“When João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira with their followers discovered Madeira in 1419, they found an island of steep and rough terrain, covered by thick forest – hence the island`s name (“Madeira” is Portuguese for “wood”).
It was not least the obvious intractability of the island`s terrain which caused the discoverers first of all to settle on the more easily accessible neighbouring island of Porto Santo and use the latter as a base from which to open up and explore the main island. It took several centuries to make the island suitable for cultivation, the most appropriate method for the early Portuguese settlers being to clear away the forests by burning.” (pg. 13-14)
“AA . Baedeker - Madeira ” (2000) Automobile Association Developments Limited, Hampshire: AA Publishing
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