FUEKTEVENTURA 9 



rugged mountains, which stretches out to the extreme 

 north-east of the island. 



The steep incline down which the road winds be- 

 tween Laguna and Santa Cruz has, at almost all 

 seasons of the year, a bare and burnt-up appearance, 

 which I think gives the traveller who merely lands for 

 a few hours from one of the ships a wrong impression 

 of Tenerife. 



The winding road takes us at length through the 

 town of Santa Cruz to the harbour, and here we find 

 the boat already waiting for us. There is, however, 

 much cargo to be taken on board, and a long delay 

 ensues before we finally make a start Meanwhile the 

 morning is fine, and a bright sun makes pictures of the 

 various craft at anchor in the little bay ; out-of-date old 

 schooners, many of them painted black, with verdigris- 

 coloured plates, sending reflections of indescribable 

 hues into the deep-blue water beneath. In time we 

 move off, getting a good view of the south coast of 

 Tenerife as we clear out to sea. 



I think Lorenzo was much excited at the prospect 

 of this trip, though he was also inclined to be just a 

 little home-sick. I am sorry to say he was a terribly 

 bad sailor, and anathematised the sea vigorously as 

 soon as he was out of its clutches. Muy tempestuoso, 

 he would say to me after we had landed, with a graceful 

 step backward, and with his shabby old hat, which he 

 always took especial care to dust, raised ever so little 

 from his head. 



The captain of the boat, which was called the Leon 

 y Castillo, was Spanish, as also were the sailors, the 

 latter wearing very worn-looking blue canvas clothes 



