A VOYAGE TO 
IS 
1776. fometimes large torrents rufh down. At this time thefe 
Au f uft '_« troughs were repairing, fo that frelh water, which is very 
good here, was lcarce. 
Were we to judge from the appearance of the country in 
the neighbourhood of Santa Cruz, it might be concluded 
that Teneriffe is a barren fpot, infufficient to maintain even 
its own inhabitants. The ample fupplies, however, which 
we received, convinced us that they had enough to fpare 
for vifiters. Befides wine, which is the chief produce of 
the ifland, beef may be had at a moderate price. The oxen 
are fmall and boney, and weigh about ninety pounds a 
quarter. The meat is but lean, and was, at prefent, fold 
for half a bit (three pence fteriing) a pound. I, unadvi- 
fedly, bought the bullocks alive, and paid considerably 
more. Hogs, fheep, goats and poultry, are likewife to be 
bought at the fame moderate rate; and fruits are in great 
plenty. At this time we had grapes, figs, pears, mulber¬ 
ries, plantains, and mufk melons. There is a variety of 
other fruits produced here, though not in feafon at this 
time. Their pumpkins, onions, and potatoes, are exceed¬ 
ingly good of their kind, and keep better at fea than any I 
ever before met with. 
The Indian corn, which is alfo their produce, coft me 
about three fhillings and fixpence a bufhel; and the fruits 
and roots were, in general, very cheap. They have not any 
plentiful fupply of fifh from the adjoining fea; but a very 
confiderable fifhery is carried on by their veffels upon the 
coaft of Barbary; and the produce of it fells at a reafonable 
price. Upon the whole, I found Teneriffe to be a more 
eligible place than Madeira, for fhips bound on long voyages 
to touch at; though the wine of the latter, according to my 
tafte, is as much fuperior to that of the former, as ftrong 
3 beer 
» 
