Madeira

Pearl of the Atlantic

by Robin Bryans

Robert Hale, 1959, [First Edition], black and white photographic plates and frontispiece, hardcover, dustjacket

Very Good Condition, minor edge and shelf wear, a little rubbing and bumping to edges and corners, previous owners’ details stamped on front endpaper, dustjacket shows minor edge and shelf wear with a little rubbing and bumping to edges and corners (See photographs)

“Madeira lies like a pear; on the Atlantic breast of Africa.  In the last century it was the haunt of wealthy English consumptives.  But today, the sun-worshipping tourist goes to bask in the islands unique climate, and en route to the Cape or South America the world voyager spends a few fabulous hours ashore.
To anyone with an eye for garden beauty, or to the botanist, Madeira is the paradise of the Atlantic, form its subtropical extravagance along the coast, by way of old quintas smothered with trees and shrubs gathered from all parts of the globe, to the sub-alpine splendour of the rugged interior.
Above the cloud-line, in the mountains formed in awesome volcanic sculpture, Robin Bryans spent part of his time  But it was not always easy to forsake the lure of Funchal, and its blue bay astir with jazz-coloured fish and tan-dyed tourist with jazzy accents.  He made his headquarters in a small Portuguese pension there and liked to slip into the British Club for his glass of Malmsey.”