The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-01-18

potatoes are raised in the Canaries, for
 exportation to Northern Europe, as
 early fruits and vegeta bles comes to the
 United States from the West Indies
 The climate here allows three crops of potatoes in a year-such big, white
 mealy 'tmurphies" as cannot be raised in the United States-not even in Utah,
 the banner state for big potatoes; and
 the mammoth Canary onions-like the
 island bees, stingless-resemble those of the Burmudas, only these are larger
 and winter. The wine industry, too, | which almost died out a. generation ago,
 is again looking up," ,"--though it will
 probably never regain its old propor-
 tions. Canary wine is not unlike old
 port and Maderia--with a rich, golden
 hue and fine, fruity flavor; but is too
 strong and "heady" for general use.
 Your first excursion will probably be l to Orotava, on the other side of this | triangular shaped island of Teneriffe. A good road-aS roads are reckoned in this corner of the globe--runs from the port of Santa Cruz, on the north
 eastern angle of the island, diagonally
 across to the celebrated valley of
 Orotava-a distance of twenty eight
 miles. Immediately leaving the port,
 (presumably on ponyback) the road
 ascends rapidly and in a couple of
 hours you are breakfasting at Laguna, a quaint little village on the summit of
 the ridge. three thousand feet above
 the starting point. Without exception,
 Laguna is the drowsiest and most
 peaceful-looking place I ever beheld-an
 ideal spot for undsturbed repose of
 mind and body. Long, long ago it was
 the capital of the island, and the abode
 of it's richest arstocracy which includ-
 ed counts and marquses galore. The first viceroy of the archipelago resided
 here, and his plaoe-built more than four hundred years ago--looks little old CT than most of the houses. Grass and
 weeds grow rankly in the deserted streets and the Canary leek flourishes on messy tiles and springs up in crev- ices of dllapidated walls Stately gate ways, with Castilian coasts-of- arms carved above them, are walled up, their owners having long since departed or gone to dust, and "the spider hath WOW en her web in the palaces of Afrasiab." The few remaining citizens-most of whom are Spanish or Portugese noble men. driven into retirement by their misfortunes or political errors--live in the utmost seclusion, rarely venturing outside their doors, and much less ad- hitting others to their households. Their women are kept in closely guard ed as in Turkish harems. No tuning of guitars is heard behind garden walls in Laguna, as in jolly but plebean Santa Cruz-no coquettish or curious glances are flashed from latticed balconies upon passers-by. and scarcely sound tells you that the ghostly old houses are in- habted at all.
 The great plain of Laguna is extreme [ ly fertile and produces most of the | gain of the island Being completely | surrounded by high hills, it is frequent | ly inundated by tropical rains to the depth of several feet. After unusually ! heavy trains, the peasants are com pelled to fly from their huts to the town, which is higher up on the edge of the valley; but In few hours the water runs off, leaving evrything green- CT than before. This explains the con- lllctlnE statements or LraVelerS InOSe who have visited Laguna at certain seasons speak of the town as standing on the brink of great lake: while oth- CTS, with equal truth at another time, describe it as surrounded by grain fields One singular and unexplained thing about the place is group of wells near together, in some of which the water is brackish in others salt as the ocean and in others perfect " fresh.
 Owing to it's exceptionally cool, moist climate, Laguna continues to be a fa- ,orite summer resort for the citizens of , Santa Cruz, where the heat, though never intense, is so constant as to be- z 'ome enervating In these highlands of , reneriffe rains and breezes are rather { oo abundant: but meadow lands and intervals, surrounded by tall peaks wonderful prospects over and and sea, afford a delightful change rom the life of the port The peasants of Laauna still retain
 me of the ancient costumes of the is- f ands White drawers cover the whole t eg. and over these are worn blue trous- a IFS, coming down not quite to the knees. a 'he latter are of flannel bound with c