53 CANARY ISLANDS. 



twenty or thirty feet in circumference. The wood of 

 this tree contains an abundance of resin, and serves for 

 excellent timber and fuel. 



The hamlet of Chasna is situated in a fertile valley in 

 the heart of the mountains, and is elevated about 4500 feet 

 above the level of the ocean. It has a greater resemblance 

 to a New-England village than any other place on the 

 island that I have visited. It is encompassed by extensive 

 orchards of peach, pear, and almond trees, and some well 

 cultivated fields and gardens. The neighboring hills and 

 mountains are crowned by forests of majestic pines, or are 

 interspersed with large flocks of sheep, each attended by a 

 shepherd during the entire day and night. A population 

 of 574 souls inhabit this Alpine recess, all animated with 

 the most friendly spirit, and live in simple beauty. 



From the elevated situation of this place, the mean 

 annual temperature is much less than that of the lower 

 regions, and often in winter, the snow falls to the depth of 

 more than a foot, and remains for several weeks together. 

 The inhabitants are a hardy people, generally of a dark 

 complexion, and are so primitive in their diet, that few of 

 them seldom, if ever, taste animal food, living entirely on 

 fruit and gofio. This appears to be a wholesome regimen, 

 for they are healthy, strong, and athletic, and are sus- 

 ceptible of great fatigue. When they go abroad, they 

 usually carry with them a long staff, or pole, pointed with 

 iron, with which they bound from rock to rock, with an 

 agility that would baffle all European pursuit. The parish 

 register of this place exhibits two very extraordinary instan- 

 ces of longevity : one who died in 1819, at the age of 110 

 years, and the other in 1825, of 121 years. 



Villa Flor de la Chasna, Thursday, ) 

 September 19, 1833. \ 



