The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
This Iland hath no kind of fresh water, but onely in the middle of the
Iland groweth a great tree with leaues like an Oliue tree which hath a
great cisterne at the foot of the sayd tree. This tree continually is
couered with clouds, and by meanes thereof the leaues of the said tree
continually drop water, very sweet, into the sayd cisterne, which commeth
to the sayd tree from the clouds by attraction. And this water sufficeth
the Iland for all necessities, as well for the cattell, as for the
inhabitants. [Footnote: In connection with this fable, it is interesting to
see what is said by Le Maire, who visited these Islands in 1682. "As I had
been told of a wonderful tree in Ferro, whose long and narrow leaves were
always green, and furnished all the inhabitants with water, I wished to
find out if it were true. I asked if, as I had heard, such a heavy dew fell
on this tree that it dropped clear water into stone basins placed expressly
to receive it. There was enough of it for the islanders and their cattle,
Nature repairing by this miracle the defect of not providing pure water for
this isle. The inhabitants confirmed my belief that this was a pure fable.
There were some, however, who said that there might have been such a tree,
but it could never have furnished the quantity attributed to it." [See
VOYAGE TO THE CANARIES, etc, page 21, reprinted In _Bibliotheca Curiosa_.]]
It standeth in 27 degrees.
The Iland of Lanzarota
The Iland of Lanzarota standeth eighteene leagues distant from grand
Canaria Southeastward. The onely commodity of this Iland is goats flesh and
orchell. It is an earldome, and doth, appertaine to Don Augustine de
Herrerra, with title of earle of Fortauentura and Lanzarota. But the
vassals of these earledomes may in any cause of wrong appeale to the Kings
Iudges, which reside in Canaria, as I haue sayd before: because although
the king hath reserued to himselfe but onely the three fruitful Ilands,
called Canaria, Teneriff and Palma, yet he also reserued the rod of Iustice
to himselfe, because otherwise the vassals might be euil intreated of their
Lords.
From this Iland do weekly resort to Canaria, Tenerif, and Palma, boats
laden with dried goats flesh, called Tussmetta, which serueth in stead of
bacon, and is very good meat. This Iland standeth in 26 degrees, and is in
length twelue leagues.
The Ile of Forteuentura.
The Ile of Forteuentura standeth fifty leagues from the promontory of Cabo
de Guer, in the firme land of Africa, and foure and twenty leagues distant
from Canaria Eastward. This Iland doth appertaine to the lord of Lanzarota.
It is reasonable fruitfull of wheat and barley, and also of kine, goats,
and orchel: this Ile is fifteene leagues long and ten leagues broad. On the
North side it hath a little Iland about one league distant from the maine
Iland, betweene both of the which it is nauigable for any ships, and is
called Graciosa.
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