Page:A voyage to New Holland - Dampier.djvu/45

Rh especially for such as have not Business that calls them far and often from home: For the Island being generally Mountainous, steep and craggy, full of Risings and Fallings, 'tis very troublesome Travelling up and down in it, unless in the Cool of the Mornings and Evenings: And Mules and Asses are most us'd by them, both for Riding and Carriage, as fittest for the stony, uneven Roads.

Beyond the Mountains, on the S. W. side, still further up, you may see from the Town and Plain a small peeked Hill, overlooking the rest. This is that which is called the Pike of Teneriffe, so much noted for its heighth: But we saw it here at so great a disadvantage, by reason of the nearness of the adjacent Mountains to us, that it looked inconsiderable in respect to its Fame.

The true Malmesy Wine grows in this Island; and this here is said to be the best of its kind in the World. Here is also Canary-Wine, and Verdona, or Green-wine. The Canary grows chiefly on the West-side of the Island; and therefore is commonly sent to Oratavia; which being the chief Sea-port for Trade in the Island, the principal English Merchants reside there, with their Consul; because we have a great Trade for this Wine. I was told, That that Town is bigger than Laguna; that it has but one Church, but many Convents: That the Port is but ordinary at best, and is very bad when the N. W. Winds blow. These Norwesters give no-