24 A V O Y A G E T O
Augui. The city of Santa Cruz, though not large, is tolerably
'— ■— ' wel1 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
imagine, this rather arifes from the different difpofition o f
the people, than from their inability to fupport them better.
For the private houfes, and drefs o f the Spaniih inhabitants
o f Santa Cruz, are far preferable to thofe of the Portuguefe
at Madeira; who, perhaps, are willing to fixip themfelves,
that they may adorn their churches.
Almoft facing the ftone pier at the landing-place, is a
handfome marble column lately put up, ornamented with
fome human figures, that do no difcredit to the artift; with
an infcription in Spaniih, to commemorate the occafion o f
the eredtion; and the date.
Friday 2, In the afternoon of the ad, 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 between
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, indeed,
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 informed,
likewife, that Laguna is declining fa il; there being, at
* P f ‘en?!d “ me is S t H I i I Laguna, and it ufed to l>e reckoned the
S in / entry:>ndlawyers P ® there; though the Governor Ge-
3 S i t Canar)' “ ailds r6,ides at S?"ta Cruz, .as being the center of theh trade
hoth with Europe and America. See Glas’s H ifl. p. 248, 5
prefent, fome vineyards where houfes formerly flood ;
whereas Santa Cruz is encreafing daily.
The road leading from Santa Cruz to Laguna runs up
a. fleep hill, which is very barren ; but, lower down, we
faw fome fig-trees, and feveral corn fields. Thefe are but
imall, and not thrown into ridges, as is praffifed in England.
Nor does n appear that they can raife any corn here without
great labour, as the ground is fo encumbered with flones
that they are obliged to calieri: and lay them in broad rows’
or walls, at fmall diftances. The large hills that run to thè
South-weft appeared to be pretty well furniihed with
trees. Nothing elfe worth noticing prefented itfelf during
this excurfion, except a few aloe plants in flower, near the
fide o f the road, and the cheerfulnefs o f our guides who
amufed us with fongs by the way. S ’ Who
m m T rlab° ri0US work in this Land is performed
y_ mules , horfes being to appearance fcarce, and chiefly
referved for the ufe o f the officers. They are o f a fmall
fize, but well ffiaped and fpirited. Oxen are alfo employed
to drag their caiks along upon a large clumfy Piece of wood •
and they are yoked by the head ; though it doth not feem
that this has any peculiar advantage over our method of
fixing the harnefs on the ffioulders. In my walks and ex-
curfions i fawfome hawks, parrots, which are natives of the
•illand, the fea fwallow or tern, fea gulls, partridges, wagtails,
fwallows, martins, blackbirds, and Canary-birds in
2 ° f S' / here are alfo Hoards of the common, and
nother fort; fome infers,.as locufts; and three or four forts
•or dragon flies.
w e V in l “ °Pporttrnity of converting with a fenfible and
Voc i Sentkman refidinS here* and whofe veracity
?7fS.
Auguft.
I have