THE Razila arrived at Madeira before breakfast, and was due to leave again during the afternoon, so as soon as possible the three friends went ashore, for Gertude was feeling better, and wanted to see all she could.
They soon found themselves seated inside a bullock carrol, one of the quaintest of carriages, for it has no wheels, but goes on runners, like a sledge. The roads were paved with smooth cobblestones, worn smoother by use, and every now and then the driver threw a greased pad under the runners, picking it up again as soon as they had passed over it. They glided along over the stones, skidding famously as they turned corners, and thoroughly enjoying the novelty of the drive.
The mountain itself they ascended by train, but they came down again by the chute, for at the top of the hill they found a group of men, all anxious, very anxious indeed, to take the visitors down in their toboggans. These were made of wickerwork and were wide enough to hold three people sitting side by side.
As soon as our friends were seated, two men, one on each side, seized the ropes attached to the front of the toboggan and began to run down the slope. Faster and faster they went over the smooth track till the pace grew startling, when the men, still keeping hold of the guiding ropes, sprang up at the back of the little car and added their weight to its impetus.
Children ran out of the way, men shouted to each other and hurried to get their carts closer to the side of the track; but everything and everybody managed to escape in time, and at last the bottom of the hill was safely reached, which was much to be thankful for. But it somewhat spoiled their pleasure to see the state of the chute men, for they were doubled up for want of breath, and would need a good rest before they would be able to carry the toboggan on head and shoulders all the long way up to the top again.
When they reached the ship they found that others besides themselves had been buying some of the wicker furniture which is so beautifully made on the island, and it was a good thing that the holds of the Razila were roomy. Some of their friends, too, had bought pretty specimens of terra-cotta pottery.
In future the word Madeira would conjure up visions of bullock carrols, toboggans, without snow or ice, wicker-chairs, and a view of mountain and gorge, with a tiny stream down at the bottom of it, musically tumbling its way to the ocean.
But after all they were rather glad to leave Madeira with its oily blue sea and relaxing atmosphere, and the thoughts of all began to turn homeward.
At first it was interesting to compare the islets they were passing with a little map one of them had, but soon they were right away from all sight of land.
There were deck quoits for those who cared to play, while others got their daily exercise by going for walks, but it took many turns of the deck to make a mile.
They loved to watch the sea itself, and there was a fine sense of freedom in being able to look all around and see nothing but sea, until sky and ocean met on the far horizon. The sight of that vast expanse of water made them think of the words: "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”
At the present day we see men striving to fill the earth with their own glory; they set up their own puny reasonings against the revealed truth of God, forgetting that the Lord has said: "To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word," and "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me.”
When the Lord Jesus was on earth, and the great and wise men of that generation refused Him, He "rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”
The "babes" are taught that they will have part in the city which descends out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, the city which has no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God lightens it and the lamp of that glory is the Lamb. But they rejoice to know that the time is coming when the earth, this very earth where the Lord of glory was crucified, shall be filled with "the knowledge of the glory of the Lord," and that "the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.”