S97 



CAJTARIES. 



CANDEISH. 



298 



Hidalgo on the north-west, Anagada on the north-east, Rasca on Uie 

 south, and Teno and Buenavista on the west. The highest point on 

 the island is the Peak of Teyde, or Peak of Tenerife, a dormant vol- 

 cano, rising to the height of 11,946 feet above the sea. The crater 

 measures 300 feet by 200 feet; it is surrounded by a circular wall 40 

 fert high, which from a distance has the appearance of a cylinder 

 placed on a truncated cone. The peak rises above the current of the 

 trade-winda, and is always exposed to a violent continuous gale from 

 the west. The view of this mountain from Orotava on the west coast 

 is magnificent, from the contrast of the rich cultivated plain and ths 

 leafy forests on its lower slopes with the barren, wild, and stern aspect 

 of the peak. Teyde is connected by a mountain ridge with another 

 crater called Chahorra, which is 9888 feet high. Sulphurous vapours 

 are constantly issuing from the crevices in these craters. To the west 

 of Chahorra there are four volcanic cones, which were in a state of 

 eruption in 1798. The Peak of Teyde is surrounded on the south 

 and east by a continuous chain of mountains, inclosing a semicircular 

 plain of about 3 miles' radius, which is called Llanos-de-las-Rctamas, 

 from the broom (retama), almost the only vegetable that grows on it. 

 The whole plain is nearly covered with pumice-stone. The country 

 west and north of the peak descends with rapid broken slopes towards 

 the sea. The outer edge of the semicircular mountains is surrounded 

 by high table-lands, which together with the region of the peak cover 

 nearly half the island, and contain some pine forests. Towards the 

 north-east these table-lands, which have a very broken surface, extend 

 for about 20 miles, and terminate in the plain of Laguna. This plain, 

 which i.s nearly in the middle of the island, is of considerable extent ; 

 it is shut in by hills, and is nearly a dead level. After the rains it is 

 partially covered with water, from which circumstance it takes.its 

 name. It produces abundance of grain, but no trees. The eastern 

 part of the island consists of numerous fertile valleys separated by 

 basaltic hills, the highest of which, the Bufadero, is 3069 feet above 

 the sea. This part produces the finest fruits in the island. The valley 

 of Taoro, in the northern part of the island, is of great extent and of 

 extraordinary fertility. 



In Tenerife all European domestic animals, and also white camels 

 are reared. Cattio are kept for slaughter and the plough ; cows are 

 never milked. Goats, sheep, asses, and mules are numerous. The 

 silkworm is extensively reared. Bees also are numerous, and a great 

 deal of excellent honey is collected. Rabbits, wild fowl, turkeys, and 

 all kinds of poultry are very plentiful. The agricultural produce is 

 similar to that of the other islands. The quantity of wine annually 

 made amounts to 3,000,000 gallons; the best sort, called Vidonia, 

 which resembles Madeira, is exported to England. Coffee has been 

 cultivated with success ; iron ore is found, and sulphur abounds on 

 the Peak of Teyde. Linen and woollen stuffs are manufactured by 

 each family generally for its own use. Some silk stuffs, earthenware, 

 soap, vermicelli, leather, brandy, ropes from the agave, hats, baskets, 

 and mats of palm-leaves are the other chief articles of manufacture. The 

 imports consist of iron utensils, hardware, bar-iron, flax, glass, pottery, 

 leather, candles, cotton goods, salt provisions, cod, &c. ; the exports 

 are wine, brandy, barilla, almonds, dried fruits, raw silk, and orchilla. 



The island is divided into three districts Laguna, Orotava, and 

 Garachiuo. SanUi-Cruz-de-Santiago, the chief town and port of the 

 island, stands on the north-east coast. It has a small harbour, well 

 sheltered, except from the south-east winds. The town is the resi- 

 dence of the Captain-General of the Canaries, and has a population of 

 9000. Xa-ii-Chrittoval, in the centre of the plain of Laguna, is a plea- 

 sant well built town, with 10,000 inhabitants. Orotava, on the north- 

 east coast, stands on the slope of a hill nearly 1200 feet above the 

 sea ; it is a well-built thriving place, with 8000 inhabitants, who carry 

 on a considerable commerce by means of a harbour, two miles dis- 

 tant, at Puerto-de-ta-Orolata, a town of 4600 inhabitants. Guiniar, 

 S.\V. of Santa-Cruz, stands in a fertile well-watered valley, and has 

 a population of 3500 ; near it are several mummy tombs of the 

 Guanches. Taraconte and Jcod-de-lot- Vinot are on the north coast, 

 and have each about 5000 inhabitants. Garachico is a port to the west 

 of the peak, on the low coast north of Buenavista. 



Gran-Canaria, or Canaria, which gives name to the group, lies E. 

 of Tenerife. It is nearly circular, and about 75 miles round : the 

 population is about 69,000. The highest point, El Cumbre or Pico- 

 del-Pozo-de-las-Nieves, is 6648 feet above the sea. The mountain 

 Sancillo, near the centre of the island, is 6070 feet high, and is sur- 

 mounted with a large wooden cross. Port-la-Lux, which affords good 

 anchorage and is well sheltered from the north-east winds, is formed 

 by Isleta, a rocky promontory joined to the island by a low isthmus. 

 Lai-Palmai, the capital of the island, is on a bay on the east coast ; 

 it is the largest and best built town in the Canaries ; it is the seat of 

 a bishop and of the Audiencia Real, or supremo court of justice for 

 all the islands. The city is well supplied with water by numerous 

 fountains, and has 17,382 inhabitants. It contains a cathedral, hos- 

 pital, college, several monasteries, and has a well-supplied market. 

 The harbour is formed by a mole. The following are the other chief 

 places : Ayuimtz, situated on the eastern coast, has 2300 inhabitants. 

 Atrtliyri, population 2000, is composed of dwellings consisting of 

 apartments cut in the sides of the Mount St-Antoine. Ttror, population 

 4600, situated in the interior in the northern part of the island, is 

 requented by pilgrims as a sacred spot. The bishop has a residence 



here. Tiraxana is a village composed of a collection of grottoes 

 inhabited by a colony of free blacks, who do not cultivate intercourse 

 with Europeans. 



Fttertevmtura, which is N.E. of Gran-Canaria, is about 60 miles 

 long ; its breadth is very irregular, varying from 20 miles to 5 milea. 

 The area is about 720 square miles, and the population 18,000. It is 

 less mountainous than the other islands. Though generally barren, 

 it contains many spots of great fertility. The interior formation of 

 the island is singular. A group of extinct volcanoes, 2160 feet high, 

 to the south of Puerto-Cabras, branch 08 eastward and westward to 

 within a short distance of the sea, follow the direction of the coast for 

 about 30 miles, and then again unite, inclosing an extensive arid plain, on 

 which several villages are built. From the southern junction of the 

 mountains an isthmus, 5 miles long and 2J miles wide, unites the 

 mountainous peninsula of Jandia to the main part of the island. This 

 mountain mass is about 28 miles long; it presents a precipitous face 

 towards the north-west, rising directly to the height of 2820 feet above 

 the sea, but sends out spurs in other directions, which inclose slopes 

 of easy ascent. It is uninhabited, though it is said to contain some 

 good springs. The pasturage on it is so fine that the flocks and herds 

 are driven here from other parts of the island to graze. Orchilla also 

 is produced in large quantities in the peninsula. The capital of the 

 island is Santa-Maria^de-Betancuria, also called La Villa. The only 

 road in the island leads from La Villa to Cabras on the east coast, 

 which is the chief port. The anchorage at Cabras is indifferent, and 

 the landing-place a beach of shingles. Oliva, in the fertile valley of 

 Oliva, in the north of the island, is the largest town in the island, and 

 has only 2000 inhabitants. ' 



Lanzarote, the most eastward of the Canaries, lies N.E. of Fuerte- 

 ventura, from which it is separated by a strait called La Bocayna. 

 The island is 31 miles long, and its breadth varies from 5 to 10 miles. 

 The area is about 240 square miles, and the population is about 

 18,000. From the northern extremity of the island precipitous cliffs 

 1500 feet high run south-west for 7 miles, and terminate in a sandy 

 plain, where in 1825 an eruption took place, and two considerable hills 

 were thrown up, which are still burning. Beyond this plain the shore 

 is again precipitous as far as the promontory of Pechiguera, with the 

 exception of the little bay of Janubio, in which there was formerly a 

 harbour for small vessels. This harbour was converted into a salt 

 lake by the eruption of 1765. The eastern shores are neither so steep 

 nor so high, and there are many fertile tracts of ground. The highest 

 land, called Montana Blauca, is nearly in the centre of the island ; it 

 is 2000 feet high, and cultivated to its summit. This island is subject 

 to long droughts, and to gales of excessive violence. The wiue and 

 grapes are of superior quality. Teguiee, a small place in the interior, 

 is the chief town. Naos, on the eastern shore, has a small secure 

 harbour formed by rocky islets, and with two entrances, of which the 

 northern one has a depth of 12 feet, the eastern of 17^ feet at low 

 water, and 9 feet rise of tide. Aredfe, a more frequented port, situ- 

 ated south of Naos, has 2500 inhabitants, most of whom are engaged 

 in the fishery on the African coast. 



In accordance with a decree of the Queen of Spain the seven prin- 

 cipal ports of the islands namely, Santa-Cruz-de-Santiago, Orotava, 

 Las-Palmas, Santa-Cruz-de-las-Palmas, Arecife, Cabras, and San- 

 Sebastian have been constituted free ports since October 10, 1852. 



Thu Little Canaries lie N. of Lanzarote, and are connected with it 

 by a bank on which there are 40 fathoms' water. Graciosa is separated 

 from Lanzarote by the Strait del Rio, which is about a mile wide, 

 and is the safest and most commodious port for large ships in the 

 Canaries. The great difficulty of communicating with Lauzarote, on 

 account of the high precipitous coasts of that island, presents an 

 insuperable obstacle to this strait being resorted to as a harbour for 

 trade. Graciosa and Alegrama, a little farther north, are both the 

 product of extinct volcanoes ; they contain craters, and are coveiod 

 with naked basaltic rocks, lava-streams, and other volcanic matter. 

 They are inhabited by 40 or 50 persons each, who cultivate barilla in 

 the bottom of the craters. Santa-Clara, Roqitete, Loboi, and the 

 others, are mere rocky islets, and uninhabited. 



(Glas, Htitory and Conquest of the Canary Islands; Humboldt, 

 Voyage aux IKgions quinoxiales du Nouveau Continent ; Von Buch, 

 PUy*ikaliche Betclireibung der Canarisclien Inseln ; Journal of the 

 Royal geographical Society.) 



CANCALE. [iLLJS-ET-VlLAINE.] 



CANDAHAR. [AFGHANISTAN ; KANDAHAR.] 



CANDE'ISH, or KHANDEISH, a province of Hindustan, extend- 

 ing along the southern bank of the Nerbudda, between 20 and 22 

 N. lat., 73 and 77 E. long. It is bounded N. by Malwa, E. by Berar 

 and Gundwana, S. by Aurungabad and Berar, and \V. by Gujerat. Its 

 length from east to west is about 210 miles, and its average breadth 

 about 80 miles. The area is estimated at about 12,500 square miles, 

 and the population at nearly half a million. 



Candeish is generally a level country, but is nearly surrounded by 

 mountains. The plain of Candeish is very fertile, although its whole 

 surface is studded with isolated hills with perpendicular sides of rock 

 and flat summits. Each of these hills forms a natural fortress. In 

 addition to the Tuptee and the Nerbudda the province is watered by 

 several copious streams which flow from the table-land and fall into the 

 Tuptee. 



