from the flames, where they stood up to their necks for two days and two
nights without sustenance. Though this island is mountainous, its soil is
rich and fertile, and it produces yearly 30,000 Venetian _staras_[8] of
bread corn. At first, the newly cultivated land yielded seventy for one,
but has since been reduced to thirty or forty, for want of good husbandry.
Owing to the excellence of its soil and climate, and the abundance of
springs and rivers, Prince Henry procured sugar canes from Sicily, which
he sent to this island, where they have yielded abundant produce;
insomuch, that 400 cantaros of sugar, each containing 112 pounds large
weight of Venice, have been made at one boiling, and the quantity was
likely to increase[9]. They have likewise good wines, considering how
shortly this culture has been introduced; and in such abundance, that
large quantities are exported. Among other kinds of vines, Don Henry sent
thither _Malvasia_ plants, procured from the island of Candia, which have
succeeded well. The soil has turned out so favourable for the vine, that
in general there are more grapes than leaves, and the bundles are very
large, even from two to four spans long. They have likewise the black
_Pergola_ grape, without stones, in great perfection; and so well is the
climate adapted to this culture, that they begin their vintage about
Easter, or at least by the octave after.

We sailed from Madeira, following a southerly course, and arrived at the
Canary islands, which are at the distance of about 320 miles from Madeira.
There are seven of these islands in all, four of which have been settled
by the Christians, Lancerotta, Fuerteventura, Gomera, and Ferro; over
which Herrera[10], a Spanish gentleman, is lord. Large quantities of an
herb called _Oricello_ or Orchel[11], are annually sent from these
islands to Cadiz and Seville, which is used in dying, and is sent from
these places to all parts of Europe. Great quantities of excellent goat
skins are exported from these islands, which likewise produce abundance
of tallow, and good cheese. The original inhabitants of the four islands
that are subject to the Christians, are _Canarians_[12], who speak
various languages or dialects, not well understood between the different
tribes. These people have only open villages, without any fortifications;
except on the mountains, which are exceedingly high, and there they have
a kind of rude walls or redoubts, to flee to in case of n