ew objects in
the town sufficiently striking to draw the attention of a stranger.

The landing-place was commodious, being formed by a stone pier, alongside
of which two boats at a time might lie with great ease and take in their
fresh water. It appeared by an inscription in Spanish, that the pier,
having fallen nearly into a state of entire ruin, was indebted for its
present convenience to the liberality of the governor assisted indeed by
some merchants, who superintended and contributed largely to its repair,
which was completed in the year 1786.

At the lower end of the High Street was observed a light and
well-finished monument of white marble, commemorating the marvellous
appearance of the image or bust of Our Lady at Candelaria, to the
Guanches, the aborigines of the country, who were thereby converted to
Christianity 104 years before the preaching of the gospel. The four sides
of the monument bore long inscriptions to this effect, and further
intimated, that it was erected, as an act of piety and cordial devotion,
at the expense of Don Bartholomi di Montagnes, perpetual captain of the
Royal Marine Castle at Candelaria.

In the centre of this street were a stone basin and fountain, from which
the inhabitants were supplied with a stream of very good water, conveyed
from the neighbouring hills by wooden troughs supported on slight posts,
and reaching quite to the town. At the head of the street, near the
government-house, stood a large stone cross, and at a small distance the
church of St Francis, annexed to which was a monastery of Franciscans.
The name of Santa Cruz, the Holy Cross, seemed not inapplicable to this
town, for one or more crucifixes of wood or stone were to be found in
most of the streets, and in others the form of the Cross was painted upon
the walls of the houses. Over the entrances of some houses we observed,
inclosed in small glass-cases, the images and pictures of favourite
saints, with lamps before them, which were lighted in the evenings and on
certain public occasions.

There were not any fortifications upon the commanding ground above the
town; but at each end of the bay stood a fort, between which were erected
three or four circular redoubts, connected with each other by a low
parapet wall, wearing the appearance of a line of communication between
the forts; but very few cannon were to be seen in the works.

On the skirts of the town to the southward we visited a workhouse, which
had b