af 
this industry, for centuries, had to purchase the octopus 
—to be found only at certain places—from the Moors on 
the African coast, and with it fish for “chopa,” a sea-bream 
which represented their bait for the large fish. 
As an encouragement, considerable land concessions on 
the Gracioza Island were made by the Spanish Govern- 
ment, in the first instance to Signor Ferro, who has trans- 
ferred his rights to the above-named company, which com- 
mand the whole of one side of the harbour lying between 
Gracioza and Lanzarote, represented as the only safe and 
commodious anchorage amongst the islands or on the 
neighbouring African coast, before River Ouro, where the 
peninsula forming this harbour of refuge for fishing craft 
has been purchased in the Spanish interest from the Moors 
by the Company. 
It has been represented to me that nine-tenths of the 
inhabitants of the Canaries and Cape Verde, live on fish 
with their toasted corn or flour—“Gofio”—and on my 
inquiries as to the existence of leprosy, I am informed 
that the “fishermen are very subject to sores and ulcers of 
a very permanent description.” 
Red coral and sponge are to be found around Gracioza. 
In view of the opening presented for the growth of a 
fish-oil, and guano trade, it does seem surprising to find 
guano, and chemicals for the manufacture of guano, among 
the imports into the Canaries. What has been in the past 
done, or is being done, with its surplus fish or its offal ? 
I am glad to find that the eyes of the Canario-African 
Fisheries Company have been opened to a similar view as 
have mine, and that fish-oil and guano industries are likely 
to grow up. 
With reference to the other Spanish Possessions, Fer- 
nando, Annobon, Elobey, Coresco, San Juan, etc., with a 
