and the Canary Islands, 85 



educated. Hence, whatever relates to the Bishop is the chief 

 concern of the inhabitants. They trouble themselves but little 

 about what is going on in Europe, and even in Spain itself, and 

 for the most part know but little about it. With them, the bat- 

 tle of Waterloo, even at the moment of receiving the first intel- 

 ligence, had but a kind of historical interest, such as a battle, 

 that decided the fate of the sovereignty of China or Bucharest 

 over the plains of Asia, would have among ourselves. 



The Bishop, Don Nicholas de Berdugo, received us in a 

 friendly manner, and assured us of his substantial protection 

 during our stay on the island. He sent his body physician Don 

 Juan Bandini Gatti along with us, and, in him, furnished us with 

 one of the most agreeable and instructive companions we could 

 have wished. Dr Bandini, many years ago, in confidential inti- 

 macy with the very deserving Viera, had followed him as suc- 

 cessor. His very judicious collections comprehended every thing 

 on the island that was useful or interesting ; and his manuscripts 

 contained many remarkable observations upon numerous natural 

 phenomena. Such knowledge was not confined to himself alone. 

 We saw, with surprise, the young people of the seminary, directed : 

 by his influence and example, disputing upon subjects which we 

 could not readily expect to find treated upon here ; namely, the 

 sleep, motion, and irritability of plants, of nurseries, and their ad- 

 vantage to the island, the influence of light and heat on the life 

 and growth of vegetation. To all these things the Bishop gives 

 his most zealous support. 



On the 5th July, after having seen many rocks and valleys in 

 the neighbourhood of the town, we hastened towards the dry 

 parched sea-coast at Telde, a place that, like many others clothed 

 with verdure, and abounding in palms, resembles an oase in 

 tuffa. From this, we ascended the valley to Val Sequillo, still 

 nearer the rocks of the interior. Here the country expands 

 into a plain, and is covered with fruitful corn-fields. Water 

 tumbles down the defiles, and when it gushes out, is de- 

 lightfully enclosed with gourds and large colocasia leaves. 

 Above the village stands a high rock, Roque del Sancillo, 

 in the cliff's of which Smith discovered a new and very beau- 

 tiful Sempervivum, (S. caespitosumj, which is now an orna- 

 ment of every botanical garden in Europe, and of many pri- 



