Teneriffe--Town of Santa Cruz--Female Costume--Incident at a Ball--Bad
Roads--Climate--Productions--Population of the Canary Islands--Imports
and Exports--Various Qualities of the Wines--Fishery--Leave Santa
Cruz--Crossing the Tropic of Cancer--Shaving and Ducking--General
Remarks--Make St. Jago--Anchor at Porto Praya--Sickly Season--Death of
the Consul and his Wife--Consul's Sister--Governor's Garden and
Watering-place--Population of the Island--Produce--The Orchilla Weed,
its growth, uses, and varieties--Cause of Fever--Departure for Sierra
Leone
_Wednesday, 15th_.--Fresh breezes and cloudy, with the wind and a swell
from the eastward. At sunset passed within six or seven miles to the
eastward of the Great Salvage Islands.
_Thursday, 16th_.--At daylight saw the island of Teneriffe,[4] and at
nine anchored in Santa Cruz Roads, in nineteen fathoms water; the
flag-staff on the mole bearing W. by N. We saluted the Spanish flag
with thirteen guns, which was returned.
Mr. M'Gregor, our Vice-consul, came on board, when he immediately
recognised me, as having seen me at Hamburg about three years before.
On his returning to the shore he was complimented with a salute of
seven guns, according to regulations. I accompanied some of the
officers on shore to take a ramble over the town. I regretted to learn
from Mr. M'Gregor that Mr. Bruce, our Consul-General for the Canaries,
was in England. This circumstance was a serious disappointment to me,
as I had a letter of introduction to that gentleman from a friend of
his at Madeira, who assured me that he possessed so vigorous and
intelligent a mind, and was so intimately acquainted with the island of
Teneriffe, where he had long resided, that I could not fail to obtain
much valuable information from him that was not generally known.
My friends were very much pleased with the cleanly appearance of the
town and good pavement, affording a striking contrast to Funchal,
which, like most Portuguese towns, was dirty and badly paved. There
was another agreeable sight; the Spanish women, who were generally
handsome, with an interesting character of expression in their faces,
which is much heightened by their beautiful dark eyes and jet-black
hair. Their dresses are remarkable for their neatness.
The town of Santa Cruz stands near the sea, on a plain of about two
miles square, at the foot of the mountains. The population amounts to
about 6,000 souls. It has a well fortified sea-line of defence, and a
mole protected by a fort. It was on landing at this mole that Nelson
lost his arm, and Captain Boscawen his life. The English colours taken
on that occasion are preserved as trophies in the principal church. Few
persons are seen walking about during the day, and those only of the
lower orders. The women wear large shawls thrown over their heads,
hanging very low down, and a round black hat with a high crown. A
friend of mine once visited the island in one of H.M. ships at the
time of the Carnival, and on the last day of the festivities there was
a public ball, to which the officers of the ship were invited. They
went early to see as much as they could of the inhabitants, and their
opinion of the ladies was, that they looked more like English than
Spanish women in almost all respects, except their remarkably black
eyes and hair. Before the dancing commenced the ladies were all
blindfolded, and each provided with a stick, when they were conducted
to one end of the room, where a jar full of _bon bons_ was suspended,
which they were desired to break, but the blows from their delicate
hands were not able to accomplish it, and one of the gentlemen at last
performed this task for them, when there was a general scramble among
the gentlemen, from a desire to procure some of the contents to present
to their fair partners.
[Illustration: TOWN OF SANTA CRUZ, TENERIFFE]
The Diadem transport anchored here soon after us.
_Friday, 17th_.--The York, East Indiaman, was lying off this place in
the forenoon whilst her boat went on shore with letters. Some of the
officers took horse this morning and went to the town of Laguna, which
is about six miles from Santa Cruz. They found the road in a terrible
state, from a quantity of large stones and rubbish, which a late
hurricane, with heavy rain, had brought down from the higher lands.
Their ride was a very cheap one, for they only paid half a dollar for
each horse, including a guide--a rare occurrence for Englishmen to find
any thing cheap in a foreign country. Port Oratava, which lies on the
opposite or north side of the island, the principal town for commerce
on it, is 21 miles by land from Santa Cruz; and it is said to be 36
miles from Oratava to the summit of the Peak, a journey of at least two
days' ascent from the latter place, which is the starting point.
Our visit to this island was too short to be of much interest to a
traveller, for it would have required at least a week to have visited
the Peak only and returned to Santa Cruz, which I certainly would have
done if the ship had remained a sufficient time; as I also wished to
have visited Porto Rueva, at Madeira, but on my arrival at that island
I had not sufficiently recovered my strength after the indisposition I
experienced on leaving England.
They have at Teneriffe, (besides horses, asses, and mules,) camels,
which are much in use as beasts of burden. Smoking is a very general
practice here, and consequently there is no want of ordinary cigars;
but I was surprised to find that Havannah cigars are very difficult to
be procured. They can be obtained, however, but at un exorbitant rate,
in consequence of the risks attending the smuggling. Tobacco is a royal
monopoly, and the duty is so high, that it amounts almost to a
prohibition, and consequently affords great temptation to smuggling.
They have ice at their command here in abundance, which is a great
luxury for a hot climate. They bring it down from the mountains, and
use it very commonly in lemonade, creams, and for many other purposes.
It is desirable to call here on your way to a hot climate, if it were
only to procure a few good drip stones, the best of which are brought
from Grand Canary, and which are to be had in great plenty, and very
cheap, from one to three Spanish dollars each, which is the most
current coin of this island.
Teneriffe, in climate, soil, produce, and general appearance, strongly
resembles Madeira, from which it is distant 240 miles, due south. The
principal towns are Port-Oratava, Oratava, Realexo, and Caracheeo, on
the north side of the island; and on the south, Santa Cruz, Candilaria,
and Adexi; besides the inland towns, Laguna, (the capital) about two
leagues from Santa Cruz, Metanza, and Victoria, all on the road between
Santa Cruz and Port-Oratava, which arc at an elevation, varying from
3,000 to 5,000 feet above the level of the sea. This affords a
considerable variety of climate, and choice of residence. Teneriffe,
however, possesses but little English society, consequently there are
few comforts or inducements for invalids. There is an extensive plain
of table land and corn country round Laguna, which is a bishop's see,
with an income of 30,000 dollars per annum. The governor of the
province resides at Santa Cruz. There is also a bishopric at Grand
Canary (where the audience, or supreme court is held), worth about
50,000 dollars a-year.
Teneriffe, from its great elevation, and gradual slope to the sea,
possesses every variety of vegetation from the tropic to the frozen
regions. In the first or lower region are found the date, palm,
pine-apple, alligator-pear, and sugar cane, tea and coffee trees,
lemons, citrons, oranges and grapes; the next region is that of grain
and fruits, and trees of temperate climates; next follow the chesnuts,
pines (Pinus Cananensis), and other hardy Alpine trees; then the region
of heaths, laurels, and other evergreens; and at the extreme limit of
vegetation, a considerable distance from the summit, the white broom
(Spartium Nubigenum.) The population of the Canary Islands is about
200,000, viz. Teneriffe, 80,000; Grand Canary, 60,000; Palma, 25,000;
Lanzerota, 15,000; Forteventura, 10,000; Heirro, 4,000; Gomera, 6,000.
The exports, exclusive of the coasting trade, are wines, barilla,
orchilla weed, rock-moss, safflower, (hay-saffron,) and silks. The
imports are sugar, cocoa, oil, tobacco, paper, &c. from Cadiz;
earthenware, from St. Lucia; brandy, from Catalonia; dry goods, cloth,
iron, and hardware, from England; and staves, soap, candles, and rice
from the United States of America.
The volcanic nature of the soil of the Canary Islands renders it
extremely favourable to the cultivation of the vine, which grows
luxuriantly in Teneriffe, where more than three-fourths of all the
wines exported from the Canaries is produced. The Teneriffe wines are
of the same description and varieties as the wines of Madeira, namely,
Tinto, Verdelho, Gual, Listan, Malvasia,[5] &c., but they are not equal
in quality to the fine wines of the south side, yet superior to the
wines of the north side, of that island. They are distinguished by what
may be called the generic denominations of dry and sweet. The dry is
well known by the name of Vidonia, and the sweet as Malvasia. The first
quality of the former can only be obtained from the most respectable
merchants, it being a very common process to convert it, by admixtures,
into a counterfeit of Madeira, or sherry, and occasionally to drug it
with port. The strongest quality of the celebrated wine called sack,[6]
is made in Teneriffe, Grand Canary, and Palma.
Carbonate of soda is obtained from the _sal sola soda_, extensively
cultivated at Lanccrota and Forteventura. It is gathered in September,
dried, and then charred or fused into a ringing, hard, cellular mass,
of a greyish blue colour. A small quantity is made also at Grand
Canary. The barilla of the Canary Islands has been sold in England so
high as 80l. a ton, and as low as 6l.; at the present time, (December,
1833) it is worth 9l. 10s. a ton. The depreciation is caused chiefly by
kelp, and other substitutes found in the British alkali, a French
chemical discovery, manufactured from sea salt, from which, the other
ingredients are detached, by combination with sulphur, and acids
subjected to heat. The imports of barilla from the Canary Islands to
this country are about 3,500 tons a-year. The United States of America,
and of late years, Brazil, also, take off a few cargoes of this
article. Lancerota produces, annually, about 300 tons of barilla; Forte
ventura about 1500 tons.
Rock moss (Parmelia perlata) is worth about 70l. a ton, and is one of
the innumerable lichens common to the Canary Islands; it is used in the
manufacture of cudbear for the dyers. There is also a spurious kind,
with difficulty distinguished from the good.
Silk is chiefly produced at Palma. There is but little exported from
Teneriffe. It might, however, be produced in immense quantities, the
white and red mulberry tree being indigenous and luxuriant in the
middle region of the island, and the climate so mild, that the insect
could be hatched and reared under wooden sheds, without any difficulty.
The great defect in the Teneriffe silk is the coarseness of the fibre,
from want of dexterity in winding it off the cocoons, and in regulating
the heat to which it ought to be subjected during that separation.
A considerable emigration used to take place annually from the islands,
and particularly from Lancerota and Forteventura, to the Spanish Main,
and to Cuba, where those islanders were much in request, as labourers
and muleteers; and often prospered so well as to be enabled to return
home enriched: but the practice has been prohibited since the
declaration of independence of Spanish South America.
There is a considerable fishery carried on from the Canary Islands, on
the coast of Barbary, for a species of bream, which is salted in bulk,
and sold very cheap, and in great quantities. This trade is pursued in
decked schooners, or lugger-rigged vessels, of from 60 to 70 tons
burthen, which rum down before the trade wind to their station, where
they remain until they procure a cargo, when they beat up to the
island, take in a fresh cargo of Cadiz salt, and again return to their
station. They have very little intercourse with the Arab tribes of that
coast, but they sometimes bring back a few lion, tiger, and leopard
skins, and ostrich feathers. I am happy to learn that our knowledge of
the natural history of these islands is likely to be soon very much
increased, by the indefatigable exertions of P.B. Webb, Esq., a
gentleman well known to the scientific world, who is now engaged at
Paris in publishing the result of his researches in different branches
of natural history.
In the afternoon we took in some oxen and wine, and left Santa Cruz
roads at seven in the evening. From Santa Cruz to Porto Praya, St.
Jago, the course is S. 26 deg. W. 920 miles.
_Monday, 20th_.--Having crossed the tropic of Cancer last evening.
Captain Owen granted the ship's company permission to perform the
customary ceremony of shaving and ducking all those who had not
previously passed the tropic. Whenever a ship is intended to enter the
southern hemisphere, this marine exhibition is not performed until she
reaches the equinoctial line. Although this ceremony has been
frequently described, I do not think it right to pass it over
altogether unnoticed; I will therefore make a few general observations
by way of comment on the practice.
A sea voyage is at the best a monotonous life, and a long voyage is
only to be wished for by the few whose health it is calculated to
improve; therefore, any little variety, that produces even but a
temporary excitement, is desirable; and in this point of view only, is
the old custom of shaving and ducking (which, by the bye, is a
barbarous one) at all excusable.
When it is permitted to be practised, it should only be under certain
regulations, as the consequences have frequently been very serious, for
want of some salutary restrictions; in some cases the harmony that has
existed amongst the society on board has been destroyed; actions at
law, and duels, fevers from exposure daring the day's amusement, have
ensued: it is, therefore, imperatively necessary that the law should
take cognizance of this custom, and enforce some rigorous rules for the
government of all commanders of vessels, whenever circumstances should
permit the indulgence of this indefensible practice. In the first
place, the ship should be always put under snug sail; and that part of
the vessel, in which the scene takes place, should be completely
screened in, and no cruel or offensive practices permitted. The Captain
should always have the power of protecting his officers and passengers
from being compelled to submit to the demands of old Neptune, by paying
a small fine for the exemption: say cabin passengers, five shillings,
steerage passengers half-a-crown. The sum total of these fines should
be divided among those sailors who had previously crossed the line;
and, if any of the sailors on board should be found to throw water,
rope yarns dipped in tar, or in any other way insult, or annoy, persons
who do not take a part in their proceedings, they should be punished as
they would for a similar breach of discipline at any other time. There
is one example, which I feel at liberty to quote, and which was nearly
the occasion of a court-martial on the senior lieutenant of one of H.M.
ships that arrived in Simon's Bay during my residence at the Cape of
Good Hope. The circumstance was as follows:--The purser of the ship had
shut himself up in his cabin, determined to resist any forcible attempt
to make him undergo the ceremony of shaving; but those who were engaged
in it, were resolved that he should not be permitted to escape: they
accordingly forced the door of his cabin, from which they got him out,
dragged him on deck, and performed the ceremony, in spite of his
efforts and remonstrances. The charge against the first lieutenant was,
I understood, for encouraging the persons who committed this act of
violence. This formed the grounds of an application for a
court-martial, which was only prevented from taking place by the
intercession of some officers of rank. It is satisfactory to be enabled
to add, that this barbarous and unworthy custom is rapidly falling into
disuse.
_Wednesday, 22nd_.--A moderate trade wind, and all sail set. At
daylight saw the island of Sall, bearing E.S.E. 15 miles. At half-past
5 in the afternoon saw the island of St. Jago,[7] when I went to the
fore top-mast head, for exercise and amusement, while others went to
see the land. At 11 brought the ship to the wind, and stood off the
land at a convenient distance for going into Porto Praya on the
following day.
At daylight, made all sail, and stood towards the anchorage, with a
light breeze and very fine weather. At noon anchored off Porto Praya,
in 12 fathoms water and sandy bottom. Extreme points of the bay from
W. 3/4 S. to E. 3/4 S. Garrison flagstaff N.N.W. 1/2 W.
Our Consul-General for the Cape de Verds (Mr. Clark) waited on Captain
Owen, from whom we learnt, that His Majesty's ship, North Star, sailed
from this port five days before, and that a very heavy gale of wind
arose from the S.W. on that night. We were also informed, that this is
the most sickly part of the year, in consequence of its being the rainy
season, which commences at the beginning of August, and continues to
the end of October; during which time the winds are frequently from the
southward and westward, making it hazardous to anchor at this port in
those months. The whole of this time is generally very sickly, so much
so that the principal authorities are glad to leave the island, and
repair to Fuego, which is the highest, and also considered to be the
most healthy of all the Cape de Verd group. The Chief Justice and his
family left Porto Praya, for Fuego, in a Portuguese sloop of war, on
the day we entered it, the Governor having previously left for the same
destination.
There were many of the inhabitants suffering from fever, while we were
at St. Jago, and two of the Consul's family were among the number, and
I lament to relate, that not long after our departure, both the Consul
and his wife fell victims to this too commonly fatal fever of St. Jago,
leaving his sister, an amiable and accomplished young lady, dangerously
ill of the same disease. The case of this lady was one of the most
melancholy interest. She was entirely unprotected by the presence of
any country people of her own, except a gentleman, who, happening to
call there on his way from England to Sierra Leone, was induced to
remain on the island, at the request of Mrs. Clark, for the purpose of
acting as Vice-Consul, during the severe illness of her husband. This
gentleman, after performing the painful duty of reading the burial
service over the Consul-General and his lady, was himself attacked by
the same fever, and after struggling for a length of time against it,
was, at last, sent off to the island of Mayo, just in time to save his
life, leaving the Consul's sister behind, reduced to the last extremity
of the disease, with scarcely any symptoms of life remaining, and
attended only by her Portuguese friends, and any occasional English
visitors who landed incidentally from their ships for refreshments, on
their way to other parts of the world. At last, however, she happily
recovered, but after a very severe struggle, and a protracted illness,
and then she could not return direct to England, but was obliged to go
to the Brazils, in a French schooner, before she could procure a
passage home. I shall give, hereafter, some further details of this
young lady's history, leading to the attachment which afterwards sprung
up between her and her medical attendant, who fell in love with her
during a second attack of illness, and there is no doubt that her
fortitude and good sense had a great share in the admiration with which
she inspired him.
_Friday, August 24th_.--Soon after breakfast I accompanied Captain
Owen, the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Davy, and some of the officers of the ship,
to pass the day at the Consul's. We took a walk before dinner, to visit
the few places that were worthy of any notice; we first went to the
fort. This fort was forty-seven paces long and seven broad, where the
only objects of interest were the graves of two Captains in the Navy.
One of them contained the remains of an old shipmate of mine, Capt. J.
Eveleigh, who was mortally wounded when commanding the Astrea, in
company with the Creole, during an engagement with two French frigates,
the Etoile and Sultane, on the 23rd of January, 1814, off the Cape de
Verds. I sailed in the same ship with this officer when I first went to
sea. He was then junior lieutenant of the Royal George, bearing the
flag of Lord Bridport. I met him some years afterwards, when he was
lieutenant of the Isis, bearing the flag of Admiral Holloway, on the
Newfoundland station, in which ship I was a passenger from England to
Newfoundland, on my way to join the Cleopatra, as lieutenant, on the
Halifax station. The other grave was that of Capt. Bartholomew, of the
Lieven frigate, who died while he was occupied in the survey of these
islands. The late Consul-General had been purser of that ship, and,
poor fellow, both his grave and that of his wife were made near his
former captain's.
From thence we went to visit the Governor's garden, which lies in a low
swampy situation, much below the town, and not far from the sea, where
the boats are obliged to land to procure water, subject to the
inconvenience of the surf, which sometimes renders it very difficult to
get the casks off. The water at this island does not deserve the bad
character given of it by some persons. It is, in fact, very good, and
it must, therefore, have been from negligence in procuring it, either
by disturbing it too much, or by using bad bungs, which allowed the
salt water to get in while floating off, that it acquired its
unfavourable reputation. It is supplied by several springs, issuing
from the side of the hill at the back of the town, which unite into one
stream, and as it approaches the sea, expands and forms into a basin,
the nearest part of which is forty yards from the beach. As this is
rarely dry, ships may be easily watered, by landing their casks through
the surf; and, when filled, floating them off to the ship. However,
when it is dry, or nearly so, as was the case when we were there, you
are obliged to roll the casks a considerable distance from the beach to
a well in the Governor's garden, from which they must be filled. This
mode is both tedious and laborious, while the sailors are almost sure
to get drunk on a bad spirit called _aqua dent_, which is sold to them
secretly by the blacks, who are ever on the watch to elude the
vigilance of the officers employed in that service.
During the time of the former Governor, (the present one not having
been long in command,) this garden received great attention, and was
kept in excellent order; but the present Governor does not take any
interest in it himself, and, consequently, it is very much neglected;
indeed, there appears to be such a general apathy in all the people at
Porto Pray a, that it seems more like a place allowed to go to decay,
than a colony under an European Government, visited so constantly by
vessels from all parts of the globe.
The population of Villa de Praya is about 4,000, and that of the whole
island about 28,000, which are principally blacks. A large proportion
of the male population of St. Jago, are enrolled in the militia, and
armed with boarding pikes; 300 of whom are compelled, in rotation, to
attend every Sunday, at their own expense, for the purpose of
exercising at Villa de Praya. The regular troops do not amount to more
than 400 for the whole of the islands.
This place owes its support entirely to the ships that call here for
provisions; and the quantity of stock, fruit, vegetables, and water,
that is purchased annually at the island is immense. A considerable sum
of money is also spent by passengers, who go on shore for their
amusement.
The landing at St. Jago is, at all times, indifferent, and in the rainy
season frequently very bad, both on the rocks, and on the beach, for
there are two distinct places of debarkation. Yet, with a little
attention, and a small amount of labour, a more secure landing-place
could very easily be made, by cutting a few steps in two or three
favourable situations, that would readily admit of the improvement;
whereas now you are obliged to watch the swell, and step out on pointed
rocks, or an irregular surface, at the risk of falling back into the
boat or the water; or bruising yourself severely on the rocks. Captain
Owen and myself once fell, when he was kindly assisting me out of the
boat. The best time for landing on the rocks is at half-tide. I was
informed that materials have been collected for constructing a pier, a
project, for which nature has provided an excellent site; but, from the
poverty of the government, or some other cause, it has been postponed.
This is the more extraordinary, as the Portuguese government has
hitherto been in the habit of transporting to St. Jago convicted
felons, by whom public works could have been cheaply accomplished.
Angola, however, has latterly been adopted as the principal convict
settlement of the Portuguese.
Hides, goat skins, and salt, are exported from these islands, but the
chief and most valuable produce is the orchilla weed. It is a
government monopoly, and is at present farmed out to a man named
Martiney.
As the orchilla weed is a production, the practical application of
which in various ways is diffused over a large surface of utility, and
as its peculiar properties are not very generally known, a minute
description of its nature and uses, which I have procured at some cost
of time and research, may not prove uninteresting.
The orchilla is a delicate fibrous plant, springing up in situations
that are apparently the most unfavourable to the sustenance of
vegetable life. When gathered it has a soft delicious odour, which it
retains for a great length of time. Mr. Glas, in his history of the
Canary Islands, gives so clear and accurate an account of its growth,
that I will avail myself of his description, as being not only the best
I have met with, but as containing all the necessary particulars. "The
orchilla weed," he observes, "grows out of the pores of the stones or
rocks, to about the length of three inches: I have seen some eight or
ten inches, but that is not common. It is of a round form and of the
thickness of common sewing twine. Its colour is grey, inclining to
white: here and there on the stalk we find white spots or scabs. Many
stalks proceed from one root, at some distance from which they divide
into branches. There is no earth or mould to be perceived on the rock
or stone where it grows. Those who do not know this weed, or are not
accustomed to gather it, would hardly be able to find it, for it is of
such a colour, and grows in such a direction, that it appears at first
sight to be the shade of the rock on which it grows."
Mr. Glas adds, that the best sort is of the darkest colour, and nearly
round; and that the more white spots or scabs it exhibits the better.
It is found in considerable quantities in the Canary Islands, the Cape
de Verds, the Azores, and the Madeiras, and such are the nice varieties
and properties incidental to the different soils, (if they may be so
called,) or climates, that although the above clusters of islands are
at no great distance from each other, the difference in the produce
makes a very considerable difference in the value of the article. It is
also found on the coast of Barbary, and the Levant, and on that part of
the coast of Africa, which lies adjacent to the Canary-Islands; but,
owing to the want of seasonable rains, the produce of the latter is not
rapid or abundant, although the quality is excellent. It has been
suggested, that the orchilla was probably the Gertulian purple of the
ancients; a conjecture which is strengthened by the fact, that the
coast of Africa, where the orchilla abounds, was formerly called
Gertulia. That the vivid dye which resides in this weed was known to
the ancients, does not admit of any doubt.
The plant belongs to the class Cryptogamia, and order Algae, of the
Linnean system, and to the class Algae, and order Lichenes, of the
natural system. Professor Burnett, in his Outline of Botany, informs
us, that "Roccella, a corruption of the Portuguese Rocha, is a name
given to several species of lichen, in allusion to the situation in
which they are found; delighting to grow on otherwise barren seaward
rocks, that thus produce a profitable harvest. Tournefort considers
that one species at least (R. tinctoria) was known to the ancients,
and that it was the especial lichen (Greek: leichaen) of Dioscorides,
which was collected on the rocky islands of the Archipelago, from one
of which it received the name of the 'purple of Amorgus.'"
Of all the known varieties of orchilla, that which is grown in the
Canary Islands stands the highest in estimation, and brings the
greatest price. In the collection of the weed, which is always
performed by the natives, the risk is imminent: they are obliged to be
suspended by ropes over the cliffs, many of which are of stupendous
height, and loss of life frequently occurs in these perilous efforts to
contribute to the luxury of man. Such is the esteem in which the
orchilla of the Canaries is held, that it has recently reached the
enormous value of 400l. per ton. That from the Cape de Verds is next in
quality, but of much greater importance, in reference to the quantity
produced. Madeira and the Azores produce the next qualities. The same
plant, though of a very inferior character, is found in great abundance
in Sardinia, in some parts of Italy, and also on the south coast of
England, Portland Island, Guernsey, &c. but of so poor a kind that it
would not reward the expense of collection.
The original mode of preparing orchilla, that which was practised by
the ancients, is said to have been lost, and many chemical experiments
exhausted in vain for its recovery. In 1300, however, it was
rediscovered by a Florentine merchant, and from that period preserved
as a profound secret, by the Florentines and the Dutch. It appears that
the Florentines were not satisfied with keeping the preparation of
orchilla a mystery from the rest of the world, but that they
endeavoured to lead all inquiry into a false channel, by calling it
tincture of turnsole, desiring it to be believed, that it was an
extract from the heliotropium or turnsole: the Dutch also disguised it
in the form of a paste, which they called _lacmus_ or _litmus_. The
process is now, however, generally known, and simply consists of
cleaning, drying, and powdering the plant, which, when mixed with half
its weight of pearl ash, is moistened with human urine, and then
allowed to ferment: the fermentation, we are informed by Professor
Burnett, "is kept up for some time by successive additions of urine,
until the colour of the materials changes to a purplish-red, and
subsequently to a violet or blue. The colour is extremely fugitive, and
affords a very delicate chemical test for the presence of an acid. The
vapour of sulphuric acid has been thus detected as pervading to some
extent the atmosphere of London."
I understand--and for some valuable particulars I here beg to tender my
acknowledgments to Mr. John Aylwin, merchant of London--that the great
object obtained from this vegetable dye, is the production of a red
colour, without the aid of a mineral acid. But the utility of the
orchilla is not confined to the purposes of manufacture. It has been
successfully employed as a medicine in allaying the cough attendant on
phthisis, and in hysterical coughs. It is also variously used in many
productions, where its splendid hue can be rendered available, and
imparts a beautiful bloom to cloths and silks.
The introduction of the weed into England came originally through the
Portuguese. The Cape de Verd Islands having long been a possession of
the crown of Portugal, orchilla became a royal monopoly, and was
transmitted in considerable quantities to Lisbon, where it was sold by
public auction; from Lisbon it gradually found its way to England,
France, Germany, &c. The recent political contest in Portugal, caused a
total suspension of the shipment of orchilla at the islands. About six
months ago, there were two cargoes at Bona Vista waiting for orders,
one of them (a vessel of about 66 tons) put to sea, and arrived safe at
Lisbon only a few weeks before Admiral Napier's naval victory. When the
news of the result of that battle reached the island, the holders of
the remaining cargo proposed to hand it over for a consideration to
certain parties in the interest of Donna Maria, and it was accordingly
consigned to a Portuguese house in London. The vessel in which it was
sent was called the Saint Anne, of 60 tons, and sailed under British
colours: the cargo consisted of 564 bags,[8] each containing 2 cwt.,
and the whole sold for 15,000£. I mention this circumstance as an
occurrence worth being recorded; the arrival of a vessel to England
direct from the islands being a great novelty, accounted for, in this
instance, by the political events which threw the trade out of its
regular channels.
The principal manufactories of orchilla in England are London and
Liverpool, but there are many others in different parts of the country.
The chief manufacturers are Messrs. Henry Holmes and Sons of Liverpool,
and Mr. Samuel Preston Child of London. The manufactured orchilla is
frequently shipped to Germany, Holland, &c. in its fluid state, with a
small proportion of weed in each cask for the satisfaction of the
purchasers. The inferior qualities of the weed, and also a variety of
mosses that have the same properties as the orchilla, only in a minor
degree, are dried and ground to a fine powder, which is denominated
cudbear, and is applicable to the same purposes as the weed itself.[9]
It is a curious illustration of the importance that is attached to the
weed generally, and to the weed of the Canaries in particular, that,
within the last twenty years, the latter production was considered in
London as a remittance equivalent to specie, and was invariably quoted
in the usual channels of commercial intelligence with the price of gold
and silver, thus:--
Doubloons per ounce
Dollars ditto
Orchilla Weed per ton
A bark called the Cape Packet, bound on a whaling voyage in the
Pacific, arrived and sailed again to-day. Our consort the Diadem
transport arrived this afternoon, and sailed the following evening,
being _Saturday 25th_.
_Sunday, August 26th_.--The Consul General, with his wife and sister,
came on board to attend divine service, and pass the remainder of the
day.
_Monday, 27th_.--Very fine weather. At 7 in the morning, I accompanied
the Rev. Mr. Davy to pass the day with the Consul's family. A bark from
England, bound to the Cape of Good Hope, anchored in the roads to-day.
A brig, loaded with timber, bound from Sierra Leone to England, was
cast away on this island some time since, and the wreck was purchased
by our Consul. He accordingly made an agreement with some people for
the purpose of having it broken up, with the understanding that he was
to retain the copper bolts, and they were to have the wood for their
labour. I fear that this did not prove a good speculation on the side
of the Consul, as he found it necessary to be nearly always on the
spot, from a very reasonable suspicion that the workmen would steal
some of his bolts. It is not unlikely, that so great an exposure to the
sun as this occasioned him, had no small share in predisposing him for
the fever that afterwards attacked him.
The cause of so much fever at St. Jago, may be traced to the peculiar
situation of the town, which stands on an elevation between low swampy
grounds, the exhalations from which pass over it as they arise.
There are a great number of horses, horned cattle, goats, pigs, &c.
bred here. There was formerly an extensive traffic in slaves carried on
between these islands and the coast of Africa, which I was informed is
not yet wholly abolished. The best anchorage among the Capede Verds is
at St. Vincent's. What should prevent the Portuguese giving it up to
us, so that we might form an establishment for any ships to call there,
instead of going to St. Jago, where they so often make fever an
accompaniment with their refreshments? His Majesty's ship Tweed,
visited this place on her way to the Cape of Good Hope station, and a
great proportion of the young officers who slept on shore, died within
a fortnight afterwards.
The bay abounds with fine fish, yet there are not many taken, therefore
the town is badly supplied, owing entirely to the indolence of the
inhabitants.
At 5 in the afternoon we made sail out of Porto Praya, leaving it
without regret, except what we felt in parting from the Consul and his
family. There was also a Consul for the United States, but he was not
on friendly terms with Mr. Clark. Their differences, however, were very
soon settled by the great pacificator, death, for they were not long
after interred near each other in the fort. Visiting the Portuguese was
quite out of the question, as very few of them had the power of
entertaining strangers, excepting one old woman known by the name of
English Mary, and she was well paid for her civilities. She could give
you a sort of dinner with bad wine, bad spirits, and fruit. You could
also get your things badly washed here, that is, wetted and well beaten
for money. The Portuguese troops vary from black to white, with all the
intermediate shades, in ragged party-coloured clothing: but a truce
with the Colonial Portuguese:--I am now bound to an English colony,
where I fear I shall not find every thing as it ought to be, and that
is Sierra Leone, which bears from Porto Praya about S.E. by E. 1/2 E.
720 miles.
P.S. The port charges at St. Jago are not heavy, as they do not exceed
sixteen dollars for a vessel of any size or nation.
----------
[4] This island was named Thenariffe, or the White Mountain, by the
natives of Palma; Thenar, in their language, signifying a mountain,
and Ife, white--the Peak of Teneriffe being always covered with snow.
[5] Malmsey, or sack.
[6] This word is erroneously supposed to be a corruption of "sec," or
_dry_, but both Canary and sherry sack of old times (as well as the
present) was a _sweet_ and _rich_ wine, and the name could not,
therefore, have been so derived. The term _sac_ is more likely to be a
contraction of the word "saccharine," or it may have been adopted in
consequence of the wine being made from half-dried grapes.
[7] The islands of Mayo, Bonavista (or St. Filippe), and St. Jago,
were the first of the Cape de Verds discovered, in May 1461, by
Antonio de Nolle, a Genoese in the service of Portugal; and St. Jago,
was the first settled. The remaining seven were also discovered the
same year, by Portuguese subjects, namely, St. Antonio, St. Vincent,
St. Lucia, St. Nicholas, Sall, Fuego, and Bravos.
[8] The bags in which the weed of the Cape de Verds is packed, are
marked with the initials of the island of which it is the produce, and
indicative of its quality which is at all times uniform.
[9] A regular trade with Sweden for moss has been long established. A
variety of mosses, different in their growth, but all producing the
colour found in orchilla, are to be met with on the hills and rocky
places, at a distance from the sea, in every country where the weed
itself is indigenous.