CANARY, GRAND, one of the Canary islands, which gives the general appellation to the groupc, lies between the islands of Tcneriffe and Forte Ventura, and about 100 miles north-west from Cape Bojador on the African coast. It received the epithet of Grand from John de Betancour, not on account of its size, but because of the strength, courage, and number of its inhabitants, who baffled all his attempts to subdue them. But from whence it derived the name of Canary has never yct been determined. According to Pliny, it was on account of its abounding with clogs of a very large size, two of which were presented to Juba, king of Mauritania. But if such animals ever did exist in this island, they Were completely extinct when it was first visited by Euro peans. Some modern authors derive it from a species of fruit very abundant here, called by the Latins, wria cani na, dog grapes ; or from a herb named canaria, which (logs eat in the spring to cause them to vomit. Others suppose, and with more reason, that it received its name from its first inhabitants, typo were probably a tribe of Africans, as Pliny mentions a people called Canarii, who dwelt beyond Mount Atlas, a part of Africa which lies adjacent to the Canary islands. But however that may be, it is rather strange, that we have nevcrbcen informed under what name it went among the natives.
At a distance, this island has the appearance of a sin gle mountain rising gradually from the circumference to the centre. It is about fourteen leagues in length, nine in breadth, and thirty-five in circumference. Though Grand Canary is high and mountainous, yet near the sea coast there are many plains, and more level ground than in any of the neighbouring islands. On the north-east end is a small peninsula about two leagues in circum ference, which is joined to the main land by a narrow isthmus two miles long, and about a quarter broad. On the south side of this isthmus is a spacious bay called Porto de Luz, which is a capital road for shipping of any burthen, and where the water at the larding place is ge nerally so smooth, that a boat may lie broadside to the shore without danger. About a league to the west is the city of Palmas, the capital, and residence of the royal audience or sovereign council of the Canaries. It is a place of no strength, but of considerable extent. and con tains several fine buildings, particularly the cathedral of St Anne. The houses, though only one story high, arc in general elegantly built and flat at the top. I t has four convents; and its population is estimated at about 12,000. The other ports are Gando and Gacte, and, excepting at these places, the whole coast is inaccessible to boats or vessels, on account of the high surf which is breaking upon it. Its other towns arc Galdar, Tclde, Tirachana, and Luz.
This island possesses one of the finest climates in the world. The heavens are seldom overcast, but are almost continually serene, and free from storms and thunder. No where in the same latitude are the heats of summer so temperate, and no where do the natives enjoy such health and longevity. The only disagreeable weather which they experience, is when they are visited by a south-east wind front the great desert of Africa. It is hot, dry, and stilling, and does great damage to the fruits of the earth oy its pernicious quality, and is generally attended with immense clouds of locusts, which devour every green herb upon which they alight. This wind, however, blows
very rarely, and never lasts long.
The soil of this island, though light and sandy, is cov ered with a rich mould, and yields two harvests in the year. It is well watered, and suited for every species of agriculture, and is very productive in all kinds of trees, fruits, and herbs. The pine, palmovild olive, laurel, poplar, elder, bressos, drape tree, terra nuepa or lignunt Rhodium. aloe, Indian fig, tubayba, euphorbium, tarrahala, and ma ny others, grow spontaneously and without cultivation. It also abounds with almonds, walnuts, chesnuts, apples, pears, peaches, apricots, cherries, plums, mulberries, figs, bananas, dates, oranges, lemons, citrons, limes, pomegranates, and all the American and European fruits, except the anana, or pine-apple, which is not to be found in any of the Canaries. The fertile districts of this island, however, bear no proportion to the stony, rocky, and bar ren ground, which covers almost six-sevenths of its sur face. Yet tney have plenty of excellent wheat, barley, and maize, melons of different sorts, potatoes, yams, pom pions, the best onions in the world, and many other kinds of roots all good of their kind ; and the husbandman is amply repaid for the labour of cultivation. But the spirit of industry is completely checked by the imprudent con duct of the government, which prohibits the exportation of provisions in a plentiful season, and fixes a price upon them in the island. Many lands are, on this account, al lowed to lie waste, which, had the inhabitants more liber ty and security for their property, would, by a little la bour and expence, be soon rendered abundantly fruitful, as they have the utmost facility of watering them, by turning the course of the many rivulets with which the island abounds. " The most fertile part of Canary," says Mr Glas, " is the mountain of Doramas, situated about two leagues from the city of Palmas. It is shaded by groves of different kinds of fragrant trees, whose lofty boughs are so thickly interwoven as to exclude the rays of the sun. The rills that water those shady groves, the whispering of the breeze among the trees, and the melo dy of the Canary birds, form a most delightful concert. When a person is in one of these enchanting solitudes, he cannot fail of calling to remembrance, the fine things the ancients have written of the Fortunate Islands." The sugar plantations, which were formerly numerous and extensive in this island, and which employed four teen large manufactories, have now, in a great measure, given place to the cultivation of the vine. The tt Met; and brandies of Grand Canary have always been in great demand in the Spanish West Indies, and the inhabitants find it more profitable to exchange these for sugar than to raise it in their own country. The wine of Grand Canary, however, though good, has not such a body as that of Teneriffe, and is consequently not so lit for ex portation. The annuals of Grand Canary arc camels, horses, asses, mules, bullocks, a few sheep, Ste. also tur keys, geese. fowls, ducks, partridges, and Canary birds. Population 40,000. Sec CANAICY ISLES, and the refer ences subjoined to that article. (p)