Saturday 21 March 2009

Isabella de Franca is rowed by night

Isabella travels by boat from Funchal at 4 in the morning:
"There lay our four-oared boat, into which all our traps were soon packed, and then two of the men holding the rudder by the ends, I stepped upon it, and was lifted to the height of the boat's side, from whence I descended at once into my seat. Jose followed, with two of the men, the other two gave two or three heavy pushes to loosen the boat from the stones, and as she floated out jumped on, took their oars and seats, and in a moment, as if by magic, we were dancing upon the starlit sea. Never shall I forget the beauty of that night!"

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