The Curral is the greatest natural curiosity in Madeira. It is a vast ravine, and may once have formed a deep lake. It is surrounded by lofty mountains, which add greatly to the grandeur of the scenery. It reminded the students of the “Dry Dock,” as they called it, in the Saxon Switzerland.
The Curral is about thirteen hundred feet deep, and the greater portion of its sides are perpendicular rock. Every thing in the vicinity is very picturesque, and the students were delighted with the excursion.
CHAPTER XII.
CONCERNING THE MISSING STEAMER.
“THERE is a steamer coming into port!” shouted one of the idlers in the fore-top of the American Prince, one morning after the squadron had been a week at Funchal.
A dozen glasses were brought to bear upon the approaching steamer, which was coming in from the north-east. She was not a large vessel, and was square-rigged forward, like the Ville d’Angers; but it could not yet be determined whether she had two or three masts, as she was headed directly towards the Loo Rock. The picked-up steamer was barkentine rigged; and, so far as could be judged at that distance, the new-comer was about her size.
The American Prince had been out on a three-days’ cruise in search of the Ville d’Angers. She had spoken several vessels without obtaining any intelligence of the missing steamer. She had just returned to Funchal. Mr. Lowington was very much depressed at the ill success of the expedition; but Mr. Fluxion insisted that the Ville d’Angers was all right. She had plenty of coal, plenty of provisions, and she was a good, strongly-built vessel: he had examined her in detail, and he did not believe that the students could have foundered her if they had tried to do so. The worst he could conceive that had happened to her was, that she had broken some of her machinery, and had drifted away to leeward before the south-east winds which had been prevailing for a week.
“But you say her sails were in good order and condition,” replied the principal. “I presume her commander knew enough to get sail upon her if her engine was disabled.”
“If he did, he has had a head-wind all the time, and will have to beat his vessel all the way. It is very likely the steamer is not in good sailing-trim, for such craft as she is don’t work well under sail alone,” continued Mr. Fluxion.
“But that vessel coming into this port is using steam,” said Mr. Lowington, as he directed his glass towards her again.
“Of course I can’t tell what has happened to the Ville d’Angers, but I feel quite confident that she is all right. We have had no very bad weather since we parted company, and not a great deal of fog near the islands,” persisted Mr. Fluxion, who felt it “in his bones” that the steamer and her crew were safe, though he could give no good reason for his belief.