Evening star., 1924-07-26
CANARY ISLANDS
PLEASANT PRISON
Tourists Declare Spanish
Exiles Should Not Complain
of Kings Decree.
STRONG WITH LEGENDS
Some Believe Them Fortunate Isles
OF Greeks; Others Remnants of
Mythical Atlantis.

lenerlHe, largest island OF the
Canaries, from which the King of
Spain recently refused to permit
Spanish political exiles to depsrt
would seem pleasant enough place
10 select as a voluntary abode" says
bulletin from the HEADQUARTERS OF
the National Geographic Society.
Some European countries have
chosen as places of Punishment re
gions unpleasant enough to prove Il
continual punishment" continues the
bulletin: but Spaniards sent to Tene-
rife, if not confined, must find their
sojourn somewhat like a pleasure
jaunt. The Canaries are believed to
have been the Fortunate Isles of the
Greeks. Today hundreds of tourist
echo the idea. for the Canaries are a
rrScognlZed haven for semi-invalIds.
Their climate is mild, dry and health
1ul, and on Teneriffe one may Choose,
from number of climates by the
simple expedient of going a greater
or less distance up the huge noun
tain that makes up tWo-thirds of the
Islands bulk, the Peak of Teneriffc.
Thought Highest Pinnacle.
This mountain rising 1920 feet is
one of the grandest peaks TO be seen
from the sea in all the world. Early
mariners thought it was the loftiesr
pinnacle of the earth, for most other
high mountains they knew rose from
inland plateaus. 1T Is made the NOR.
majestic by its fluffy cloud girdle that
hangs around il d large part of the
year, obscuTlng u part of its slopes,
but leaving both base and cap visible.
Where this cloud band hangs grow
luxuriant forests and ferns, but above
and below vegetation is relatively
sparse.
The Canaries lie in the latitude
of central Florida, some 200 miles
farther south than Bermuda Ten
highest of the seven Inhabited
islands. II is 90 miles long and
80 miles in greatest width. On
Teneriffe 10000 people live, while
the population of the island group
Is about 100000.
Gave Prized Song Bird to World.
Most people associate the Canaries
with a bird; they probably do not
know that they were named for "A
dog, from the Latin canis. 1t is re-
lated that the name was given be
cause early voyagers found breed
Of huge dogs on the present Island
Of Grand Canary. If the giant dogs
really cxisted-and there is a skele-
ton in one museum to lend support
to the story-they have long been eA-
tinct. The canary bird, however, Is
a still famous citizen Of the Islands
Through this bird the archipelago
has given several regions OF the
world a really important industry,
the breeding of song birds.
wild canaries are still numerous
il the islands. But they diner
greatly from their captive cousins,
being dull greenish in color with
darker streaks. Man has developed
the Gagged canary into larger pro
has not bettered its song. The notes
that the wild birds pour forth from
the trees and shrubs of their island
home are both stronger and sweeter
than those that come from behind
the bars of their yellow kinsmen.
santa Cruz, on Teneriffe, capital
of the group. is city about the SIG
of ST. Joseph, No. Palma, capital OF
Grand Canary, has "a population OF
about the same size.
Are Islands Remnant of "Atlantis."
When the spaniards began the
conquest Of the Canaries early in the
fifteenth century they were Inhabited
by the Guanchos, believed to have
been descended from Berbers who
crossed the 60-nile channel that
separates the islands from northwest
Africa. Some students have asserted
that there are evidences of a pre-
Guancho people, whom they have
tried to associate with the legen-
Diary Atlantis, of which the Canaries
are assumed to be a mountainous
remnant. All the Guanchos have now
been absorbed into the predominantly
Spanish population.
THE Canaries. like Ireland. are
free from snakes. But there Is
plentiful supply of centipedes and
scorpions to atone for the lack of
reptjIeS"