His Excellency Is A Sicilian By Birth, And Is Most Deservedly
Popular In His Government.
He prefers residing at Teneriffe,
for the conveniency of frequent communication with Europe, to the Grand Canary,
which is
Properly the seat of power; and though not long fixed here,
has already found means to establish a manufactory in cotton, silk, and thread,
under excellent regulations, which employs more than sixty persons,
and is of infinite service to the common people. During our short stay
we had every day some fresh proof of his Excellency's esteem and attention,
and had the honour of dining with him, in a style of equal elegance
and splendor. At this entertainment the profusion of ices which appeared
in the desert was surprising, considering that we were enjoying them
under a sun nearly vertical. But it seems the caverns of the Peak,
very far below its summit, afford, at all seasons, ice in abundance.
The restless importunity of the beggars, and the immodesty of the lowest class
of women, are highly disgusting. From the number of his countrymen
to be found, an Englishman is at no loss for society. In the mercantile houses
established here, it is from gentlemen of this description that any information
is derived, for the taciturnity of the Spaniards is not to be overcome
in a short acquaintance, especially by Englishmen, whose reserve
falls little short of their own. The inland country is described as fertile,
and highly romantic; and the environs of the small town of Laguza
mentioned as particularly pleasant. Some of our officers who made an excursion
to it confirmed the account amply.
It should seem that the power of the Church, which has been so long
on the decline in Europe, is at length beginning to be shaken in the colonies
of the Catholic powers: some recent instances which have taken place
at Teneriffe, evince it very fully. Were not a stranger, however,
to be apprized of this, he would hardly draw the conclusion from his own
observations. The Bishop of these islands, which conjunctively form a See,
resides on the Grand Canary. He is represented as a man in years,
and of a character as amiable as exalted, extremely beloved both by foreigners
and those of his own church. The bishopric is valued at ten thousand pounds
per annum; the government at somewhat less than two.
In spite of every precaution, while we lay at anchor in the road, a convict
had the address, one night, to secrete himself on the deck, when the rest
were turned below; and after remaining quiet for some hours, let himself down
over the bow of the ship, and floated to a boat that lay astern, into which
he got, and cutting her adrift, suffered himself to be carried away
by the current, until at a sufficient distance to be out of hearing,
when he rowed off. This elopement was not discovered till some hours after,
when a search being made, and boats sent to the different parts of the island,
he was discovered in a small cove, to which he had fled for refuge.
On being questioned, it appeared he had endeavoured to get himself received
on board a Dutch East Indiaman in the road; but being rejected there,
he resolved on crossing over to the Grand Canary, which is at the distance
of ten leagues, and when detected, was recruiting his strength in order to make
the attempt.
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