The Republican journal., 1902-01-23

L ~
most desirable laxative for delicate
women. (.
the leading article of export from the
islands. 1t was originally introduced
into the Canaries by a priest from
Mexico. He is now worshipped as
saint; but during his lifetime the poor
man was prosecuted in every possible
way because the ignorant islanders
thought that his bugs We're running the
prickly-pear, the fruit of which has al
ways been staple article of food.
Now a-days a good many onions and
potatoes are raised in the Canaries. for
expectation to Northern Europe, as
early fruits and vegetables come to the
United States from the West Indies.
The climate here allows three crops of
potatoes a year-such big, white. mealy
''murphies' 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 Bermudas, only these are larger and
whittier. The wine-industry, too. which
almost died out a generation ago. is
again Cooking up" though it will
probably never regain its old proper
tons. Canary wine is not unlike old
port and Madeira-With rich, golden
hue and fine, fruny flavor: but is too
strong and ''heady' for general use.
Your first excursion will probably be
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 northeast
ern angle of the island, diagonally
Orotava-a distance of tWenty-eight
miles. Immediately after leaving the
port presumably on pony-backl, 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-lookin place | ever be
held-an ideal spot for undisturbed
repose Of mind and body. Long long
ago it was the capital of the island
and the abode of it's richest aristocracy,
which included counts and marquises
galore. The first viceroy of the archi-
pelago resided here, and his palace
built more than four hundred years ago,
looks little older than most of the
houses. Grass and weeds grow rankly
leek tiourishes on messy tiles and
springs up in crevices of dilapidated
walls. Stately gateways, with Castilian
coats-of-arms carved above them, are
walled up, their owners having long
since departed, or gone to dust, and
''the spider hath woven her web in the
palaces of Afrasiab." The few remain
ing citizens-mOst of whom are Spanish
or Portuguese noblemen, driven into re-
tirement by their misfortunes or politi-
cal errorS,-live in the utmost seclusion,
rarely venturing outside their doors,
and much less admitting others to their
households. Their women are kept as
closely guarded 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 a sound tells you that the
ghostly old houses are inhabited at all
The great plain of Laguna is
extremely fertile and produces most
, of the gain of the island. Being COM
pletely surrounded by high hills, it is
frequently Inundated by tropical rains
to the depth of several feet. After
unusually heavy rains, the peasants are
compelled to fly from their huts to the
town, which is higher up Oh the edge
of the valley; but in a few hours the
water runs off, leaving everything
greener than before. This explains the
conflicting statements of travellers.
Those who have visited Laguna at
certain seasons speak of the town as
standing on the brink of great lake;
while others, with equal truth, at
another time describe it as surrounded
by grain fields. One singular and I'M
explained thing about the place is a
group of wells, standing near together,
in some of which the water is brackish.
in others salt as the ocean, and in
others perfectly fresh.
Owing to its exceptionally COOL moist
climate, Laguna continues to be a ia
| vorite summer-resort for the citizens of
Santa Cruz, where the heat, though
never intense, is SO constant as to be-