I77fi THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 118 



pendicular height of the Pic, after the month of 

 August. # 



" Although some smoke constantly issues from near 

 the top of the Pic, they have had no earthquake or 

 eruption of a volcano since 1704, when the port of 

 Garrachica, where much of their trade was formerly 

 carried on, was destroyed, t 



" Their trade, indeed, must be considered as very 

 considerable; for they reckon that forty thousand 

 pipes of wine are annually made; the greatest part 

 of which is either consumed in the island, or made 

 into brandy, and sent to the Spanish West Indies. X 

 About six thousand pipes were exported every year 

 to North America, while the trade with it was un- 

 interrupted; at present, they think not above half 

 the quantity. The corn they raise is, in general, 

 insufficient to maintain the inhabitants ; but the 

 deficiency used to be supplied by importation from 

 the North Americans, who took their wines in return. 

 "They make a little silk; but unless we reckon the 



* This agrees with Dr. T. Heberden's account, who says that 

 the sugar-loaf part of the mountain, or la pericosa (as it is called), 

 which is an eighth part of a league (or 1980 feet) to the top, is 

 covered xvith snovo the greatest part of the year. See Philosophical 

 Transactions , as quoted above. 



f This port was then filled up by the rivers of burning lava that 

 flowed into it from a volcano; insomuch that houses are now built 

 where ships formerly lay at anchor. See Glass Hist. p. 244. 



\ Glas, p. 342., says, that they annually export no less than 

 fifteen thousand pipes of wine and brandy. In another place, p. 

 252, he tells us, that the number of the inhabitants of TenerifFe, 

 when the last account was taken, was no less than 96,000. We 

 may reasonably suppose that there has been a considerable increase 

 of population since Glas visited the island, which is above thirty 

 years ago. The quantity of wine annually consumed, as the com- 

 mon beverage of at least one hundred thousand persons, must 

 amount to several thousand pipes. There must be a vast expen- 

 diture of it, by conversion into brandy ; to produce one pipe of 

 which, five or six pipes of wine must be distilled. An attention to 

 these particulars will enable every one to judge, that the account 

 given to Mr. Anderson, of an annual produce of 40.000 pipes of 

 wine, has a foundation in truth. 



VOL. V. I 



