Various opinions have been entertained concerning the first inhabitants of the Canary islands; but the most pro bable account is, that they were originally Lybians, who, upon the conquest of Barbary by the Arabs, fled thither, to avoid falling into the hands of their victorious ene mies. The truth of this Mr Glas has attempted to prove, by a comparison between the language of South Barbary and that of the natives of the Canaries. The languages of all the islands, except Teneriffe, though different, had some affinity to each other, and were evidently branches of one original language ; and their resemblance to the Shillha, and other dialects of the Lybian tongue, is a strong presumption, that they derived their origin from the same stock. The probability is also considerably strengthened by the similitude of customs. The princi pal dish of the Lybians, called couscoussou, was much the same with the goffio of the Canarians. They both poured hot butter into their wounds ; and they both fat tened their daughters with milk before they gave them in marriage. The language of Teneriffe, however, was perfectly different from that of the other islands ; and, according to Mr Glas, it seemed to have some resem blance to the Peruvian, or some other of the American tongues.
Since the conquest of these islands, the language and customs of their inhabitants have been almost entirely lost in those of their conquerors. The natives have been so incorporated with the Spaniards and other Europeans, that they have become one people. They all use the Castilian language ; and, in their dress, manners, and appearance, resemble their fellow subjects in the penin sula. Their complexions, however, are rather more swarthy ; but they have good features, and fine large sparkling black eyes, which give a vivacity and dazzling lustre to the countenance. The higher classes are in general poor, yet extremely polite and well bred. They boast much of their birth, and claim their descent from some of the best families of Spain. The peasantry have also a considerable share of good manners ; but still re tain their aversion to certain professions, as butchers, tailors, millers, and porters. The poorest fisherman would think himself degraded, by exercising any of these employments, and would even refuse to sit at the same table with any one belonging to these trades. People of all ranks are rather of a romantic disposition, particularly in love affairs. All intercourse between the sexes are restrained within the strictest bounds of decency and de corum; and what even English women would consider as innocent freedoms, no virtuous woman in the Cana ries would bear. Love-engagements are declared bind ing by law ; and if a woman can prove, that a man has in the least instance endeavoured to win her affections, she can oblige him to marry her. It must be allowed, however, that unhappy marriages arc more common here, than in those countries where innocent freedoms subsist between the sexes previous to their union, and where the lover has an opportunity of perceiving that his mistress is mortal, and partakes of human frailty. The
diversions among the vulgar are, wrestling, cards, quoits, and throwing a ball through a ring; also, music and dancing, of which they are very fond. Each of the islands, and even every town and village, has some particular saint for its patron, whose day is celebrated as a festival, by a particular service in the church, and by a fair and rejoicings in the evenings. Every family of eminence, also, has its saint or patron, to whose honour an annual festival is held at great expense ; and on such occasions, the gentry vie with one another in costly entertainments and splendour. All the inhabitants of these islands are rigid Catholics, and it is impossible for a person of a dif ferent persuasion to live among them. There is a house in every island belonging to the Inquisition, with its pro per officers, whose duty it is to prevent all appearance of heresy or disrespect to the clergy. The bishop of the Canaries resides in the city of Palmas, in Grand Ca nary. lie is a suffragan to the archbishop of Seville in Spain, and is treated with all the respect and homage due to a sovereign prince. The superiors of the different orders of friars and nuns live in the city of Laguna, in Tetwriffe, and arc accountable only to generals of their respective orders. The civil government is vested in the royal audience of Grand Canary, which is composed of three judges, a regent, and fiscal, who are generally natives of Spain, and always appointed by the king. Of this tribunal, the governor-general is president, though his usual residence is at Teneriffe. From the sentence of this court there is no appeal, except in cases of pro perty, when appeals must be carried to Spain. The other magistrates in these islands are the corregidor, the tiniente, the alcalde major, and the alcalde. The corre gidor is appointed by the king, and holds his office for five years ; the others are nominated by the royal audi ence. The office of alcalde nearly resembles that of a justice of peace in England, and every town or village of any consequence has one.
From the appearance of the different strata which com pose these islands, we may reasonably conclude, that they are of volcanic origin. A very great proportion of their surface is also covered with calcined rock, pumice stones, and black dust and ashes, which are evidently the remains of several successive eruptions. The craters of several volcanoes are still discernable in many of the islands ; and also the channels made by the lava which flowed from them. The climate, however, is delightful, and exceedingly salubrious.