n
Teneriffe. Meantime, during the early period of the revolution, he
married; and his only child, a daughter, was born. This marriage,
however, was only a civil contract, such being then the law of France,
and with a woman divorced from another, who was still living. But
neither the validity of the union nor the legitimacy of the child was
ever questioned; and the Marquis Franqui returning to his native
country, brought with him his daughter, introducing and treating her as
his heiress. She appeared to be received as such by his family; and at
his death he appointed trustworthy guardians to her and her estates, one
of whom is her husband's father. No sooner, however, was the Marquis
dead, than his brother claimed his property, alleging that the church
had never sanctioned the Marquis's marriage, and that the daughter
consequently, as an illegitimate child, could have no claim on his
estates. He therefore commenced a lawsuit against her and her guardians,
and the suit is still pending. Meantime the court receives the rents;
the garden, the chief ornament of the town, is running wild, and the
house is deserted.

[Illustration]

The dragon tree is the slowest of growth among vegetables; it seems also
to be slowest in decay. In the 15th century, that of Oratava had
attained the height and size which it boasted till 1819. It may have
been in its prime for centuries before; and scarcely less than a
thousand years must have elapsed, before it attained its full size.
Excepting the dragon trees at Madeira, the only many-headed palm I had
seen before was that at Mazagong in Bombay. It is crowned, however, with
a leaf like that of the palmetto; but the tufts of the dragon tree
resemble the yucca in growth. The palm tree at Mazagong, like the
adansonia in Salsette, is reported to have been carried thither by a
pilgrim from Africa, probably from Upper Egypt, where late travellers
mention this palm.

On our return from the garden to Don Antonio's house, we were most
kindly received by his wife and daughter, the latter of whom played a
long and difficult piece of music most excellently. It was, however,
English, in compliment to us, though we should have preferred some of
her own national airs. After the music, we were conducted to a table
spread in the gallery that surrounds the open court in the middle of the
house, and covered with fruits, sweetmeats, and wines, which were
pressed upon us most hospitably; till finding it time t