364 



CANARY ISLES. 



in Spain is a better security to the English against 

 Canary. such an event ^ than j f a fleet o f a hundred sail of the 



line were stationed on the coast of Barbary, to ob- 

 struct the Spanish fishery." 



The situation of the Canary islands, the salubrity 

 of their climate, the fertility of the soil, and the 

 quality of their productions, all conspire to render 

 them the most valuable of the Spanish colonies ; and 

 even preferable to these boasted possessions of Ame- 

 rica, which fill their galleons with treasure. If they 

 were inhabited by an active and industrious people, 

 and placed under a government where agriculture 

 and commerce were encouraged and protected, they 

 would soon rise to deserve the distinguished appella- 

 tion of the Fortunate Isles. According to M. Hum- 

 boldt, the population of these islands is estimated at 

 180,000 persons, and their revenue at 24-0,000 pias- 

 tres ; but the expences of their administration are 

 such, that they require an annual remittance from 

 Spain. See Hisioire de la premiere de couverie, cl 

 conquele des Canaries, par F. Pierre Bouthier Reli- 

 gieux de S. Frangois, et Jean le Verrier Prestre, 

 Paris 1630, 8vo. ; Glas's Descriptior of the Canary 

 Islands ; Viera's History of the Canaries; Bory 

 de St Vincent Essai sur les lies Fortunees; and Me- 

 moires de L'lnstitnt National a Paris, torn. i. p. 

 250. (p) 



CANARY, GRAND, one of the Canary islands, 

 which gives the general appellation to the groupe, 

 lies between the islands of TenerifTe and Forte Ven- 

 tura, and about 100 miles north west from Cape Bo- 

 jador on the African coast. It received the epithet 

 of Grand from John de Betancour, not on account of 

 its size, but because of the strength, courage, and 

 number of its inhabitants, who baffled all his attempts 

 to subdue them. But from whence it derived the 

 name of Canary has never yet been determined. 

 According to Pliny, it was on account of its abound- 

 ing with dogs of a very large size, two of which 

 were presented to Juba, king of Mauritania. But 

 if such animals ever did exist in this island, they were 

 completely extinct when it was first visited by Eu- 

 ropeans. Some modern authors derive it from a 

 species of fruit very abundant here, called by the 

 Latins, uva canina, dog grapes ; or from a herb 

 named canaria, which dogs eat in the spring to 

 cause them to vomit. Others suppose, and with 

 more reason, that it received its name from its first 

 inhabitants, who were probably a tribe of Africans, 

 as Pliny mentions a people called Canarii, who dwelt 

 beyond Mount Atlas, a part of Africa which lies ad- 

 jacent to the Canary islands. But however that may 

 be, it is rather strange, that we have never been in- 

 formed under what name it went among the natives. 

 At a distance, this island has the appearance of a 

 single mountain rising gradually from the circumfe- 

 rence to the centre. It is about fourteen leagues in 

 length, nine in breadth, and thirty five in circumference. 

 Though Grand Canary is high and mountainous, 

 yet near thi> sea coast there are many plains, and 

 more level ground than in any of the neighbouring 

 islands. On the north-east end is a small peninsula 

 about two leagues in circumference, which is joined 

 to the main land by a narrow isthmus two miles long, 

 and about a quarter broad. On the south side of 



this isthmus is a spacious bay called Porto de Luz, 

 which is a capital road for shipping of any burthen, 

 and where the water at the landing place is generally 

 so smooth, that a boat may lie broadside to the shore 

 without danger. About a league to the west is the 

 city of Palmas the capital, and residence of the royal 

 audience or sovereign council of the Canaries. It is a 

 place of no strength, but of considerable extent, and 

 contains several fine buildings, particularly the ca- 

 thedral of St Anne. The houses, though only one 

 story high, are in general elegantly built and flat at 

 the top. It has four convents ; and its population 

 is estimated at about 12,000. The other ports are 

 Gando and Gaete, and, excepting at these places, the 

 whole coast is inaccessible to boats or vessels, on ac- 

 count of the high surf which is continually breaking 

 upon it. Its other towns are Gaidar, Telde, Tira- 

 chana, and Luz. 



This island possesses one of the finest climates in 

 the world. The heavens are seldom overcast, but 

 are almost continually serene, and free from storms 

 and thunder. No where in the same latitude are the 

 heats of summer so temperate, and no where do the 

 natives enjoy such health and longevity. The only 

 disagreeable weather which they experience, is when 

 they are visited by a south east wind from the great 

 desert of Africa. It is hot, dry, and stifling, and 

 does great damage to the fruits of the earth by its 

 pernicious quality, and is generally attended with im- 

 mense clouds of locusts, which devour every green 

 herb upon which they alight. This wind, however, 

 blows very rarely, and never lasts long. 



The soil of this island, though light and sandy, is 

 covered with a rich mould, and yields two harvests in 

 the year. It is well watered, and suited for every 

 species of agriculture, and is very productive in 

 all kinds of trees, fruits, and herbs. The pine, 

 palm, wild olive, laurel, poplar, elder, bressos, 

 drage tree, terra nuepa or lignum Rhodium, aloe, 

 Indian fig, tubayba, euphorbium, tarrahala, and 

 many others, grow spontaneously and without culti- 

 vation. It also abounds with almonds, walnuts, chea- 

 nuts, apples, pears, peaches, apricots, cherries, plums, 

 mulberries, figs, bananas, dates, oranges, lemons, ci- 

 trons, limes, pomegranates, and all the American and 

 European fruits, except the anana, or pine-apple, 

 which is not to be found in any of the Canaries. 

 The fertile districts of this island, however, bear no 

 proportion to the stony, rocky, and barren ground, 

 which covers almost six-sevenths of its surface. Yet 

 they have plenty of excellent wheat, barley, and 

 maize, melons of different sorts, potatoes, yams, pom- 

 pions, the best onions in the world, and many other 

 kinds of roots all good of their kind ; and the hus- 

 bandman is amply repaid for the labour of cultiva- 

 tion. But the spirit of industry is completely check- 

 ed by the imprudent conduct of the government, 

 which prohibits the exportation of provisions in a 

 plentiful season, and fixes a price upon them in the 

 island. Many lands are, on this account, allowed to 

 lie waste, which, had the inhabitants more liberty 

 and security for their property, would, by a little 

 labour and expence, be soon rendered abundantly 

 fruitful, as they have the utmost facility of watering 

 them, by turning the course of the many rivulets 



6 



Grand 



Canary. 



