litely walked with me for three blocks and landed me in front of a
flour mill. I explained his mistake and he then insisted on taking me
to where they sold flowers, at which point we had an elaborate
fare-welling--hat-lifting, laughing and handshaking. I asked him to
visit me in New York, but he said with marked sadness in his voice that
he hadn't the price and therefore must forego the pleasure.

The passenger list of the _Cork_ being a large and notable one, the
City Club gave us a ball at the Casino. It was alleged that the bluest
blood on the island took part in this, the largest function of the
season.

Madeira has been described by a distinguished traveler as "a neglected
paradise." Part of this appearance is given it by the luxuriant growth
of the Bougainvillea vine which has rich purple flowers, masses of
which can be seen decorating the villas when one approaches Funchal
from the sea. Madeira is some three hundred miles from Africa, and yet
when sand storms arise on that continent the sand is blown across the
sea and great mounds of it are piled up on this island; arrangements
have to be made to prevent it from entering the houses.

The main island, Madeira, is thirty-three miles long and thirteen
broad, with a population of 151,000. Funchal has 50,000 inhabitants,
and is a quaint and interesting city. The island was known to the
Romans, but was settled by Zargo in the interests of Portugal.
Columbus married his wife at this port. Captain Cook bombarded Funchal
in 1768 and brought that city to his terms. Napoleon was sent here on
his way to St. Helena in 1815. So, on the whole, Madeira has had a
fair amount of checkered history.

The Casino was started as an imitation of Monte Carlo, but caused such
disaster that it was suppressed. The Lisbon officials now visit it
once a year to see that there is no gambling going on; the owners know
when they sail and remove the tables, and after the "inspection" is
over and the officials have returned home, business is resumed in
safety and with the usual profit to the proprietors.

[Illustration: THE HISTORICAL PART OF ATHENS, GREECE. PANORAMA OF THE
GREAT RUINED GROUPS]

The _Cork_ is one of the marine giants, and when all the first-cabin
rooms were sold the company painted up the second-cabin quarters and
sold them at full first-class rates. I joined the party only a few
days before it started and was glad to get an outside, single room,
about the size