T F. \ 



jr. i 



TEN 



formerly thought that these inlets reached tin- island by 

 flyinir, l"'' '* *h* 1 sucn immense numbers of 



them are earned from the Sahara into the sea as to form a 

 thick layer : and tlr.it in t hi* way they arc carried to the 

 Canary Islands, and that most of them are dead when they 

 arrive there, but those which cover the upper surfa- 

 alive. 1 their devastation over the corn-fields and 



plant; 1 . 



We Mibjoin the meteorological observations made at 

 Sanla Crux and at Laguna: the lost-mentioned place is 

 iibout 1700 feet above the sea. 



This table shows that the climate of Teneriffe i 

 tinguishcd by its moderate temperature, and that the heat 

 rf the summer is prolonged to the month of November, 

 October being considerably warmer than May, and No- 



nril. 



Productions. All European domestic animals are 

 reared, and also white camels, which are used as l>--asts of 

 burden, and reared on the west coast of the island, but not 

 in large numbers. Cattle are rather scarce, on account of 

 the want of pasture-ground. They are only kept for 

 slaughter and for the plough : the cows are never milked. 

 Horses are still less numerous. They are of good breed, 

 of a middling size, and very hardy. Goats are very numer- 



pecu 



which existed on the island before the arrival of the Euro- 

 peans. They constituted the principal riches of the 

 Guanches. Sheep are also numerous. The breed i.s small, 

 and the wool is coarse, but abundant : it is consumed in 

 the island. Asses are rather mimerous, but small : mules 



much used as beasts of burden. According to 

 MacGregor, the number of cattle is about 4900, of horses 

 1000, of camels 60, of mules 1400, of asses 2200, of goats 

 :,000, of sheep 18,000, and of hogs 3000. The silk-worm 



:ensively reared, and the annual produce of silk may 

 amount to 8000 Ibs., but it IV puce than the 



Italian silk, not being so well prepared. In 1828 the 

 cochineal insect was introduced, and the first trials at 

 rearing it succeeded very well. We are not acquainted 

 with the result of this attempt. Bees are abundant, do- 



I- as well as wild. The honey is of the best quality. 

 especially that which is collected in the neighbourhood 

 of the Peak of Teyde, which is extracted by the bee 

 the blossoms of the retama plant. Between 7000 and 

 8000 Ibs. of wax are annually collected. Rabbits are very 

 numerous. 



The domestic birds are fowls, ducks, geese, and pigeons. 

 A great number of turkeys arc reined. The number of wild 

 birds is very great. Some of them are always found on 

 the island, 'and others arrive only at certain seasons, in 

 their migration from north to south, and L The 



most remarkable belonging to the first class are the wild 

 pigeon, various species ofTetraonidre, quails, and larks. The 

 \ -bird is common. Fish is far from being abundant. 

 The inhabitants li\ e mostly on potatoes and salt (ish, which 

 is obtained from the fishery on the coasts of Africa [SAHARA, 

 vol. xx., p. .'J171 : but of hie the inhabitants of Teneriffe 

 have abandoned this branch of industry, and huv the fish 

 from the fishermen of the other islands. Wha! 

 sometimes met with among the Canary Islands, and still 

 more frequently do'j als rarely visit the c<. 



The principal "lture are potatoes, wheat, 



maize, parley, ami rve. Where the soil is good, and means 

 of irrigation are at hand, two crops of maize, and one of 

 potatoes, or two of potatoes a nd one of maize, may be raised 

 in twelve months. According to an avei: 

 (18011 annual produce w:is about. "0,000 quartern 



nt' potatoes. 21.700 qnaitcrs of wheat. C,~>\\ quai; 

 maize. !i.~i.'l'J quail rr-> of barley, 2200 qua '-.and 



only 40 quarters of oat*. It is how. 

 that time the cultivation of grain, and especially that of 

 potatoes, has considerably increased. Other objects of cul- 

 tivation are flax, canary-seed, sumach for the tanneries, 



pumpkins, cucumbers. Sage, peamTuii 



garbunzos, lentils, lettuce, capsicum, onions, and i: 

 Tlic orchards produce applet, pears, cherries, plums, apri- 

 cots, peaches, nmlben 



Indian figs, oranges, and lemons, and also plantains. ; 

 apples, dale-, pomegranates, papayas, guavas, anonag, 

 and a few other fruits < .'. The 



.mportant object of cultivation is the vine, which 

 yields the largest article of export. According t 



live years (1800-1804 i the animal pn sited 



to 21,N)(i j , conl.iiiiin.'; IlK) gallons, but 



stated that to tbi quantity from 5000 to 8000 p 

 be added, which during the vintage were converted 

 brandy. Thus the annual produce amounted to about 30,000 

 pipes. But the war between Spain and its American 

 to which a large quantity of wine and brandy w. 

 ported, base ly diminished this branch of indi 



and at nresent the annual produce hardly exceed* 20,000 

 pipe*. The best sort, known by the name of Vidoma, n 

 hies Madeira, and is sent to England. The Malvasia wine 



liiierly in great request, but the demand 

 diminished. The difficulty of obtaining a rei: 

 price for their wines and brandies has of late indue. 

 inhabitants to introduce some other objects of cultivation. 

 Cotton has begun to be cultivated; the produce 

 that of Pernambuco. They have also mad. 

 ful trials with coffee. Two centuries ago the s'lgar-canc 

 was the most important branch of cultivation, but at pre- 

 sent there is only one sugar-mill on 1 ; 



Large forests still cover some of the higher parts of the 

 island, though they have been i 

 the trees there are numerous kinds of Laurus, as L. Ii. 

 L. barbussana, L. nobihs, &e. Two or three wild-gro 

 plants are used for making barilla, and the Mesemb 

 themnm crystallimun is cultivated for that purpose on a 

 small scale. Two kinds of lichens which grow on the 

 rocks are collected for their dyeing qualities: the rocella 

 tinctoria, which yields the. archil, and the parella : th< 

 mostly sent to England. 



Teneriffe has no metals, except some iron-ore, of which 

 no use is made. Sulphur occurs in large quantities on the 

 Peak of Teyde. 



Population and Inhabitants. According to an estimate 

 of MacGregor, founded on the old census of ls()2and other 



l he population of Teneriffe amounted, i 

 85,000 individuals ; so that on the average there were S4 

 persons to each square mile. The greater part of the tribe 

 of Guanches, who inhabited the island at the arrival of the 

 Spaniards, perished in the war by which the Sp; 

 possession of it, and the remainder intermarried with the 

 Spaniards. The present inhabitants must therefi., 

 considered as Spaniards, whom they also lescmble i;i per- 

 son and character. The Spanish language alon. 

 intermixed in the parts remote from the towns with a few- 

 other word*. 



Political Divisions and Towns. For the administration 

 of justice the island is di\ iiled into three jurisdiction 

 courts for which are at Santa Crux, Laguna, and ( ) 

 Santa Cruz de Santiago, the seat of the iruvcr 

 of the Canary Island,, is built on the south coast of the 

 island, not far from its eastern extremity. The hail 

 not large, and is well protected against the winds, except 

 that blow- from the south. At the d ; from 



~!~) to 1(H) fathoms from the land thu 



in to 12 fathoms, and half a mile off in 25 to :) fathoms. 

 The lowest part of the town i.s more than 20 feet : 

 the sen-level, and the ground rise* gently. Th.- h 

 are built in the Spanish Moorish fashion, with a coin 

 (patio in the middle, and have only one floor. The si 



'raight, but narrow, and have fi 



population amounted, in 1H2U, to 8620 individuals. The 

 -on a coiMdciabh' commerce, and the harbour 



is annually visited by 80 to 100 



San Christoval de la Lnguna is considered a.1 of 



the island, being the seat of administration. It is ln-.ilt in 



the middle of the plain of Laguna, and is a pleasant place. 



I The streets are straight and wide, well p !,.ive 



avements. Mo.,t of the houses have only one floor. 



The population amounts to more than 10,000. The rich 



inhabitants of Sanla ( Vuz pMi the summer inontlis here, 



j as the climate of l.airnn.i is much cooler. 



Tacoronte, not far from the northern coast, in a fine val- 

 ley, has 4600 inhabitants. 



