Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/75

] agreed so exactly with our own observations, that no doubt could remain of its identity.

From the circumstance of the Terror being so many miles nearer to it than we were, and from its being observed still to the northward of her, without any material difference in its altitude, there can be no doubt that its region must be considered far beyond the limits of our atmosphere; but I must leave it to those more conversant with these matters to assign its cause.

During our stay at this island we were much indebted to Mr. Stothard for the liberal hospitality with which he placed his residence in Funchal entirely at the service of Commander Crozier and myself, and for affording us every facility in there making our observations: and also to the friendship and kind attentions of Mr. Veitch, late Consul-general; particularly for the gratification and advantage we derived from inspecting with him his celebrated "Jardin" of the mountain, where he has successfully cultivated several kinds of the tea, and other Chinese plants. The garden, or tea plantation, contained three or four hundred shrubs, and all our party considered the infusion of some of the species which we tasted to have such an excellent flavour as, in our opinion, to justify his expectations of eventually making it an article of commercial importance; provided the cost of labour in its preparation would not here, as at Rio, be found an obstacle.