Madeira and the Canary Islands : a practical and complete guide for the use of invalids and tourists / A. Samler Brown.

  • Brown, A. Samler.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Madeira and the Canary Islands : a practical and complete guide for the use of invalids and tourists / A. Samler Brown. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    thickness. When such clouds assemble during normal weather it is quite safe to climb through them, as the sky is sure to be clear above and the heat of the sun rapidly dries the tourist's clothes. Well defined clouds like these are caused by the warm trade wind, which is thrown up by the land, meeting a colder region, the evaporation from above being counterbalanced by a constant fresh supply from below. They never form before the sun rises nor last for long after it has gone down. In the Canaries, where the altitude is less than 6,000 feet, one cannot be sure of getting above them, and in Madeira, which is too far north for the full effect of the trade wind to be felt and where the influence of the gulf stream is more noticeable, the risk of getting no view when clouds are about is still greater. At times all of the islands are clear for days or weeks together and this is the best time for excursions. When the clouds are very low and threatening, or the hills are visible with the sky above them obscured at a great altitude, it is best to stay near home. Even two or three streamers, pointing away from the island as a centre, should be taken as a warning. Pedestrians walking through woods need have no fear of venomous reptiles, which are unknown. Poisonous spiders exist, however, but are rare. Visitors for long periods should bring something to employ their time, as there is little to do and riding constantly along the same roads becomes monotonous. If saddlery is brought, it should not be new, as the men are extremely careless. The chief amusements are excursions, picnics, sketching, taking photographs or making collections of objects of natural history &c. Sport can scarcely be said to exist though there are partridges, quails, woodcock and rabbits to be found in all the islands. Pheasants have also been brought to Teneriffe by the liberality of an English resident but are not allowed to be shot yet. The deep-sea fishing is sometimes very good indeed but ordinary visitors find it too hot upon the water. In the large towns such as Funchal, Santa Cruz, Las Paimas and sometimes Orotava open-air musical promenades are given. Cock fights take place in most of the towns during the spring-time and occasionally there are bull-fights in Santa Cruz, Las Paimas and La Laguna. Neither of the last will be much appreciated by English visitors, who will be doing a favour to their compatriots living in the islands and helping the cause of common humanity by stopping away. The corridas de sortija which take place more frequently in Orotava than elsewhere, are a species of tournament where