54 T E N E R I F F E.
Should it be considered expedient, on some future occasion,
to get possession of Teneriffe, though I confess its utility
does not appear to me to be very important to this country,
a more eligible plan would seem to be the landing of a body
of men at Oratava, the port at which the greater part of the
wines are shipped, and where the works of defence are so
trifling as to afford little if any resistance, which indeed is
the case along the whole western shore between the point
de Nago on the north and Garricheci on the south, where,
in any of the small bays or inlets, an easy landing might be
effected: in the summer months. From any part of this coast,
a single day’s march, over an open and plentiful country,
completely in the possession of the invading party when once
landed, would bring them to the city erf Laguna, the capital
of the island, which is entirely without defence I t j s scarcely
probable they would meet with any opposition in the field,
especially if a division of the ships employed in the attack
should make its appearance at the entrance of the bay. This
force would confine the feeble garrison to their forts; and, as
the distance from Laguna to Santa Crus; is only about five
miles, down a considerable descent, every point of which
commands the town and the bay, the fate of the place must
instantly be deeided. At all events, the extreme difficulty of
landing in the bay of Santa Cruz seems to require both daylight
and fine weather, in order to insure a successful issue.
The prospect, on entering the bay, is by no means so inviting
as that of Madeira, as will readily be perceived by the
annexed view. The town of Santa Cruz has pretty much the