The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-04-26
CANARIES
Whose Primitive People Have
a Whislting Language

estate. Mid-occan islands became
more important with their use aS
coaling stations. then cable lines
rescued other land dots. such as
zap. from obScurity. The Azores
figured rs a halfway station in the
first transatlantic flight. Now the
iC'anarics. where Columbus halted
on his voyage OF discovery. end the
first leg Of the LiShon-to-Rio de
.Janeiro trip OF Portuguese air
men.
With this introduction the Ma
tional Geographic Society issues
from It's Washington. d. c., head
quarters the following bulletin on
the Canaries:
IF you will picture seven arti-
cles a juggler has just thrown in.
TO the air. and imagine these seven
articles TO be a pear. shoulder
of mutton, two golf balls. the brok-
en- off end of a putting iron. and a
lady's spring hat with the visor
down and feather in the back
you Will have fair idea of one
of the most interesting island
groups the world.
Had Churches in Caves
Interesting, that is, whether You
are looking Cor the people with q
whistlins language or the ar
boreal curiosity known as the drag
on-tree. whether you choSoe 10
hunt for the archaeological traces
of ahorigines who worshipped in
caves or TO ningle With the vivaci-
Gus crowds in the Gale del Castil-
10 of an evening when the band
plays.
':The highest moutain rising from
the Atlantic Ocean is 10 be found
on Tcneriffe: a volcano crater on
! Palma is so large that its weather
conditions vary from those Of the
surrounding country. This crater,
! Gran Caldera, is four miles in dl-
ameter and in much of its area IS
between u and l3 times as deep
as the Washington Monument. The
natives Will tell you that mighty
upheaval in Palma pitched the
mountain mass over TO Teneriffe.
and in proof point to the mighty
cavity left on Palma.
PIutarch's Geography Good
..Plutarch.s geographical COM
nent about the Canaries need not
be revised. He said. Rain seldom
falls there. and then falls mod
eratcly; while they have usually
soft breezes which scatter such rich
dews that the soil is not only good
for sowing and planting, but spon-
taneously produces the most eN-
cellent fruits: and those in such
abundance that the Inhabitants
have only 10 indulge themselves in
the enjoyment Of ease and leisure.
The air is always pleasant and
salubrious. through the happy
temperature OF the seasons. and
their insensible transition into each
other.
1.-THE most remarkable and least
studied phenomenon of the Ca
! naries is the whistling Language
OF natives of Gomera. The towns
folk do nor know the whis1linS
vocabulary. and their reports. OF
range Of expression the mountain
notes of varying intensity and
folk attain by using four or five
length may readily be exaggerated.
That such a language does exist.
developed beyond the stage OF sig
nails. is aitested by travellers. II is
extremely useful in this little isand
Of big distances and high noun
t;,ins, where cattle raising is the
principal industry Here, too. some
OF the natives dwell in caves, as
did the Guanci1es. whose blood still
flows in veins OF the natives,
though the pure type became eX-
tinct after the Spanish conquest
early in the fifteenth century.
Where Columbus Halted
ION Gomera. also. is the village
Of San Sebastian where Columbus
proviSioned his voyage to the un-
known West. and there still stands
the church which he attended TO
pray for the success OF his quest.
Few travellers visit the hill enclr-
cled, red-roofed. isolated little VII
lage whence Columbus departed
September .. 1892.
."rhe Phocnician traders prob
ably knew the Caparies. then the
Fortunate Islands. Homer's' allu-
sion "a the 'habitationS OF the blest'
is thought to have referred to them.
Legend clusters about them. My
thically they were the home of the
Eesperides. scenes of Herculean al /
ventures. and the visible traces IF
the lost Continent OF Atlantis.
..In 1922 they constitute health
resort Of note. are populated by
some 5000 ,cople. export food
stuffs. fruits. vegetables. sugar and
wine, and have an important wire
less station Telephones have been
strung where. roads are Yet un-
known and goats. mules and camels
are the only common carriers thar
thc mountains Will allow. The COM
bined area of the islands is about
equal to that Of Corsica. They are
administered as Il part Of Spain.
It's hard to tell what would hap
pen to this little planet OF ours il
golfer Babe" Ruth should happen