loG WILLIAM CHRISTY S 



however, it is execrable, being completely covered with loose 

 fraffments of lava and scoria. This is, however, no fault of 

 the road, which has been covered with these matters by tor- 

 rents caused by heavy rains. It will probably be soon 

 remedied, as numerous woi'kmen are employed in repairing 

 the road, and means are taking to open a passage for the water 

 into some of the small ravines. Nothing can be more desolate 

 than the country for some miles after leaving Santa Cruz ; 

 with the exception of a few uninclosed fields of maize or 

 lupines by the road side, as far as the eye could reach was a 

 barren lava plain, destitute of trees, and almost of vegetation, 

 if we except scattered bushes of those formal and grotesque- 

 looking plants, Euphorbia Canariensis and Kleifiia neriifolia. 

 Just as we entered on this desolate tract we met a train of ten 

 loaded camels proceeding to Santa Cruz, which appeared per- 

 fectly in character with the desert region we were traversing, 

 and gave a truly foreign aspect to the scene. They are chiefly 

 kept at Laguna, and are employed to carry goods between 

 Santa Cruz and that place. The cultivated fields were gay 

 with a pretty little Calendula^ having yellow flowers with a 

 dark centre, and the crevices in the lava afforded Asphodelus 

 ramosHs, and a handsome small-flowered Scilla. Having gra- 

 dually ascended through this dismal region for about 1,800 

 feet, we found ourselves entering the city of Laguna, the 

 ancient capital of the island. It derives its name from a lake 

 which formerly occupied an adjacent part of the extensive plain 

 in which it is built; but which is now almost entirely dried 

 up. Indeed, some of the suburbs of the city now occupy a part 

 of its ancient bed, and are in consequence subject to incon- 

 venient inundation during a wet winter.'^ Laguna is a curious 

 old place, and we regretted our time did not allow of our 

 stopping to take a more minute survey of it, especially as our 

 route lay through what were evidently second-i'ate streets. 

 Every now and then we obtained glimpses, through different 

 openings, of several large and magnificent churches and con- 

 vents, which attest the former riches and magnificence of the 

 city. We all agreed that the general appearance of the place 



*^ This was especially the case a few weeks after our visit, when, owing to an 

 almost unprecedented continuance of heavy rain, the waters rose to an alarming 

 height. One of our acquaintance was imprisoned by them for several days in a 

 country house, where he had gone on a shooting excursion. 



