served communication of sentiments, even among the nearest
friends. The life, indeed, which a Spanish colonist leads is
nearly as secluded as that of a Turk. He seldom associates
with his neighbours except at vespers, at matins, or at high
mass. I The greater part of the day is consumed in idleness at
home. He reads little beyond his bible, his missal, and perhaps
the miracles of our Lady of Candelaria, the protectress
of the island, whose statue is placed in a chapel about ten
miles to the southward of Santa Cruz, said to be ornamented
with a profusion of gold, silver, and precious'stonesV I t is
built over a cavern by the sea-shore, in which Tier Ladyship
had placed herself to direct the Spaniards into the harbour
with a lighted candle in her hand. - To the help of this pious
fraud they were Indebted for their success in converting the
simple natives to Christianity. •
We inquired for books, but could find nothing in the shape
of one for sale either in Santa Cruz, * Laguna, or the two
Oratavas. We were told, indeed, that mot % ’book was suffered
to be landed until it had' been inspected by"the proper
officer of the Inqdisition. Yet with "every precaution taken
by these pure and holy men, and under all the rigours of ecclesiastical
jurisdiction, the morals of the people were found
to be extremely corrupt, and instances of unhallowed connections
betweeh the sexes so numerous, that it became necessary
.to pass a law, obliging every young couple to marry
who could be proved at any time to have been alone together—
a law which, it was shrewdly suspected, was a con-'
trivance of the father confessors, with a view to answer their
private accommodation. I t is a common opinion among the
inhabitants, that the ill effects arising from promiscuous love
have , become habitual to their constitution and hereditary,
so that few families - either are or can be free from their influence.
There are equally few who are not troubled with
the itc h ; the leprosy is not uncommon, and scorbutic affections
almost universal. These cutaneous diseases are attributed
by them to the copious use of fish; but the real cause
may perhaps be more satisfactorily accounted for by supposing
them, like the first, to be transmitted from father to son,
and their action on the system kept alive by indolent habits,
by want of exercise and, above all, by a total disregard to
cleanliness. Under the idea, however, that the frequent and
abundant use of fish may contribute to the: continuance of
these disorders, the good Bishop of the Canaries was induced
to grant a dispensation with the strict" observance of Lent
and other fast days, so far at least: as to commute the
usual restrictions and ; privations for a certain number of
Pater nosters and Ave Marias,. jto be repeated public^ in the
middle of the great square, by all such as were desirous of
availing themselves of this indulgence. , This worthy prelate,
whose revenues are not much less than 10,0001, a year, and
who usually resides a t , Palmas on Grand Canaria, is said to
distribute a great part of them in acts of charity ; for enabling
him to do which, he is frequently under the necessity of applying
to his domestics for temporary supplies of money till
his rents become due.
The maintenance of a numerous body of. ecclesiastics becomes
a heavy charge on the colonists. In addition to the
ordinary alms, individual donations, legacies, and extraordih
2