hauling a pipe of wine.