CHAPTER XVIII.

A TRIP TO THE CANARY ISLANDS.

“Arrived at Portsmouth, steamer Ville d’Angers, having in tow the hulk of the ship Castle William, dismasted in the violent gale of April 8,” read Mr. Pelham, from a newspaper which had just been received by the African steamer.

He had hastened on board of the Prince with the paper as soon as he obtained it. The news was certainly very important, for it assured the principal that the missing steamer was safe; and, in the absence of any additional intelligence, it was presumed that her crew were all well.

Mr. Fluxion took the paper, and looked it over. He was especially happy because his confident prediction that the Ville d’Angers was all right, had been fully verified. Mr. Lowington was delighted in the safety of the students on board of her. The Marian was still in port; for Judge Rodwood enjoyed the climate of the island and the frequent hospitality of Don Roderigue so much, that he was in no haste to pursue his truant ward.

A boat was immediately sent to the Marian to inform the judge that his ward had been heard from, and was believed to be all right. He was glad to hear it, though he seemed to be in no hurry to leave the beautiful islands.

“Ah, here is more news!” exclaimed Mr. Fluxion, who was still looking over the paper.

“About the steamer?” asked Mr. Lowington.

“Yes, sir: here is a tolerably full account of the voyage of the Ville d’Angers, and of the state of things on board of the Castle William,” continued the senior vice-principal, as he seated himself under the awning on the quarter-deck of the American Prince.

“Let us hear it,” added the principal eagerly.

It was a Southampton paper; and the editor reminded his readers of the visit of the academy squadron to the waters of the Solent and Spithead, and the race around the Isle of Wight, about six years before. Then followed an account of the picking-up of the French steamer, and the subsequent falling-in with the wreck of the Castle William.

“A very wealthy American gentleman,” the article continued, “who was the patron of the academy squadron, and had presented to its distinguished principal an elegant and costly steam-yacht of twelve hundred tons burden, happened to be a passenger, with his family, in the Ville d’Angers from Havre to Malaga. When the condition of things on board of the unfortunate Castle William was ascertained, this noble-hearted gentleman, with his wife and her sister, went on board of the hulk where pestilence and death were raging, and tenderly nursed the sick. Mr. Frisbone, who is jocosely called the ‘American Prince,’--and he is one of Nature’s most royal princes,--immediately resorted to various sanitary measures, and with his own hands whitewashed the space between decks of the fever-stricken vessel. The medicines and supplies put on board of the ship by the steamer were so well used that the sick immediately began to improve; and now all are doing well. They have all been removed to the quarantine hospital, where the small-pox patients are convalescent.

“Undoubtedly the careful nursing of the sick by this self-sacrificing gentleman and the ladies saved the lives of many, if not all, of the sick. Certainly the heroic exertions of the young gentlemen of the school-ship saved the vessel and her freight of human beings; and they deserve the highest praise. Mr. Frisbone, as the agent of the principal of the academy squadron, has libelled the Castle William for salvage; and we learn that negotiations for an amicable adjustment of the amount are in progress. The owners of the steamer, by their attorney, have already put in their claim for the Ville d’Angers, subject to reasonable salvage.

“We regret to add that there has been some trouble about the discipline among the young officers of the steamer. The first and third officers of the steamer, appointed by the senior vice-principal in charge of one of the vessels of the academy squadron, were mutinous, and refused to do duty, attempting to incite others of the crew to follow their example. Possibly it was a boyish frolic; but the young captain promptly caused the arrest of the two offenders, and has kept them prisoners in their state-rooms up to the present time. But all the rest of the ship’s company yield a willing obedience to the authority of the captain.

“We regard Capt. O’Hara, for such is his name, as a rather remarkable young gentleman. Mr. Frisbone assures our informant that he is a thorough seaman, having served before the mast, and worked his way up to fourth lieutenant of the vessel to which he is attached. He was born in Italy, of an Irish father formerly in the English consular service, and an Italian mother. He is twenty years of age, and speaks Italian and French as fluently as he does English. Though there is an instructor, as well as two adult forward officers, attached to the ship, she is under the entire management of her youthful commander.”

This was the principal portion of the article which Mr. Fluxion read, to which the party gave the most undivided attention. Of course it was gratifying to the professional pride of the principal; and both of the vice-principals congratulated themselves upon their own discretion in appointing O’Hara to the command of the steamer, though it was not foreseen that he would make such an extended cruise in her.

“I am sorry to learn that there has been trouble on board of the steamer,” said Mr. Lowington, when the account of the voyage had been partly digested.

“But O’Hara seems to have made an end of the mutiny at once,” replied Mr. Fluxion.

“He is a very decided fellow,” added Mr. Pelham. “He is a peaceable and well-disposed young man; but he would fight his way through any thing if the occasion required.”

“This paper says the first and third officers were insubordinate,” continued the principal anxiously. “Who were these officers?”

“Gregory was the first, and Clinch was the third officer,” replied Mr. Fluxion, not a little disconcerted, as the heavy frown on his brow indicated. “I am sorry to say that both of them were from the Josephine.”

“They used to be bad boys,” said Mr. Lowington.

“For the last year there have been no better officers or students in the vessel than Gregory and Clinch. I don’t understand it,” replied Mr. Fluxion, musing. “Possibly O’Hara has been a little airy, and provoked them: it would not be strange if any young fellow should feel good, in command of a steamer of six hundred tons.”

“It is not at all like O’Hara to put on airs,” interposed Mr. Pelham.

“Even if he did, that is no excuse for Gregory,” added Mr. Fluxion.

“I suppose we shall not understand the matter till we see the students, and get their account of the affair,” said Mr. Lowington.

“The name of my ward is not mentioned in connection with this business,” remarked the judge.

“He is not mentioned as a mutineer; and so far it is perfectly satisfactory,” added Dr. Phelps.

“I have no doubt he has done his duty faithfully,” said Mr. Pelham.

“But when shall we have these young fellows back here?” asked Judge Rodwood.

“That is more than I can tell: they are out of my reach, and I cannot instruct them what to do,” replied the principal. “But Mr. Frisbone is happily with them; and I have entire confidence in his good judgment and discretion.”

“What will he do with them? He has no authority over them; and I fancy, if they once get ashore, Capt. O’Hara will not be as powerful as he seems to have been on board. What will they do?”

“I have no doubt Mr. Frisbone will send them to these islands in the next steamer, and come himself, if he is not wholly disgusted with his experience at sea.”

“The steamer which arrived to-day is an extra one,” said Mr. Pelham. “The next steamer will not leave Southampton till the 24th of the month, and will arrive on the 30th.”

“And this is only the 21st,” added the judge. “Shall we remain here nine or ten days longer?”

“We will consider that matter,” replied Mr. Lowington, rising from his deck-chair.

The conference was ended, and all returned to their own vessels. The principal went forward to the chart-room, on the table of which was spread out the chart of the North Atlantic. He looked it over, applied the parallel ruler and the dividers. In less than half an hour orders were sent to the Josephine and the Tritonia to sail at four o’clock in the afternoon for Santa Cruz, Teneriffe, one of the Canary Islands. Notice of this intention was sent to Judge Rodwood, who immediately hastened on board of the Prince to ascertain more definitely the intentions of the principal.

“You seem to have come to a sudden conclusion,” said the judge, when he met the principal on the deck of the Prince.

“My absent students cannot get to Funchal under ten days; and I cannot afford to lose so much time,” replied Mr. Lowington. “It is only a day’s run for the steamer to the Canaries; and we can spend a week at Santa Cruz, or in cruising about the islands, and return in season to take them on board.”

“Excellent!” exclaimed the judge. “I shall go with you; and this excursion will afford me an opportunity to reciprocate the hospitality of our friend Don Roderigue; for I shall invite him and his family to take passage in the Marian.”

“I was just thinking of offering them state-rooms on board of the American Prince; but I have no doubt you can accommodate them more elegantly than I can; and I will yield the privilege to you, judge.”

“Thank you, Mr. Principal.”

Judge Rodwood hastened on shore to extend the invitation to Don Roderigue; and great was the delight of the young officers when they saw Dona Maria go on board of the Marian just before the hour appointed for the sailing of the squadron. They lustily cheered the party. Don Roderigue raised his hat, and bowed his thanks, while his daughter vigorously waved her handkerchief.

Promptly at the hour set, the two steamers and the two schooners got under way, and stood out of the Bay of Funchal. The wind was quite fresh from the west, veering a little to the north, so that the sailing-vessels had all the breeze they wanted. It had been agreed that the vessels of the fleet should keep together, and the steamers were worked at about two-thirds of their ordinary speed to accommodate them. The course was true south till seven o’clock in the morning, when the Salvages, a group of islands with very rocky and dangerous surroundings, bore to the eastward; and then the fleet was headed to the east south-east. The islands looked barren and forbidding.

“Land, sharp on the weather-bow!” shouted the lookout on the top-gallant forecastle of the Tritonia.

“Land!” exclaimed Scott, who had the deck. “There is no land within a hundred miles in that direction. The lookout has a gravel-stone in his eye, and thinks it is an island.”

“Don’t be too sure of that, Scott,” added the vice-principal, leaping on the rail at the weather side, and looking out in the direction indicated by the lookout. “I see it.”

The lieutenant sprang into the weather rigging, and strained his eyes to the utmost; but he could see nothing that looked like land.

“I think I am getting blind, sir,” added Scott, with a laugh.

“Where are you looking? Up here!” and Mr. Pelham pointed a considerable distance above the horizon.

“Up there! I shouldn’t think of looking up there for land, unless I expected to find it in the moon,” replied Scott. “The Mountains of the Moon are away over on the other side of Africa. Are you looking for them?”

“Don’t you see that mountain?” continued Mr. Pelham, pointing again.

“I see it now,” answered Scott, as he made out a mazy mass, high above the horizon. “What in the world is that?”

“It is the peak of Teneriffe.”

“I have heard enough about it to know it without an introduction.”

“It must be nearly a hundred miles off.”

“And we are in no immediate danger of getting aground on that land.”

This mountain was the point of attraction for the day, as it gradually displayed its outline more clearly to the students. At three o’clock in the afternoon, the squadron rounded Point Anaga, the north-eastern cape of Teneriffe. It was only nine miles farther to the chief town of the island; and by five, the squadron was at anchor, and all the formalities of the government had been complied with.

At eight the next morning all hands were assembled in the grand saloon of the Prince, to hear what Mr. Mapps had to say about the Canary Islands in general, and Teneriffe in particular.

“The _Islas Canarias_, as the Spaniards have it, or the Canaries, or Canary Islands, as we have it, lie between thirteen and eighteen degrees of west longitude, and between twenty-seven and a half and twenty-nine and a half degrees of north latitude. They have an aggregate area of thirty-two hundred square miles, and a population of two hundred and twenty-seven thousand. There are seven principal islands, the most important of which are Teneriffe, Grand Canary, and Palma. These islands are all very mountainous, volcanic, and rocky. The peak of Teneriffe, which we have had in sight since yesterday morning, is over twelve thousand feet high.

“The two most western islands are Hierro, or Ferro, and Palma, both of which contain peaks from five to over seven thousand feet high. The meridian which passes through Ferro was the one formerly selected as the first, from which longitude was measured; and for this reason it has been adopted as the dividing line between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Gomera is fourteen miles south-west of Teneriffe. The water between these islands is very deep; and there are no dangers, except within a few hundred feet of the shore.

“Teneriffe is forty-five miles long, and twenty-two wide. The natives call the summit of the mountain which stands in the middle of the island, the ‘Pico de Teyde.’ We saw it yesterday morning when we were nearly a hundred miles from it; and the people say it can be seen a hundred and sixty miles, but this is vanity on their part. There are generally more or less clouds hanging about it. Santa Cruz, or ‘Holy Cross,’ is the most driving city of all the islands of the Atlantic. It has twenty thousand inhabitants. The mole which you see is of recent construction, and was very much needed to protect the shipping from the strong winds coming from north-east to south-east. There is some British naval history connected with this city. In 1657 Admiral Blake destroyed a Spanish fleet, anchored under the batteries of the town; and, favored by a sudden change of wind, got his ships out of the harbor with but little loss. Nelson lost an arm here in 1797, and was badly beaten in his battle with Fort San Miguel, which is still in existence. British flags are so scarce with the Spaniards, that those captured in this engagement are still on exhibition in the principal church of the city. In the middle of the summer the heat in the town is very oppressive; and the wealthy inhabitants flee from it to Laguna, a place among the hills, five miles inland.

“On the north-west side of Teneriffe is the port and city of Orotava, which is probably the best health station in the world for invalids troubled with throat and lung diseases. It is located in an amphitheatre of hills, two or three miles from the sea. It is even superior to Madeira in the uniformity of its temperature. The region around it is a perfect garden, and the thermometer never falls below fifty degrees, or rises more than a degree or two above eighty; and these extremes are of very rare occurrence. The average temperature is about sixty-eight degrees. One month hardly varies more than a couple of degrees from the one next to it. Invalids here may remain out of doors all the time, and keep their windows open night and day. But it has not yet become to any great extent a health resort; and there is a lack of accommodations for visitors and temporary residents.

“The Grand Canary is about fifty miles to the south-east of Teneriffe. It is a beautiful island, fertile and populous; and until recently the seat of government, which has been transferred to Teneriffe. It has a range of mountains, some peaks of which are over six thousand feet high. Many streams flow from these hills, which in the rainy season become raging torrents. Las Palmas, or the Palms, is a city of twenty thousand inhabitants, formerly the capital of the islands; but Santa Cruz de Teneriffe, as it is called to distinguish it from another Santa Cruz in the island of Palma, has wrested from it this distinction; and there is a strong rivalry between the two places. It is still the Church capital of the Canaries. It is overlooked by two high mountains; and through the city runs the Guiniguada River, which is crossed by a bridge with immense arches, built two hundred years ago. It has some fine buildings, and several educational institutions. The harbor is very bad, for a heavy surf rolls in most of the time; but it has a sheltered port two miles to the eastward of it.

“Fuerteventura lies east of Teneriffe, and is fifty-two miles long. It has the appearance of being a barren island, but has very fertile spots in it. The mountains are not so high as in Grand Canary, and it has no good harbors. Lanzarote lies to the north-east, and is thirty-one miles long. Alegranza is a small island, and the most northerly of the group; but it is celebrated as being the home from which first came the beautiful songster we call the canary-bird. There are other small islands. Fuerteventura is only about sixty miles from the coast of Africa.

“These islands form a province of Spain, and are represented in the Cortes of the mother country. Mail-vessels ply between the different islands, and there is frequent communication by steamer with Spain and England. The people are Spaniards, a little darker of complexion than those you meet in Spain. The islands are generally very fertile, and the productions of both the torrid and the temperate zone are raised here. The vine has been an important item, and forty thousand pipes of wine were the average manufacture until 1853, when the grape disease destroyed the vines; but, like Madeira, these islands are rapidly recovering from this disaster.

“The Canaries are believed to have been known to the ancients, and to have been mentioned by Pliny the Elder, and others, as the Fortunate Islands. The ruins of some stone temples in Gomera indicate that they were known to the Carthaginians. Like the Madeiras, they were discovered in modern days by a vessel driven off its course by heavy weather, in 1334. They were conquered--and the original inhabitants fought well for their country--by Jean de Bethencourt, a Norman baron in the service of Spain, in 1402. They were claimed by the Portuguese, and the natives were troublesome for a long period; but Spain eventually obtained full possession.”

The professor finished his remarks, after he had spoken for some time about the manners and customs of the aborigines of the islands, as indicated by the implements and ruins found in them; and then the students of the Tritonia and Josephine returned to their vessels.