i8 AVOYAGETO 



^1776- fometimes large torrents rufli dov.rn. At this t'me thefe 



Augult, " 



v.— V ' troughs were repairing, fo that frefli water, whicii is very 



good here, was fcarce. 



Were we to judge from the appearance of the country in 

 the neighbourhood of Santa Cruz, it might be concluded 

 that Teaeriife is a barren fpot, infufficient to maintain even 

 its own inhabitants. The ample fupplies, however, which 

 we received, convinced us that they had enough to fpare 

 for vilitors. Befides wine, which is the chief produce of the 

 ifland, beef may be had at a moderate price. The oxen are 

 fmall and boney, and weigh about ninety pounds a quar- 

 ter. The meat is but lean, and was, at prefent, fold for 

 half a bit (three pence fterling) a pound. I, unadvifedly, 

 bought the bullocks alive, and paid confiderably more. 

 Hogs, (heep, ggats and poultry, are likewife to be bought 

 at the fame moderate rate ; and fruits are in great plenty. 

 At this time we had grapes, figs, pears, mulberries, plan- 

 tains, and muflc melons. There is a variety of other fruits 

 produced here, though not in feafon at this time, Their 

 pumpkins, onions, and potatoes, are exceedingly good of 

 their kind, and keep better at fea tlian any I ever before 

 met with. 



The Indian corn, which is alfo their produce, cofl: me 

 about three Ihillings and fixpence a bufliel ; and the fruiis 

 and roots were, in general, very cheap. They have not any 

 plentiful fupply ot fiih from the adjoining fea; but a very 

 confiderabie filliery is carried on by their vefTels upon the 

 coail of Barbary ; and the produce of it fells at a reafonable 

 price. Upon the whole, I found TcnerifFe to be a more 

 eligible place than Madeira, for Ihips bound on long voyages 

 to touch at; though the wine of the latter, according to my 



taftc. 



