Profundidades
Explains the term 'profundidades', coined by Dr Álvaro Rodrigues de Azevedo for high, roughly circular deep basins in Madeira's mountains that are not properly valleys, and lists the main examples.
Dr Álvaro R. de Azevedo gave the name profundidades (‘depths’) to certain places of considerable altitude, fair extent and roughly circular shape, because the generic term ‘valleys’ did not suit them. He mentions the profundidades of Curral das Freiras (‘nuns’ fold’), in the parish (freguesia) of that name, the most remarkable of them all; that of Fanal (‘beacon’), in the mountains of the parish of Ribeira da Janela (‘window stream’); that of Rabaçal, in the valley of the said stream; and that of Fõjo, near Praia Formosa (‘beautiful beach’), in the parish of São Martinho (‘St Martin’).
Dr Azevedo deals with all these profundidades at some length in the Diccionario Universal Portuguez Ilustrado.
- Álvaro Rodrigues de Azevedo 1825–1898