A Voyage Round the World, Vol. I (of ?) by James Holman

J >> James Holman >> A Voyage Round the World, Vol. I (of ?)

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28

It is not an infrequent occurrence, that parts of the crews of ships
that touch at the Island, suffer from eating unripe fruits, which are
often incautiously allowed to be brought on board, particularly the
peaches, which the commanding officers of vessels would do well to
prohibit by every means in their power. The Portuguese boats are
always ready to bring off great quantities of such trash, which no one
can eat with impunity. The changes of the weather, for which the
inhabitants are not sufficiently prepared by clothing, may be added as
another cause of disease.

The planting of coffee has lately become very general in the vicinity
of Funchal, chiefly in gardens and places not favourable for the
culture of the vine, and this plant generally presents a most thriving
appearance, producing a berry which is highly esteemed, and is in such
demand at Lisbon that there is no doubt that the cultivation of it,
will, hereafter, become an object of some consideration; and I may
here observe, that it is already gradually extending. The quality of
this berry is so superior as to have rendered it an article of
exportation, and the people more readily resort to this new branch of
culture, from the decline in the demand for the secondary wines. Our
Consul has recently introduced the tea plant at his seat up the
mountain, from which some favourable specimens have already been
obtained.

The manufacture of sugar has also been tried on the island, but
although the cane succeeds uncommonly well, the expense of conveying
it to Funchal, together with that of the process of extracting the
juice, and the want of skill in granulation, has rendered the
experiment too costly, it being found that Brazilian sugar can be had
cheaper than the native production.

_Sunday, August 12th, 1827_.--I accompanied Mr. Shortridge to the
English Chapel, where the congregation was small, in consequence of
the absence of the merchants and their families in the country, during
the summer months. The service was performed by the Rev. Mr. Deacon,
who is a member of the Established Church, and holds the appointment
of Chaplain to the English residents, of whom there are a great
number, consisting of merchants, shop-keepers, servants, and a few
invalids. I do not, however, consider it the best place in the world
for the last description of visitors. Bermuda is well known to be a
much more healthy climate; from the land not being so high, the
weather is less variable, and the temperature, of course, more equal.
Madeira, notwithstanding, has two advantages over Bermuda, worthy of
consideration; it presents more agreeable and better society, and
offers greater facilities of intercourse with England; so that the
accounts from home are more frequent and recent.

I left town in the afternoon, to dine with Mr. Webster Gordon, who
resides at the mount near the Church of Nostra Senhora del Monte,
about three miles in the country; where I was invited with Captain
Owen and some of his officers. They went on horseback, while I, being
still rather an invalid, hired a palanquin by the advice of my friend,
Mr. Shortridge. Having heard a good deal of the luxury of palanquin
travelling in the East, I thought it would be a very pleasant mode of
conveyance on a hot day; but instead of finding it swing loftily, like
a hammock, as I expected, I discovered much to my mortification, that,
when on the shoulders of the bearers, it was raised only about
eighteen inches from the ground, and consisted of a solid frame of
wood, suspended from a pole with two iron stanchions, and covered on
each side by a cloth flung over the pole, to serve as a curtain. In
this I was placed, in a half sitting, half recumbent posture, which I
need scarcely observe was not very agreeable. When I got out to call
at a gentleman's house, before I reached my ultimate destination, I
found that the cramp in the calves of my legs had so disabled me, that
I could scarcely stand, and it was a considerable time before I could
walk unaided and free from pain. I anticipated every moment that my
bearers would have complained of the road, which was badly paved, and
very steep the greatest part of the way; but they were fine, hardy,
muscular men, and quite indifferent to a toil with which habit had
rendered them familiar. Each bearer carries a long stick in his hand,
which assists to support and steady him, over the uneven ground.

On arriving at Mr. Webster Gordon's, I was agreeably surprised to find
that I had been previously acquainted with Mrs. Gordon and her mother
in Italy.

The population of the town of Funchal is said to be about 25,000; and
that of the whole island, including Funchal, 120,000.

Invalids have, latterly, more facilities for obtaining lodgings than
they had in former years, the inhabitants finding it their interest to
direct their attention more to that particular. The resident British
may be estimated at about 250, including children; and since my return
to England, I have been informed, that, during this last year, there
were upwards of 100 invalid visitors from America.

I passed the short time the ship remained very pleasantly, and I could
have wished that it had been longer; not only on account of the
salubrity of the climate, but for the advantage of being enabled to
collect more information. Some of the officers went to the Coural, a
celebrated part of the island for extensive and beautiful scenery. In
the afternoon of _Tuesday, August 14th_, we embarked, and sailed
out of Funchal Bay on the same evening, directing our course for
Teneriffe. Our consort the Diadem, transport, had left the bay a few
hours before. From Funchal, Madeira, to Santa Cruz, Teneriffe, the
course is S. 6 deg. E.; distance 252 miles.

----------
[1] Madeira received its name in consequence of being covered with
wood; the word "madeira" in the Portuguese signifying timber.

[2] The vine of Italy was originally introduced to the mountain, of
Tokay, in the fourteenth century, by Louis I. of France.

[3] In the mountains of the Caraccas the potatoe grows wild, and in
great abundance; but as they are left unnoted, they are usually not
much larger than the ordinary gooseberry.--See _Humboldt_.

CHAP. II.

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.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28