A history of Madeira. With a series of twenty-seven coloured engravings, illustrative of the costumes, manners, and occupations of the inhabitants of that island / [Anon].

  • William Combe
Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A history of Madeira. With a series of twenty-seven coloured engravings, illustrative of the costumes, manners, and occupations of the inhabitants of that island / [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    7] PEASANTS CULTIVATING THE GROUND. Tue unequal surface that prevails throughout the island produces an obvious difficulty in its cultivation. The steepness and precipitancy of its acclivities and descents, and the rare continuance of level ground, renders the use of the plough impracticable, as it equally forbids the use of animal labour. Cultivation, therefore, must be principally, if not exclusively, produced by manual industry, and may be almost literally said to be obtained by the sweat of the human brow. Spades are not in use; but the instrument employed in breaking up the ground is a kind of long- pointed hoe, calculated, as it appears, to produce the effect of our pick-axe. This utensil is not formed to penetrate deep into the earth; and the labour is proportionably great when the vines are to be planted, which are, at least, six feet in depth; but the peasantry are a hardy race of people, and susceptible of uncommon labour. The women, indeed, sometimes assist them in the field; but their occupations, particularly after they marry, may be considered as confined to the cottage and its immediate vicinity. They are employed’ in spinning, and weaving the materials for domestic clothing ; and their families are often numerous. They also look after the cattle, and attend, as may be supposed, to household regulations. Frequent demands
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