NATURE IN HARNESS.

351

side, on a level with the floor, which was perhaps used as a sleeping place. We found here in flower, just an inch in height, a specimen of the plant Heliotropium Europæum.

Leaving these Guanche habitations, we climbed over the top of the cliff, and found the land sloping gradually, forming one side of a small valley. A path at the bottom soon conducts us to the edge of a steep descent, and, looking down, we see a flat plateau of considerable size, encircled on the land side by precipitous cliffs, and with the sea for its western boundary. The ground on this side of the Isleta is much smoother than on the eastern, where the lava streams from the many eruption craters have flowed down. The plain at our feet is bare, save for the salt works of Don Pedro Bravo, which occupy a small area, and look like a number of cucumber frames placed side by side, but lacking the glass on the tops. Descending by a zigzag path we examined in a wooden storehouse some of the salt. It is sold just as it comes from the evaporating pans, without any process of purification or recrystallisation. In look it is like crystallised sugar of a common kind, the crystals being small, rough, and dirty. Though containing chiefly chloride of sodium, this residue of the sea-water must also contain other salts. We were interested chiefly in the simplicity of the whole process. There is positively no expense in the way of working power. The water is pumped up by means of a windmill to the level of the evaporating pans, and the sun may be said to make the salt. The hottest part of summer is, of course, the time when the salt is produced in the greatest quantities. The largest salt works on this island, worked on exactly the same principle as in the present instance, are in the extreme south, at Juan Grande."

.

CHAPTER XXXV.

HABITS AND CUSTOMS IN LAS PALMAS-WINTER
HAB
-CONFITAL BAY—SUPERSTITIONS.

I am so delighted with this world,

That suddenly has grown, being new-washed,
To such a smiling, clean, and thankful world,
And with a tender face, shining through tears,
Looks up into the sometime lowering sky,
That has been angry, but is reconciled,
And just forgiving her, that I—that I—
Oh, I forget myself: what matters how?

JEAN INGELOW.

ON December 9th (Sunday) the barranco, which had been perfectly dry the day before, was quite full at 10 A.M. A number of trees were in the river, which surged rapidly seawards like a flood, showing that the rain in the mountains must have been severe.

Those who dwell in less precipitous countries than this find the barranco perhaps one of the most interesting features. The idea of a continuously flowing river is as difficult for a Canario to imagine as the sudden flood of water, with its as sudden cessation, is to us. After a severe storm of wind and rain, the river-bed will be filled from bank to bank and be five or six feet deep with water. The next morning there will be only a small stream down one side of the bed, and in some districts it will be perfectly dry. One can tell by the colour of the water if the rain has been only near the town or in the cumbres.

The large shops are shut upon Sunday, but the small are open. The men do not work, but take a holiday, and the day is of course like a Continental Sunday, great cockfights and many of the dances taking place.

There are an immense number of canary birds in cages

A WET WINTER.

353

hanging around the small shops and houses. They abound everywhere in cages, patios, shops, and private houses, which they make lively with their songs. The captives often attract the wild birds of their species, which are thus frequently caught and imprisoned. Canaries were first introduced into Europe at the commencement of the sixteenth century. The vessel which was conveying them to Italy was wrecked, and the birds took refuge in Elba. They are bred extensively in these islands and sent to Habana and Cuba for sale. It is curious to note that, even when bred in their native land, the canary birds always turn yellow in captivity, and their voices become harsher.

There was an increase of heat on the 12th, it being at 9 A.M. 65.3° F. (18.50° C.), after which it resumed its normal. temperature of 66° F. (19° C.), and remained there steadily until the 18th. There has been quite an unusual amount of wind and rain this winter. The "oldest inhabitants" and residents of fifty years' standing tell us they never remember so much rain. The houses are not made for such weather, and the consequent discomfort when it does occur, happily at rare intervals, is great. Water oozes through every window, and in my room not only did it creep through, but it actually rained in-pattered on paper and table and floor. Spaniards sit in greatcoats and hats, and the ladies, in thick shawls, shiver on the sofas. We do not feel it cold at all, but for the look of the thing should not be sorry to see a bright, cosy fire somewhere. Fortunately all this outward discomfort— for, after all, it does not affect one much-lasts only a day or two at most, and then this beautiful climate, refreshed and invigorated, returns to its normal condition of cloudless skies and bright sunshine.

One can scarcely conceive any place more suited to invalids than these islands. Though I have had occasion to mention the wet weather frequently, in reality there was but little of it compared with what we consider wet in England. Its effects also were unobtrusive, as it generally rained during the night. Besides the advantages of a dry and healthy climate, there is great variety. All the islands enjoy much the same climate and temperature. One town

may be a degree warmer than another, according to its situation, but nowhere, unless one climb the mountains, is there a perceptible difference. Thus anyone obliged to stay abroad for six or seven months of the year, instead of going to the well-worn and expensive Riviera, or being confined to board ship on the equally expensive Nile, or liable to the sudden lowering of the temperature at Nice and Cannes, or imprisoned

in Madeira, may wander here from island to island. Orotava and Santa Cruz in Tenerife are so different in every way, that the variety of going from one to the other is equal to a change of island. It is a feature of these islands that is scarcely to be met with elsewhere, that each offers an entirely novel experience to the traveller. Although all are volcanic, nature has apparently made seven different experiments. This to anyone who has travelled over all is of immense interest. Not only is this individuality in the natural features of the islands, but it also extends to the people, their habits and customs. The language is certainly Spanish, but I defy anyone to understand easily the ordinary peasant of Hierro or Gomera, so different is the accent of those islands. Even the food differs. This causes the diseases to be to a certain extent peculiar to each. Whether the physical features of the country have effected these variations, or whether they are an inheritance from the various Guanche tribes, who, also distinct, inhabited the islands, is a matter for thought and investigation.

A SERENO.

The serenos in Las Palmas begin their night watch at II P.M. and end it at 5 A.M. Throughout the night they cry the hour and half-hour, at the same time informing the waking

inhabitants of the state of the weather. A sereno, whom we photographed, was an exceedingly fine-looking man, tall and straight, with a handsome and powerful face, a little spoiled perhaps by the great depth of the lines on each side of the mouth, which denote one who is a loud and frequent speaker.

One of the great drawbacks to Las Palmas is the want of a good promenade. The town has been utterly spoiled by the sea-shore having been entirely taken up by houses. Instead of building one row of houses facing the sea, with a good road between them and it, houses have been built with their backs to the shore, thus effectually excluding it from sight. This is the more to be regretted as the view of the port of La Luz and the ships lying under the shelter of the mountains of the Isleta is exceedingly pretty. The disadvantage to those who, although able to walk a mile, cannot manage three or four, is very great. Streets have always to be traversed in order to approach the sea, and it is not pleasant, to say the least, to have to walk a mile and a half towards the Isleta before a place can be reached from which to catch a glimpse of the ocean. Towards Telde it is equally difficult to reach the coast, for to do so one has to mount up by the back of the town through a poor district. There is one walk, however, which, when finished, will be better; it is a road which has been begun near the Cuevas del Provecho, on the Arucas road. A little display of public spirit on the part of the citizens would result in the buying of the shore and the making a promenade shaded with trees and lined with seats, while at the same time a carriage drive should be constructed. Considering what a small town Las Palmas is comparatively, it is wonderfully difficult to get out of it.

There is a good deal of steam communication with Las Palmas by the various lines which now touch at the islands In 1883-4 there was an English boat calling once a week homeward bound, and another outward bound, besides a monthly French and a fortnightly Spanish boat. The latter is the mail with Cadiz, and is really the only one of them all which is regular. Letters posted by it—for it returns direct to Cadiz-reach London in about eight days.

As the isthmus is the only place where one can go for fresh air from what is, to me at any rate, the somewhat enervating