A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 (of 18) by Robert Kerr

R >> Robert Kerr >> A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 (of 18)

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[Footnote 69: Though no such instance was known to those from whom
Captain Cook had this information, we learn from Glas, that some years
before he was at Teneriffe, almost all the shipping in the road were
driven on shore. See Glas's History of the Canary Islands, p. 235. We
may well suppose the precautions now used, have prevented any more such
accidents happening. This will sufficiently justify Captain Cook's
account.--- D.]

At the S.W. part of the road, a stone pier runs out into the sea from
the town, for the convenience of loading and landing of goods. To this
pier, the water that supplies the shipping is conveyed. This, as also
what the inhabitants of Santa Cruz use, is derived from a rivulet that
runs from the hills, the greatest part of which comes into the town in
wooden spouts or troughs, that are supported by slender posts, and the
remainder doth not reach the sea; though it is evident, from the size of
the channel, that sometimes large torrents rush down. At this time these
troughs were repairing, so that fresh water, which is very good here,
was scarce.

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 spot,
insufficient to maintain even its own inhabitants. The ample supplies,
however, which we received, convinced as that they had enough to spare
for visitors. Besides wine, which is the chief produce of the island,
beef may be had at a moderate price. The oxen are small and bony, and
weigh about ninety pounds a quarter. The meat is but lean, and was, at
present, sold for half a bit (three-pence sterling) a pound. I,
unadvisedly, bought the bullocks alive, and paid considerably more.
Hogs, sheep, goats, and poultry, are likewise to be bought at the same
moderate rate; and fruits are in great plenty. At this time we had
grapes, figs, pears, mulberries, plantains, and musk-melons. There is a
variety of other fruits produced here, though not in season at this
time. Their pumpkins, onions, and potatoes, are exceedingly good of
their kind; and keep better at sea than any I ever before met with.

The Indian corn, which is also their produce, cost me about three
shillings and sixpence a bushel; and the fruits and roots were, in
general, very cheap. They have not any plentiful supply of fish from the
adjoining sea; but a very considerable fishery is carried on by their
vessels upon the coast of Barbary: and the produce of it sells at a
reasonable price. Upon the whole, I found Teneriffe to be a more
eligible place than Madeira, for ships bound on long voyages to touch
at; though the wine of the latter, according to my taste, is as much
superior to that of the former, as strong beer is to small. To
compensate for this, the difference of prices is considerable; for the
best Teneriffe wine was now sold for twelve pounds a pipe; whereas a
pipe of the best Madeira would have cost considerably more than double
that sum.[70]

[Footnote 70: Formerly, there was made at Teneriffe a great quantity of
Canary sack, which the French call _Vin de Malvesie_; and we, corruptly
after them, name Malmsey (from Malvesia, a town in the Morea, famous for
such luscious wine). In the last century, and still later, much of this
was imported into England; but little wine is now made there, but of the
sort described by Captain Cook. Not more than fifty pipes of the rich
Canary were annually made in Glas's time; and he says, they now gather
the grapes when green, and make a dry hard wine of them, fit for hot
climates, p. 262.--D.]

The Chevalier De Borda, commander of the French frigate now lying in
Santa Cruz road, was employed, in conjunction with Mr Varila, a Spanish
gentleman, in making astronomical observations for ascertaining the
going of two time-keepers which they had on board their ship. For this
purpose, they had a tent pitched on the pier head, where they made their
observations, and compared their watches, every day at noon, with the
clock on shore, by signals. These signals the chevalier very obligingly
communicated to us; so that we could compare our watch at the same time.
But our stay was too short, to profit much by his kindness.

The three days comparisons which we made, assured us that the watch had
not materially, if at all, altered her rate of going; and gave us the
same longitude, within a very few seconds, that was obtained by finding
the time from observations of the sun's altitude from the horizon of the
sea. The watch, from a mean of these observations, on the 1st, 2d, and
3d of August, made the longitude 16 deg. 31' W.; and, in like manner, the
latitude was found to be 28 deg. 30' 11" N.

Mr Varila informed us, that the true longitude was 18 deg. 35' 30", from
Paris, which is only 16 deg. 16' 30" from Greenwich; less than what our
watch gave by 14' 30". But, far from looking upon this as an error in
the watch, I rather think it a confirmation of its having gone well; and
that the longitude by it may be nearer the truth than any other. It is
farther confirmed by the lunar observations that we made in the road,
which gave 16 deg. 37' 10". Those made before we arrived, and reduced to the
road by the watch, gave 16 deg. 33' 30"; and those made after we left it,
and reduced back in the same manner, gave 16 deg. 28'. The mean of the three
is 16 deg. 30' 40".

To reduce these several longitudes, and the latitude, to the Pic of
Teneriffe, one of the most noted points of land with geographers, (to
obtain the true situation of which, I have entered into this particular
discussion,) I had recourse to the bearing, and a few hours of the
ship's run after leaving Santa Cruz road; and found it to be 12' 11" S.
of the road, and 29' 30" of longitude W. of it. As the base, which
helped to determine this, was partly estimated, it is liable to some
error; but I think I cannot be much mistaken. Dr Maskelyne, in his
_British Mariner's Guide_, places the Pic in the latitude of 28 deg. 12'
54". This, with the bearing from the road, will give the difference of
longitude 43', which considerably exceeds the distance they reckon the
Pic to be from Santa Cruz. I made the latitude of the Pic to be 28 deg. 18'
N. Upon that supposition, its longitude will be as follows:

{The time-keeper, 17 deg. 0' 30" }
By {Lunar observations, 16 deg. 30' 20"} W.
{Mr Varila, 16 deg. 46' 0" }

But if the latitude of it is 28 deg. 12' 54", as in the _British Mariner's
Guide_, its longitude will be 13 deg. 30' more westerly.

The variation, when we were at anchor in the road, by the mean of all
our compasses, was found to be 14 deg. 41' 20" W. The dip of the N. end of
the needle was 61 deg. 52' 30".

Some of Mr Anderson's remarks on the natural appearances of Teneriffe,
and its productions, and what he observed himself, or learnt by
information, about the general state of the island, will be of use,
particularly in marking what changes may have happened there since Mr
Glas visited it. They here follow in his own words:

"While we were standing in for the land, the weather being perfectly
clear, we had an opportunity of seeing the celebrated Pic of Teneriffe.
But, I own, I was much disappointed in my expectation with respect to
its appearance. It is, certainly, far from equalling the noble figure of
Pico, one of the western isles which I have seen; though its
perpendicular height may be greater. This circumstance, perhaps, arises
from its being surrounded by other very high hills; whereas Pico stands
without a rival."

"Behind the city of Santa Cruz, the country rises gradually, and is of a
moderate height. Beyond this, to the south-westward, it becomes higher,
and continues to rise toward the Pic, which, from the road, appears but
little higher than the surrounding hills. From thence it seems to
decrease, though not suddenly, as far as the eye can reach. From a
supposition that we should not stay above one day, I was obliged to
contract my excursions into the country; otherwise, I had proposed to
visit the top of this famous mountain."[71]

[Footnote 71: See an account of a journey to the top of the Pic of
Teneriffe, in Sprat's History of the Royal Society, p.200, &c. Glas also
went to the top of it.--History of the Canary Islands, p. 252 to 259. In
the Philosophical Transactions, vol. xlvii. p. 353-356, we have
observations made, in going up the Pic of Teneriffe, by Dr T. Heberden.
The doctor makes its height, above the level of the sea, to be 2566
fathoms, or 15,396 English feet; and says, that this was confirmed by
two subsequent observations by himself, and another made by Mr Crosse,
the consul. And yet I find that the Chevalier de Borda, who measured the
height of this mountain in August 1776, makes it to be only 1931 French
toises, or 12,340 English feet. See Dr Forster's Observations during a
Voyage round the World, p. 32.--D.]

"To the eastward of Santa Cruz, the island appears perfectly barren.
Ridges of hills run toward the sea; between which ridges are deep
valleys, terminating at mountains or hills that ran across, and are
higher than the former. Those that run toward the sea, are marked by
impressions on their sides, which make them appear as a succession of
conic hills, with their tops very rugged. The higher ones that run
across, are more uniform in their appearance."

"In the forenoon of the 1st of August, after we had anchored in the
road, I went on shore to one of these valleys, with an intention to
reach the top of the remoter hills, which seemed covered with wood; but
time would not allow me to get farther than their foot. After walking
about three miles, I found no alteration in the appearance of the lower
hills, which produce great quantities of the _euphorbia Canariensis_. It
is surprising that this large succulent plant should thrive on so
burnt-up a soil. When broken which is easily done, the quantity of juice
is very great; and it might be supposed that, when dried, it would
shrivel to nothing; yet it is a pretty tough, though soft and light
wood. The people here believe its juice to be so caustic as to erode the
skin;[72] but I convinced them, though with much difficulty, to the
contrary, by thrusting my finger into the plant full of it, without
afterward wiping it off. They break down the bushes of _euphorbia_, and,
suffering them to dry, carry them home for fuel. I met with nothing else
growing there, but two or three small shrubs, and a few fig-trees near
the bottom of the valley."

[Footnote 72: Glas, p. 231, speaking of this plant, says, "that he
cannot imagine why the natives of the Canaries do not extract the juice,
and use it instead of pitch, for the bottoms of their boats." We now
learn from Mr Anderson their reason for not using it,--D].

"The basis of the hills is a heavy, compact, bluish stone, mixed with
some shining particles; and, on the surface, large masses of red friable
earth, or stone, are scattered about. I also often found the same
substance disposed in thick strata; and the little earth, strewed here
and there, was a blackish mould. There were likewise some pieces of
slag; one of which, from its weight and smooth surface, seemed almost
wholly metalline."

"The mouldering state of these hills is, doubtless, owing to the
perpetual action of the sun, which calcines their surface. This
mouldered part being afterward washed away by the heavy rains, perhaps
is the cause of their sides being so uneven. For, as the different
substances of which they are composed, are more or less easily affected
by the sun's heat, they will be carried away in the like proportions.
Hence, perhaps, the tops of the hills, being of the hardest rock, have
stood, while the other parts on a declivity have been destroyed. As I
have usually observed, that the tops of most mountains that are covered
with trees have a more uniform appearance, I am inclined to believe that
this is owing to their being shaded."

"The city of Santa Cruz, though not large, is tolerably well built. The
churches are not magnificent without; but within are decent, and
indifferently ornamented. They are inferior to some of the churches at
Madeira; but I imagine this rather arises from the different disposition
of the people, than from their inability to support them better. For the
private houses, and dress of the Spanish inhabitants of Santa Cruz, are
far preferable to those of the Portuguese at Madeira; who, perhaps, are
willing to strip themselves, that they may adorn their churches."

"Almost facing the stone pier at the landing-place, is a handsome marble
column lately put up, ornamented with some human figures, that do no
discredit to the artist; with an inscription in Spanish, to commemorate
the occasion of the erection, and the date."

"In the afternoon of the 2d, four of us hired mules to ride to the city
of Laguna,[73] so called from an adjoining lake, about four miles from
Santa Cruz. We arrived there between five and six in the evening; but
found a sight of it very unable to compensate for our trouble, as the
road was very bad, and the mules but indifferent. The place is, indeed,
pretty extensive, but scarcely deserves to be dignified with the name of
city. The disposition of its streets is very irregular; yet some of them
are of a tolerable breadth, and have some good houses. In general,
however, Laguna is inferior in appearance to Santa Cruz, though the
latter is but small, if compared with the former. We are informed,
likewise, that Laguna is declining fast; there being, at present, some
vineyards where houses formerly stood; whereas Santa Cruz is increasing
daily."

[Footnote 73: Its extended name is St Christobal de la Laguna; and it
used to be reckoned the capital of the island, the gentry and lawyers
living there; though the governor-general of the Canary Islands resides
at Santa Cruz, as being the centre of their trade, both with Europe and
America. See Glas's History, p. 248.--D.]

"The road leading from Santa Cruz to Laguna runs up a steep hill, which
is very barren; but, lower down, we saw some fig-trees, and several corn
fields. These are but small, and not thrown into ridges, as is practised
in England. Nor does it appear that they can raise any corn here without
great labour, as the ground is so encumbered with stones, that they are
obliged to collect and lay them in broad rows, or walls, in small
distances. The large hills that run to the S.W., appeared to be pretty
well furnished with trees. Nothing else worth noticing presented itself
during this excursion, except a few aloe plants in flower, near the side
of the road, and the cheerfulness of our guides, who amused us with
songs by the way."

"Most of the laborious work in this island is performed by mules; horses
being to appearance scarce, and chiefly reserved for the use of the
officers. They are of a small size, but well shaped and spirited. Oxen
are also employed to drag their casks along upon a large clumsy piece of
wood; and they are yoked by the head, though it doth not seem that this
has any peculiar advantage over our method of fixing the harness on the
shoulders. In my walks and excursions I saw some hawks, parrots which
are natives of the island, the sea-swallow or tern, sea-gulls,
partridges, wagtails, swallows, martins, blackbirds, and Canary-birds in
large flocks. There are also lizards of the common, and another sort;
some insects, as locusts; and three or four sorts of dragon flies."

"I had an opportunity of conversing with a sensible and well-informed
gentleman residing here, and whose veracity I have not the least reason
to doubt. From him I learnt some particulars, which, during the short
stay of three days, did not fall within my own observation. He informed
me, that a shrub is common here, agreeing exactly with the description
given by Tournefort and Linnaeus, of the tea shrub, as growing in China
and Japan. It is reckoned a weed, and he roots out thousands of them
every year from his vineyards. The Spaniards, however, of the island,
sometimes use it as tea, and ascribe to it all the qualities of that
imported from China. They also give it the name of tea; but what is
remarkable, they say it was found here when the islands were first
discovered."

"Another botanical curiosity, mentioned by him, is what they call the
impregnated lemon.[74] It is a perfect and distinct lemon, inclosed
within another, differing from the outer one only in being a little more
globular. The leaves of the tree that produces this sort, are much
longer than those of the common one; and it was represented to me as
being crooked, and not equal in beauty."

[Footnote 74: The writer of the Relation of Teneriffe, in Sprat's
History, p. 207, takes notice of this lemon as produced here, and calls
it _Pregnada_. Probably, _emprennada_, the Spanish word for impregnated,
is the name it goes by.--D.]

"From him I learnt also, that a certain sort of grape growing here, is
reckoned an excellent remedy in phthisical complaints; and the air and
climate, in general, are remarkably healthful, and particularly adapted
to give relief in such diseases. This he endeavoured to account for, by
its being always in one's power to procure a different temperature of
the air, by residing at different heights in the island; and he
expressed his surprise that the English physicians should never have
thought of sending their consumptive patients to Teneriffe, instead of
Nice or Lisbon. How much the temperature of the air varies here, I
myself could sensibly perceive, only in riding from Santa Cruz up to
Laguna; and you may ascend till the cold becomes intolerable. I was
assured that no person can live comfortably within a mile of the
perpendicular height of the Pic, after the month of August."[75]

[Footnote 75: This agrees with Dr T. Heberden's account, who says that
the sugar-loaf part of the mountain, or _la pericosa_, (as it is
called,) which is an eighth part of a league (or 1980 feet) to the top,
is covered with snow the greatest part of the year. See Philosophical
Transactions, as quoted above.--D.]

"Although some smoke constantly issues from near the top of the Pic,
they have had no earthquake or eruption of a volcano since 1704, when
the port of Garrachica, where much of their trade was formerly carried
on, was destroyed."[76]

[Footnote 76: This port was then filled up by the rivers of burning lava
that flowed into it from a volcano; insomuch that houses are now built
where ships formerly lay at anchor. See Glas's History, p. 244.--D.]

"Their trade, indeed, must be considered as very considerable; for they
reckon that forty thousand pipes of wine are annually made, the
greatest part of which is either consumed in the island, or made into
brandy, and sent to the Spanish West Indies.[77] About six thousand
pipes were exported every year to North America, while the trade with it
was uninterrupted; at present, they think not above half the quantity.
The corn they raise is, in general, insufficient to maintain the
inhabitants; but the deficiency used to be supplied by importation from
the North Americans, who took their wines in return."

[Footnote 77: Glas, p. 342, says, that they annually export no less than
fifteen thousand pipes of wine and brandy. In another place, p. 252, he
tells us, that the number of the inhabitants of Teneriffe, when the last
account was taken, was no less than 96,000. We may reasonably suppose
that there has been a considerable increase of population since Glas
visited the island, which is above thirty years ago. The quantity of
wine annually consumed, as the common beverage of at least one hundred
thousand persons, must amount to several thousand pipes. There must be a
vast expenditure of it, by conversion into brandy; to produce one pipe
of which, five or six pipes of wine must be distilled. An attention to
these particulars will enable every one to judge, that the account given
to Mr Anderson, of an annual produce of 40,000 pipes of wine, has a
foundation in truth.--D.]

"They make a little silk; but unless we reckon the filtering-stones,
brought in great numbers from Grand Canary, the wine is the only
considerable article of the foreign commerce of Teneriffe.'

"None of the race of inhabitants found here when the Spaniards
discovered the Canaries, now remain a distinct people;[78] having
intermarried with the Spanish settlers; but their descendants are known,
from their being remarkably tall, large-boned, and strong. The men are,
in general, of a tawny colour, and the women have a pale complexion,
entirely destitute of that bloom which distinguishes our northern
beauties. The Spanish custom of wearing black clothes continues amongst
them; but the men seem more indifferent about this, and in some measure
dress like the French. In other respects, we found the inhabitants of
Teneriffe to be a decent and very civil people, retaining that grave
cast which distinguishes those of their country from other European
nations. Although we do not think that there is a great similarity
between our manners and those of the Spaniards, it is worth observing,
that Omai did not think there was much difference. He only said, 'that
they seemed not so friendly as the English; and that, in their persons,
they approached those of his countrymen.'"

[Footnote 78: It was otherwise in Glas's time, when a few families of
the _Guanches_ (as they are called) remained still in Teneriffe, not
blended with the Spaniards. Glas, p. 240.--D.]

SECTION III.

_Departure from Teneriffe.--Danger of the Ship near Bonavista.--Isle of
Mayo.--Port Praya.--Precautions against the Rain and sultry Weather in
the Neighbourhood of the Equator.--Position of the Coast of
Brazil.--Arrival at the Cape of Good Hope.--Transactions
there.--Junction of the Discovery.--Mr Anderson's Journey up the
Country.--Astronomical Observations,--Nautical Remarks on the Passage
from England to the Cape, with regard to the Currents and the
Variation_.

Having completed our water, and got on board every other thing we wanted
at Teneriffe, we weighed anchor on the 4th of August, and proceeded on
our voyage, with a fine gale at N.E.

At nine o'clock in the evening on the 10th,[79] we saw the island of
Bonavista bearing south, distant little more than a league; though, at
this time, we thought ourselves much farther off: But this proved a
mistake. For, after hauling to the eastward till twelve o'clock, to
clear the sunken rocks that lie about a league from the S.E. point of
the island, we found ourselves, at that time, close upon them, and did
but just weather the breakers. Our situation, for a few minutes, was
very alarming. I did not choose to sound, as that might have heightened
the danger, without any possibility of lessening it. I make the north
end of the island of Bonavista to lie in the latitude of 16 deg. 17' N., and
in the longitude of 22 deg. 59' W.

[Footnote 79: As a proof of Captain Cook's attention, both to the
discipline and to the health of his ship's company, it may be worth
while to observe here, that it appears from his log-book, he exercised
them at great guns and small arms, and cleaned and smoked the ship
betwixt decks, twice in the interval between the 4th and the 10th of
August.--D.]

As soon as we were clear of the rocks, we steered S.S.W., till day-break
next morning, and then hauled to the westward, to go between Bonavista
and the isle of Mayo, intending to look into Port Praya for the
Discovery, as I had told Captain Clerke that I should touch there, and
did not know how soon he might sail after me. At one in the afternoon,
we saw the rocks that lie on the S.W. side of Bonavista, bearing S.E.,
distant three or four leagues.

Next morning, at six o'clock, the isle of Mayo bore S.S.E., distant
about five leagues. In this situation we sounded, and found ground at
sixty fathoms. At the same time the variation, by the mean of several
azimuths taken with three different compasses, was 9 deg. 32 1/2' W. At
eleven o'clock, one extreme of Mayo bore E. by N., and the other S.E. by
S. In this position, two roundish hills appeared near its N.E. part;
farther on, a large and higher hill; and, at about two-thirds of its
length, a single one that is peaked. At the distance we now saw this
island, which was three or four miles, there was not the least
appearance of vegetation, nor any relief to the eye from that lifeless
brown which prevails in countries under the Torrid Zone that are
unwooded.

Here I cannot help remarking that Mr Nichelson, in his Preface to
"Sundry Remarks and Observations made in a Voyage to the East
Indies,"[80] tells us, that "with eight degrees west variation, or any
thing above that, you may venture to sail by the Cape de Verde Islands
night or day, being well assured, with that variation, that you are to
the eastward of them." Such an assertion might prove of dangerous
consequence, were there any that would implicitly trust to it. We also
tried the current, and found one setting S.W. by W., something more than
half a mile an hour. We had reason to expect this, from the differences
between the longitude given by the watch and dead reckoning, which,
since our leaving Teneriffe, amounted to one degree.