The times., 1898-07-31
Have Heavily Mustached Lips and
Are Inyeterate Smokers.

Now that Uncle Sam is in an annexing
mood, who knows but that the tabled
Atlantis OF Plato, the Garden OF Hes
perides. and st. Brandon's Fairy Isle. all
known to modern geographers as the
Canary Islands. may not soon become a
part of the United States. Certainly no
spot on earth offers more curious il
lustratfon of primitive women.
When the Canaries were conquered by
Jean de Bethencourt, a Norman baron. in
1902, in the name of Juan ii of CASTLE.
they were peopled by two races which
had emigrated from the mainland. Each
race had different laws, habits, and Gus
toms, and was possessed OF mutual
hatred which engendered constant war
fare
The inhabitants of the Western Ca
nary Islands were small, fair, energetic,
brave and amiable; some of them even
had blue eyes and red hair. In Fuer-
teventura and Lanzarote they were taller,
darker. and more indolent. laZily obeying
their hereditary rulers, whether the latter
were men or women. The dark-skinned
inhabitants are supposed to be of Arabic,
or of Phoenician origin. They We're con-
quered easily, because they were even
more indolent than the Spaniards. and
then the fairer race was subjugated.
Today the common type in the Canaries,
of both men and women, consists of
a tall frame. an elongated head, badly
chiseled nose and mouth a large, heavy
face, and blue eyes This type is uni
versal. but the dress in every island is
slightly different. OF course, the true
Canary costumes are seen on these peas
ants. for the higher classes are entirely
Spanish and European. They have no
native clothes, such as the Philippians
how hn ,iaI Not, aN0+
ing is imported from Europe, and the
women make up the garments in their
houses. However, hats and shoes are
made in the Canaries.
Strange to say, the men, women and
children are accustomed to walk bare
foot over the thorny plants. the plains
filled with spiny cacti and the burn
ing rocks of lava, which, in a few hours
will burn and wear out the stoutest shoes
Both men and women always wear their
| shoes in the towns; but if you meet them
on the road the men invariably are car
| rying their shoes at the end of a stick
| while the women carry theirs on their
! heads.
| The women of Tenerife wear a skirt
and apron of cotton, a well-fitting bodice
| ornamented with large sleeves and a
| fichu which ends in points both in front
| and behind. The head is covered with the
greatest care. A silk handkerchief is
! folded around the chin and then large
| woollen shawl is wrapped around the
| entire head and falls down below the
| waist behind. Above this is placed
small straw hat with low crown, sau-
! Ger shaped on which the bundle. Jar or
! load of faggots is placed. The string Of
wool, or leather. around the neck must
not be forgotten. for from it is suspend
| ed an amulet, blessed by the priest. and
| which preserves the wearer from all dan
rpQr oxriI
| Notwithstanding their feminine attire
the women of Grand Canary are entirely
| masculine in appearance. Their hair is
! short the mustache which ornaments
| their upper lip is luxuriant, they wear a
mans hat, and they are passionately de-
| voted to smoking cigars. The women of
| the Grand Canary are not sirens accord
| ing to American ideas. Neither are they
| as polite as they are generous, for al
| though they will give a stranger a drink
! of water. while he has lifted the jug to
his mouth, they will often throw an un-
expected shower over his head and shoul-
! derS as a practical joke
! In the island of Palma the women go
! about almost naked. yet occasionally they
! dress with their heads and necks covered
! with kerchief and surmounted by a Gu
rious hat.
The women's costume in Lanzarote con-
sists of a short striped, cotton skirt
sleeves to the elbow. a bodice laced in
| front, and white cape folded round the
| head and shoulders. surmounted by
| straw hat often trimmed with flowers.
| They make the mems clothes, which are
| quite gay in this island consisting of
| trousers to the knee tied with bright
ribbons or garters. a sleeveless jacket a
| sash betting in the shirt, and montera
or cap, generally of blue embroidered
| with yellow, green. or red. and display
| Ing knot of ribbons at the side. The
/ natives of Lanzarote are content with