10 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



[Canaries* 



The road is within musket-shot of the shore, in 15 to 20 fathoms, but is 

 exposed to easterly winds. It Is considered securer than any at Canaria or 

 TenerifTe, though there is a heavy surf in the winter season, that prevents 

 boats going off or landing for days together. 



Santa Cruz is a large town. Near the mole is a battery, to defend the 

 shipping in the hay. It is supplied with good water from a fountain in the 

 middle of the town, filled by a rivulet. 



Tjiade. — The exports from Palma to TenerifTe are sugar, almonds, 

 sweetmeats, plank, pitch, raw silk, and orchilla-weed ; the returns are 

 West Indian and European goods. The E. side of the island produces good 

 wines, of a different taste and flavour from those of Tenerifie. The dry 

 wine is small-bodied, and of a yellow colour. The Malvasia is less luscious 

 and strong than TenerifTe; but when about three years old, has the flavour 

 of a rich and ripe pine-apple ; but these wines often turn sour. Large 

 quantities of pitch are produced in this and the neighbouring island. 



Provisions and Refbeshments are much the same as at Canaria and 

 Teneri/Te. The natives make excellent conserves. 



GOMERA is about 5 leagues S. W. from TenerifTe, in latitude 28° 5 

 N., longitude 17° 20 W. The principal town, called St. Sebastian's, or 

 La Villa de Ja Palma, is close by the sea-shore, in the bottom of a bay, on 

 the S. E. side of the island, where shipping lay land-locked from all winds 

 but S. E. You may moor at a convenient distance from shore, in 7 to 15 

 fathoms ; but as the land-wind often blows hard, moor with a large scope 

 of cable, or you will be in danger of being forced out of the bay. The sea 

 here is generally so smooth, that boats may land on the beach without risk. 

 When the surf prevents landing, boats put ashore at a small cove, on the 

 N. side of the bay, from whence there is a very narrow foot-path along the 

 cliff to the town. After sunset, or when it turns dark, this passage is 

 closed. At the cove, ships of any burthen may heave down, clean, and repair, 

 hauling close to the shore, which is a peqiendicular cliff, with a battery 

 at the top. The town commences at a short distance from the beach. It 

 consists of about 150 houses, mostly small, and is well supplied with good 

 water, drawn from wells. The best place for a ship to lay, is where a full 

 view may be had through the main street of the town, and at about a cable's 

 length from the beach. 



HIERRO, or FERRO, is the westernmost of the Canaries ; its N. 

 point is in latitude 27° 50 N., longitude 17° 50 W. It is 15 leagues in 

 circumference, and 3 broad. It has no harbour or considerable town ; 

 El Golto, on the E., is the chief village. The anchoring place is an open 

 road, but little frequented. The island produces poor wine, which is 



