The Republican journal., 1896-03-19


price than most of us would care to pay fol
a title. Those Spaniards of the early time
seem to have been very short of names
after those of the saints were exhausted,
bewilderment of future generations. Not
only are there dozens and dozens of places
named Santa Cruz within the Spanish do
minions, but there are several in this little
archipelago alone, including two on the
small island of Teneriffe; hence the ne
cessity of the long title to distinguish it
from Santa Cruz de something else. This,
however, is the most important town in
/ the Canary group, the capital city and
the chief commercial port, with popu-
| lation of about Is, 600. The strangest and
most remarkable thing about it is that
! though under the red and yellow flag of
| Spain, it is a free port, where no custom
| officials in dirty livery and ''brief author
ity'' turn your trunks upside down and
exhibit their secrets to a gaping populace.
Some 40 years or more ago this island
and those Immediately adjoining obtained
permission from the home government to
abolish all duties on goods entering the
Canaries, provided that they made up any
deficit which might result to the revenue
of the crown from the adoption of the
measure. 1t is said that the commerce of
the island has greatly increased in conse-
quence, and that the importers have
| thrivep on free trade. But it is only fair
to add that the deficit in the national
revenue has never been made up, and al
ready amounts to several millions, the
possible collection of which is held over
the people as rod of terror; while the
home government, in an effort to make
good its loss, has SO increased the taxes
as to seriously Cypress both landed pro-
prietor and peasant. The whitewashed
town with its ell-paved, lamp lighted
! streets is regularly laid out on gradual
slope, tlanked by very savage volcanic
precipiceS and ravines which partially
Justify Humboldt's statement that 'It
At this time of year. when rain has not
fallen for several months, everything
wears an arid, parched and burnt-u up
look. Even the giant cacti have lost their
greenness, if they ever had any: and amid
barren chaos of basalt and lava crowd
ing close on every side, nothing relieves
the eye but long white line of acque-
duct winding in serpentine course down
the high broken ridge with the only fresh
water supply of the port. If the waving
palms and lovely verdure of Madeira
reminded us that we We're far away
from home in this midwinter weather.
how much more plainly does the unex-
pected sight of numerous camels slowly
trudging through the town gate with
their burdens of pine wood and limestone,
or patiently kneeling in the plazas to be
laden, speak of the nearing region of
Sahara and Siroc! The dromedary of
the Canaries, Improperly called cameD
or of very large variety and is supposed
to have been introduced by the Norman
conquerors. 1t thrives we'll in these is
lands, so they say, but for want of care and
cleanliness and being almost without hair,
it is the ugliest and most pitiful looking
object that ever fitted through the fever
ish fancies of hasheesh dream. So 81
lently do these animals tread the ground
with their big, flat feet that their own
ers are compelled by law to furnish
each with bell, to give warning of theil
approach. 1t is remarkable with regard
to the natural history of these animals
that they will not breed in Teneriffe, al
though they do on most of the adjacent
islands, particularly on Lancerote, only &
few leagues to the southwark. The lattel
} island has been given up to that expires.
purpose and has become great came
, ranch, SO to speak. 1t is said that these
proverbially gentle and patient beasts be
come so ferocious when in numbers no
under the control of man, that it is dan
gerous to land upon the island. By tn,
way, we are promised an extraordinar,
dlNCl Willie Ill AS Dul
fights are a feature of Cuba, so came
fights are a not uncommon amusemen
5 for the people of this island. They tel
us that the animals are muzzled on thes,
f occasions and fight with ten times tn,
S fury of bulls.
} Lest the people should forget the nam
e of their city they have been given per
v petual reminder of it, in massive marbl
i cross which stands at the head of the plaz
4 de la Constitucian, near the ietty In i
is also colossal group of statuary repre-
/ senting the appariton of the Virgin O
2 Candearia to the four kings of the Guam
j, ches, which is supposed to have take
a place in the year 1892. The statue is O
t good execution, of fine Carara marble
7 the beautiful Virgin upon pedestal sup
ported by the four kings who each carrie
u a huge thigh bone in his sinewy hand
n why, l could not learn, unless it may hav
# been the weapon of the early islanders
# Sad to say, the illustrious company EMO
= but one nose among them and that tn