The Marquis De Branceforte, whom we found in the government of the Canary
Ifles, was, we were informed, a major-general in the Spanilh ferviee, and
having been three years in the government, only waited, it was faid, for his promotion
to the rank of lieutenant-general to return to Spain. The falary annexed
to this government, as we underftood, was not quite equal to fifteen, hundred
pounds a-year. His Excellency’s houfe was fituated at the upper end of the
High Street, or Square, as it was called, and was by no means the beft in the
town, Mr. Carter (the treafurer) and fome private merchants appearing to re-
fide in larger and much better habitations. The houfes in moll o f the ftreets
were' built with quadrangles, a gallery running round the interior fides of the
firft floor, on which indeed the families chiefly refided, appropriating the ground
floor to offices for domeftic purpofes. The dwelling-rooms were not ceiled, but
were open to the roof of the building, which rarely exceeded two flories in
height. The upper part of the windows was glazed with very bad glafs; the
lower part confifted of clofe lattice-work, through the finall .apertures of
which, as we traverfed the ftreets, we had now and then opportunities of .noticing
the features of the women, whom the euftom of the country had confined
within doors to the lattice, and in the ftreet to the roba zilia, or veil. There
were but few objefts in the town fufficiently ftriking to draw the attention of a
ftranger.
The landing-place was commodious, being formed by a ftone' pier, alongfide
o f which two boats at a time might lie with great eafe and take in their frefh
water. It appeared by an infcription in Spanifh, that the pier, having fallen
nearly into a ftate of entire ruin, was indebted for its prefent convenience to the
liberality o f the governor, aflifted indeed by fome merchants, who fuperintended
and contributed. largely to its repair, which was completed in the year 17 846. "
A t the lower end of the High Street was obferved a light and well-finifhed
monument of white marble, commemorating the marvellous appearance, of the
image or bull of Our, Lady at Candelaria, to the Guanches, the aborigines of
the country, who were thereby converted to Chriftianity 104 years before the
preaching of the gofpel. The four fides of the monument bore long infcriptions
to this effefl, and further intimated, that it was erefted, as an afl o f piety and
cordial devotion, at the expence of Don Bartholomi di Monfagnes, perpetual
captain of the Royal'Marine Caftle at Candelaria.
In the .centre of this ftreet were a ftone bafin and fountain, from which the
inhabitants were fupplied with a ftream of very good water, conveyed from the
neighbouring hills by wooden troughs fupported on flight polls, and reaching
quite .to the tow.0. A t th.e head of the ftreet, near the government-houfe, flood
large ftone .crofs, and at a finall diftance the church of St. Francis, annexed
to
to which was a monaftery o f Francifcans. The name o f Santa Cruz, the Holy
Crofs, feemed not inapplicable to this town, for one or more crucifixes of wood
or ftone were to be found in moft of the ftreets, and in others the form of the
Crofs was painted upon the walls o f the houfes. Over the entrances of fome
houfes we obferved, inclofed in finall glafs-cafes, the images and pictures of favourite
faints, with lamps before them, which were lighted in the evenings and
on certain public occafions.
There were not any fortifications upon the commanding ground above the
town; but at each end of the bay flood a fort, between which were erefted
three or four circular redoubts, connected with each other by a low parapet
wall, wearing the appearance of a line of communication between the forts ; but
very few cannon were to be feen in the works.
On the fkirts of the town to the fouthward we vifited a workhoufe, which
had been originally defigned for the reception of the mendicants with which the
town had been very much infefted. About forty families had fubfcribed a certain
fum to ereft this building, and to furnifh it in a manner every way convenient
and confiftent with fuch a defign. But we were informed that the governor
had filled it with the daughters of the labouring poor, who were here in-
ftrufted in weaving and fpinning, and were brought up in induftry and cleanli-
nefs, remaining in the houfe until of a marriageable age, when a portion equal to
ten pounds fterling was given with each on the day o f her nuptials. This and
the other expences of the houfe were furnifhed by a fund produced from the
labour of the young people, who appeared all in the fame drefs, plain indeed,
but cleanly *and neat.
We heard with furprife, and not without regret, that this inftitution was likely
to fall to the ground whenever the governor’s departure fhould take place, the
fubfcribers being diffatisfied with the plan that was then purfued, alleging that
their money had been given to get rid o f their beggars, whofe numbers were
not diminifhed ; and that the children were only taught what they could learn
from their mothers at home. To us however, judging without prejudice or
partiality, the defign of the inftitution appeared to have been more effeftually
anfwered by ftriking at the root of beggary, than if the charity had been merely
confined to objefts who would have been found daily to multiply, from the comfortable
provifion held out to them by that charity, .
A whole-length pifture of the governor was hung up in the working-rooms of
the houfe.' He was’reprefented, agreeably to the end that \yas at firft propofed
by the inftitution, -condufting a miferable objeft to the gate of the workhoufe ;
a front view of which was alfo given.
Thefe iflands, known to the Romans by the appellation of the Fortunate
Iflands, appeared even at this day to deferve that epithet$ for the inhabitants
were