A VOYAGE TO 
2 4 
1776. well built. . The churches are not magnificent without; but 
within are decent, and indifferently ornamented. They are 
inferior to fome of the churches at Madeira ; but, I ima¬ 
gine, this rather arifes from the different difpofition of the 
people, than from their inability to fupport them better. 
For the private houfes, and drefs of the Spanifli inhabitants 
of Santa Cruz, are far preferable to thofe of the Portuguefe 
at Madeira; who, perhaps, are willing to ftrip themfelves, 
that they may adorn their churches. 
Almoft facing the ffone pier at the landing-place, is a 
handfome marble column lately put up, ornamented with 
fome human figures, that do no difcredit to the artifl; with 
an infcription in Spanifli, to commemorate the pccafion of 
the erection; and the date. 
Friday 2. In the afternoon of the 2d, four of us hired mules to ride 
to the city of Laguna *, fo called from an adjoining lake, 
about four miles from Santa Cruz. We arrived there be¬ 
tween five and fix in the evening; but found a fight of it 
very unable to compenfate for our trouble, as the road was 
very bad, and the mules but indifferent. The place is, in- 
heed, pretty extenfive, but fcarcely deferves to be dignified 
with the name of city. The difpofition of its ftreets is very 
irregular; yet fome of them are of a tolerable breadth, and 
have fome good houfes. In general, however, Laguna is 
inferior in appearance to Santa Cruz, though the latter is 
but fmall, if compared with the former. We were inform¬ 
ed, likewife, that Laguna is declining faif; there being, 
at prefent, fome vineyards where houfes formerly flood ; 
whereas Santa Cruz is increafing daily. 
* Its extended name is St. Chriftobal de la Laguna; and it ufed to be reckoned 
the capital of the ifland, the gentry and lawyers living there; though the Governor Ge¬ 
neral of the Canary Iflands refides at Santa Cruz, as being the centre of their trade, 
both with Europe and America. See Glen’s Hift. p. 248. 
The 
