Ponta de São Lourenço
It is located at the eastern end of Madeira, and, according to Frutuoso, it received its name because the ship in which Captain João Gonçalves Zarco arrived when the island was discovered was called S. Lourenço.
"Ponta de S. Lourenço," says Mousinho de Albuquerque, "which extends for about 3 miles into the sea in the W. to E. direction with very little width, is composed of a succession of remains of mountains, which seem to have been mostly destroyed: and as soon as it begins to narrow, shortly after passing the village of Caniçal, it generally presents the remains of layers, which dip towards the S. or SW., and which from the north are suddenly and vertically cut, forming almost vertical cliffs over the sea."
During the summer, Ponta de S. Lourenço is arid and sad because the heat of the sun quickly burns the vegetation that covers the land; but during the first part of spring, when the small valleys and hills are adorned in various points with a luxuriant carpet of greenery, among which different species stand out that are not found anywhere else on the island, the aspect of this place changes a lot, to which the life of nature gives attractions that cheer and delight the visitor.
The Ilhéu de Fora, where the lighthouse is located, is considered to be part of the Point, although it is separated from the neighboring land by a channel or passage about 85 fathoms wide and 3 to 4 fathoms deep. To the west, there are the Ilhéu dos Desembarcadouros and the Ilhéu de Agostinho, followed by the bay of Abra, where there is a pier (see this name), and then the site of Piedade, with a beach of calcareous sand, the only one of its kind on the island. On a hillock near the beach stands the small chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade (see this name).
The entire terrain of Ponta is now perfectly devoid of trees, but near the beach we find many calcareous bodies which, as everything seems to indicate, are petrified remains of woody plants, attesting that in that place there were some forests in quite remote times. (See Calcareous bodies).
In the site of Piedade, many terrestrial shells belonging to species from the high region are found, few of which appear alive in that locality. This quite curious fact has not yet had a satisfactory explanation.
In some points of Ponta de S. Lourenço, some cattle are raised, and the Ilhéu dos Desembarcadouros and the lands of Abra are renowned for the large quantity of forage plants they produce. The best hay on the island comes from Ponta de S. Lourenço.
There is a great lack of springs throughout the Point, but the rains are abundant there from autumn to spring. The lands could produce cereals if the cattle did not destroy the crops.
The articles Agostinho (Ilhéu do), Desembarcadoiro (Ilhéu do), Farois e Corpos Calcáreos da Piedade are of particular interest in this subject.