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fluence of the breeze, which blows strong after 

 ten in the morning. The water, which has been 

 dissolved in the air at a higher temperature, fre- 

 quently precipitates itself, and renders the cli- 

 mate very foggy. The villa is nearly 160 toises 

 (312 metres) above the surface of the ocean, 

 consequently 200 toises less than the ground on 

 which Laguna is built ; it is observed also, that 

 the same kind of plants flower a month later in 

 this latter place. 



Orotava, the ancient Taoro of the Guanches, 

 is placed on a very steep declivity ; the streets 

 seem deserted ; the houses, solidly built, but of a 

 gloomy appearance, belong almost all to the no- 

 bility, who are accused of being extremely haugh- 

 ty, and who give themselves the pompous title of 

 the doze casas (the twelve houses). We passed 

 along a lofty aqueduct, lined with a great num- 

 ber of fine ferns ; and visited several gardens, 

 in which the fruit trees of the north of Europe 

 are mingled with orange trees, pomegranate, and 

 date trees. We were assured, that these last 

 were as little productive here as on the coasts of 

 Cumana. Although we were acquainted, from 

 the narratives of so many travellers, with the 

 dragon-tree of the garden of Mr. Franqui, we 

 were not the less struck with it's enormous mag- 

 nitude. We were told, that the trunk of this 

 tree, which is mentioned in several very ancient 

 documents as marking the boundaries of a field, 



