15. Sep. 1938

// Sept 15^th / 

[/P] Madeira in sight as I go to upper deck – “The Pearl of the Atlantic” – lying in harbour German man o war [illegible] – the Swastika very much in evidence – also German passenger boat General Arteges Hantung [presume: General Artigas, a German passenger boat] Funchal well inhabited – beautiful villas on the mountain side – as we stop [,] small rowing-boats containing 3 oarsman and two drivers – boy & man.  Shout up to us Hullo Mr Brown [s] throw [illegible]  Small boy dive etc.  Some throw coins – & I look uneasily at German war ship – as we stop [,] many more rowing boats come up & climb the ship [.]  All sorts of merchandise – Photographs of Island [,] transit agents – 10/ to be shown round island and back – English newspapers & English launches – Germans look on suspiciously – One man comes furtively to ask if I want French photographs – shows me one specimen – I don’t want them – the 3 [,] N + W [Watson] join the party [illegible] the Island – Mehta [T.C. Mehta] & I go down to the launch & go to town on our own – Artist + soc worker [sic: social worker] same launch – say they don’t see much of us – we say we see a lot of them - They fear to mix with Natives – 

[/P] we land and set foot on Madeira [.] My first experience of a country without the colour bar [.]  I am thrilled and grateful at once [.]  I am in love with the Portuguese [,] Honest readjustment to things — of course as alternative [to South Africa] — Guides & loafers offer to show us round — The streets are cobbled with rough stones & wheelless carts drawn by oxen [,] men attired in white — Old fashionable motor cars as taxis — open.  Someone with guide badge comes along and offers to show round but we refuse & looks unhappy.  Mehtu [Mehta] restless – disagree with my [illegible] method – buy matches & my change – Walk through the park -Statues [sketches of statues] + Swans – a loafer comes along & Mehtu [Mehta] worried & asks to take us to see the Signorita – I tell him off again [,] turn back through narrow streets – Driving seems wreckless [sic: reckless] to me – Too many old women in the Streets, they seem to have resigned themselves broadly to things, unlike the old women in SA (poor classes) Perhaps the many churches  a/c [sic: account] for it.   A small soldier in uniform stalks up to us & attaches himself without speaking – Small shops & tinsmiths & carpenters – He makes signs [,] queer noises to make us understand – Mehtu’s [Mehta's] anxious [,] does not know how to be rid of him – We see railway-station – go past Castle & [illegible] less station down a narrow street & up we see a shop & buy Some drinks & fruits.  Man gives Portuguese money so we use up whole 2/- Wine at back of shop – a crowd of children crowd at shop – we go down the street again past the Casino & the Gardens 

[note in margin:] two Mulettos [,] black boys with blue eyes!  Well dressed father negro

[/P] We see a black girl – She greets me and farther on buy ice-cream [,] delicious.  Down the jetty [,] flower girls in Portuguese national natural dress selling flowers – Human butterflies skimming silently over the cobbled streets – a maze of colour

[/P] We go down to the Jetty & I do not want to leave Madeira — Many hangers on & exchangers of money etc — we pay for the launch to get on & find 3, Wat. [Watson] & N.  Watson not talkative [,] abrupt [,] so get on launch with many German sightseers from General Artigas & interesting to see the glances of the Nazis especially from the crew of the ship as we get off passengers — We return to our boat & I am struck by the hugeness of the Bal. Castle [sic: Balmoral Castle].  

[/P] All round the small craft-like flies round an elephant in the jungle.  Still the diving boys weaving their way in and out the scene of jesticalating [sic: gesticulating] & vociferous merchants – Hello Leetle boy Hallo [.] The little boys dive – 

[/P] the Ship is ready to move & all on board get out with their bundles – ropes dangle from the boats to the Ship [,] passengers & goods & pulled to & fro by ropes – as the ship goes the small craft dwindle – the last to leave the ship are the two leetle boys [.]  They leap from from high up the Bal C [sic: Balmoral Castle] & make spectacular dives into the water below – we take the bend & leave Madeira with its beautiful [illegible] Callers in vain – It is the sunlit end of island that’s most populated – We pass the statue of Xt [sic: Christ] with its outstretched hands – there off to open sea -

We exchange experiences & I hear 3 [.]  W [sic: Watson] & N enjoyed a fine 10/ trip – They saw a Bos Shebeen [South African term for bar or speakeasy] - & flimsily dressed girls who beckoned but they merely saw – Abr [Abraham] seems stunned [.]  He says he is horrified but I don’t believe it – He speaks of mothers & sisters etc futile.  We eat bananas & grapes Madeira.  The sunset is beautiful [,] molten gold [,] the sun sinks like a ball of fire – They tell of the Madeira-man speaks French – We drink Madeira brought on board by Watson & N & 3 –