A Voyage to New Holland | Page 7

several sorts of wildfowl resort hither,
affording plenty of game to the inhabitants of Laguna. This city is
called Laguna from hence; for that word in Spanish signifies a lake or
pond. The plain is bounded on the west, the north-west and the
south-west with high steep hills; as high above this plain as this is
above the sea; and it is from the foot of one of these mountains that the

water of the conduit which supplies the town is conveyed over the plain
in troughs of stone raised upon pillars. And indeed, considering the
situation of the town, its large prospect to the east (for from hence you
see the Grand Canary) its gardens, cool arbors, pleasant plain, green
fields, the pond and aqueduct, and its refreshing breezes; it is a very
delightful dwelling, especially for such as have not business that calls
them far and often from home: for, the island being generally
mountainous, steep, and craggy, full of risings and fallings, it is very
troublesome travelling up and down in it, unless in the cool of the
mornings and evenings: and mules and asses are most used by them,
both for riding and carriage, as fittest for the stony, uneven roads.
Beyond the mountains, on the south-west side, still further up, you may
see from the town and plain a small peaked hill, overlooking the rest.
This is that which is called the Pike of Tenerife, so much noted for its
height: but we saw it here at so great a disadvantage, by reason of the
nearness of the adjacent mountains to us, that it looked inconsiderable
in respect to its fame.
OF THE WINES AND OTHER COMMODITIES OF TENERIFE,
ETC.
The true malmsey wine grows in this island; and this here is said to be
the best of its kind in the world. Here is also canary wine, and verdona,
or green wine. The canary grows chiefly on the west side of the island;
and therefore is commonly sent to Oratavia; which being the chief
seaport for trade in the island, the principal English merchants reside
there, with their consul; because we have a great trade for this wine. I
was told that that town is bigger than Laguna; that it has but one church,
but many convents: that the port is but ordinary at best and is very bad
when the north-west winds blow. These norwesters give notice of their
coming by a great sea that tumbles in on the shore for some time before
they come, and by a black sky in the north-west. Upon these signs ships
either get up their anchors, or slip their cables and put to sea, and ply
off and on till the weather is over. Sometimes they are forced to do so 2
or 3 times before they can take in their lading; which it is hard to do
here in the fairest weather: and for fresh water they send, as I have said,
to Santa Cruz. Verdona is green, strong-bodied wine, harsher and
sharper than canary. It is not so much esteemed in Europe, but is
exported to the West Indies, and will keep best in hot countries; for

which reason I touched here to take in some of it for my voyage. This
sort of wine is made chiefly on the east side of the island, and shipped
off at Santa Cruz.
Besides these wines, which are yearly vended in great plenty from the
Canary Islands (chiefly from Grand Canary, Tenerife, and Palma) here
is store of grain, as wheat, barley, and maize, which they often
transport to other places. They have also some beans and peas, and
coches, a sort of grain much like maize, sowed mostly to fatten land.
They have papaws, which I shall speak more of hereafter; apples, pears,
plums, cherries, and excellent peaches, apricots, guavas, pomegranates,
citrons, oranges, lemons, limes, pumpkins, onions the best in the world,
cabbages, turnips, potatoes, etc. They are also well stocked with horses,
cows, asses, mules, sheep, goats, hogs, conies, and plenty of deer. The
Lancerota horses are said to be the most mettlesome, fleet, and loyal
horses that are. Lastly here are many fowls, as cocks, and hens, ducks,
pigeons, partridges, etc. with plenty of fish, as mackerel, etc. All the
Canary Islands have of these commodities and provisions more or less:
but as Lancerota is most famed for horses, and Grand Canary, Tenerife,
and Palma for wines, Tenerife especially for the best malmsey (for
which reason these 3 islands have the chief trade) so is Forteventura for
dunghill-fowls, and Gomera for deer. Fowls and other eatables are dear
on the trading islands; but very plentiful and cheap on the other; and
therefore it is best for such ships that are going out on long voyages,