66 CANARY ISLANDS. 



could find, many of which exist on the islands where man 

 dares not enter his foot. 



I visited several other caverns in the vicinity of this ba- 

 ranco, which contained immense quantities of bones that 

 had not been embalmed. Many of them were in a fine 

 state of preservation, but they were thrown together in so 

 confused a manner that an entire skeleton could not be 

 obtained. I had an opportunity, however, of comparing 

 the crania with those of the aborigines of the other islands, 

 and found a striking similarity to exist among them, prov- 

 ing in a degree that they all originated from the same race. 

 But we are informed that the natives of some of these 

 islands were unknown to those of others, and that the na- 

 tives of one island had but very little intercourse with 

 those of another at any rate. 



In reviewing the vocabularies of the languages of the 

 antiques of these islands, I find a wide difference to exist 

 among them. However, those of Lanzarote and Fuerte- 

 ventura very nearly agree, and also that of Hierro nearly 

 coincides with that of Gomera, but the others, with the 

 exception of a few words, have not the least analogy. The 

 word ganigo, a kind of earthen ware, signified the same 

 on all the islands but Palma; and the word gqfio was com- 

 mon to all the islands except Teneritfe, Hierro and Gomera. 

 These two words are used throughout all the islands by 

 the lower classes of the natives at the present day, and 

 have the same signification as formerly. 



It was formerly supposed that the languages of the abo- 

 rigines of these islands had no analogy with the living 

 tongues ; but since Africa has been more thoroughly in- 

 vestigated it is found that several words have common 

 roots with words of the Chilha and Gebali dialects. For 

 example I will cite a few words : — 



Heaven, (in Palma,) Tigotan. (in Berberic,) Tigot. 

 Wilk, (in Fucrtcvcntura,) Alio. " Acho. 



Barley, do. Temcsen. " Tomzeen. 



Basket, (in Canary,) Carianas. " Carian. 



Water, (in Hierro,) Aenum. " Anan. 



It is doubted whether this analogy is a proof of a com- 

 mon origin ; but it indicates the ancient connexion be- 

 tween the Guanches and Berbers, a tribe of mountaineers 



