Canaries,] 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



7 



plums, pine-apples, &c. are abundant in season. Vegetables are extremely 

 good and reasonable. 



TENERIFFE. — This island, 15 leagues from Canaria, is nearly tri- 

 angular, each side being about 12 leagues in length. The peak, situated 

 almost in the centre, is 2 J miles above the sea, and may be seen in clear 

 weather 30 leagues. 



About 6 leagues from the N, E. point of the island* called Punta de 

 Nago, on the S. E. side, is Santa Cruz, in latitude 28 g 29 N., longitude 

 1 6° 22 W. The best road for shipping is between the middle of the town 

 and a fort about a mile to the N. of it In all that space, ships anchor 

 from a cable's length from the shore, in 6, 7, and 8 fathoms, to half a mile, 

 in 25 to 30 fathoms. The ground is foul in some places ; the cables should 

 be buoyed if the ship remains long. A mole for landing in the middle of 

 the town, runs to the N., and the outermost part of it turns towards the 

 shore. The surf is sometimes violent, against which the mole affords an 

 imperfect shelter. In mild weather, goods are landed at a creek among the 

 rocks, near the Custom House, at a short distance S, of the mole. In going 

 from the mole to the town, there is a square fort on the left, named 

 St. Philip's; to the N. of it, along shore, are some batteries; the chief is called 

 Passo Alto. Near it is a steep rocky valley, running a long way inland. 

 At the S. end of the town are some batteries, and beyond them, close in 

 shore, is Fort St. Juan. From thence to the S. the shore is generally inac- 

 cessible, with a surf breaking on it. The forts are connected by a thick 

 stone wall, breast-high within, but higher without, facing the sea. The 

 entry to the town from the sea is at the mole, the entrance guarded by 

 St, Philip's Castle. The town is not fortified on the land-side. 



The Governor General of the Canary Islands resides at Santa Cruz, 

 which is the centre of the Canary trade with Europe and America, and may 

 be regarded as the capital, though the episcopal see and courts of judi- 

 cature are at Palmas in Canaria. The number of inhabitants is about 7000. 



The road of Santa Cruz is in latitude 28° 28 N. and longitude 

 16° 26 W. 



Trade. — The chief articles of import from England into the Canaries 

 in 1821 were, of foreign and colonial merchandize, chiefly wheat, flax. 

 East India piece-goods, and brandy, to the amount, in official value, of 

 .£23,197; and of British and Irish produce, to the amount, in declared 

 value, of i?70,225, consisting principally of cotton manufactures, woollens, 

 linens, iron, glass and earthenware, hardware, cutlery, and hats. 



Wine is the chief export The better sort is equal to the middling 

 kinds of Madeira wine, for which it frequently passes in England. The 



