The Republican journal., 1902-01-23
EXCURSIONS IN THE CANARIES.
uaw the Natives Live. The COchineal In
dustry. Orotavo and Leguna.

5iu as much as we can of the Cana
H.. n the shortest possible time, we
ave- been making series of excursions
Zach of the seven islands. whose
m lined area is about that of the
sire of Connecticut. Travelling has
reutties on these small specks of
rU I'M mid-A tlantic. 1t is easy enough
go from island to island because
e>els are constantly plying to and
u the coasting- trade; but beyond
ports are few roads and no
alr conveyances. If one is a good
-trian he may make walking
once so fashionable on the con
..lt with perfect safety and certain
hospitable treatment. While i'll
uLted States such traveller would
~taktn for tramp and tind doors
.n il his face, and in England is
lays regarded with cold disfayor.
to0dnaturedly tolerated in other
# Europe, because of the money
ully spends freely though look
u as a sort OF mild lunatic who
AT watching. But IN these lone
-lluds the Well-to-do residents ON
states in the rural districts hail
veler however he comes. as a
from heaven, because he brings
nan a breath of the world beyond
'cean. which forms their prison
uNtless the average tourist will
travelling IN the Canarits as the
rs do-on the lean and lazy island
and always hire a boy to run
side his beast and wave a leafy
- TO partially dispense the swarms
les which would otherwise make
toIerable and cause the animals to
down and roll at inconveniently fire.
aJ intervals. Occasionally you meet
aL ptrched alOft on the hump of
--. brown creature miscalled camel
aiding the foremost of a string of
u. tied nose to tail, the back of each
nigh with merchandise. The
edaries of the Canaries, which are
much larger than the true camel,
ppOsed to have been brought over
the nearby desert Of Sahara by
Norman conquerors. The animals
aid to thrive well in the islands of
adoption, and are certainly very
t., kneeling to receive incredible
els of limestone or pineknotS, and
eng patiently up hill and down,
dawn till dark, But, from want
&c, or proper food. they are almost
lieteIy denuded OF hair and become
IgHest and most pitifuL looking
ures that ever fitted through the
ordered fancies OF hasheesh dream.
silently do they tread the ground
t-eir owners are compelled by law
-.ulah each with a bell, to give
ug OF It's approach. 1t is a re
Iule fact that. while these animals
.vt breed a all on Tenerit1e island.
ue prolific in other parts of the
peHgo, especially on rocky little
re.5Jc, which has been entirely
% va 90 That purpose and turned in
9ra-9lIt dromtJary- so to
GA viii not care to explore it,
resting though it may be, because
HeuIiar 0dor which distinguishes
'-iug Of the camel-Species-the
.u-s 1T that which characterized
v THE I}lest' almost unbear-
-u When only brought in Whitfs
.t-unr breeZes to the deck of a
anchored in the harbor, 1t is
lat these proyerbially docile and
t beasts become ferocious when
uDers and not under the control
l.al, so that there is really some
Ger Il visiting Lancerote. Now and
Tie good people of Teneriffe treat
selves to a diversion seldom heard
any other part of the world, viz,
-' fighting, after the manner of bull
in old Spain, the step mother
try The animals are muzzled for
alleged sport, and fight with ten
-s the fury of bulls, striking out
the power of battering-rams and
sling everything in sight.
This time of year, when the rain
not fallen for several months, all
re III the CanarieS wears parched
hurned-up look. Even the giant
and aloes have lost their green
'-. If they ever had any, and in a
"e days journey nothing relieves
ldrTeu chaos Of basalt and lava but
y-pear bushes covered with mil
Of cochineal bugs. On the road
cen Santa Cruz and Orotava YOU
mr. with boxes of live wood-lice
'-.nneal bugs on their heads, which
are carrying over to the north side
the ISLAND to plant" as it is called.
GEMS that the bug mothers prefer
eposlt their young on the leaves of
tam species of cacti; and in order
Wcrease the supply of marketable
meal the people carefully pick off
"''ier females at the proper season,
Item, one by one, in thin cambria
'-- md wrap them around fresh plants