Carnet guanche : abbreviated guide of Canary Islands

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Situación de! Archipiélago Canario
Núm. Registro: 3.04O- 1960
Dep. Legal: G. C. 919- 1962
Las PtlftlM de G. C.- Imprenta San Nicolás- D. Guerra del Río, 5- Telf 17760
TRANSLATED BY
MIGUEL ORTUÑO ASENSIO
ST. T? f?..
BIBLIOTECA UNIVERSITARIA
LAS PALM AS, CE (
N * Docuniísito.
N'Oipto. m^
CONTENTS
GEOGRAPHy, HISTORy AND CUSTOMS
Situation 11 tion . . . .
Clinlate*. ". . . . 1 2 Mining . . .
Natüre and íelief. . . 13 Fauna and ñora ,
Agritulture and produc- Historical synthesis
24
25
26
30
POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
División . . . . 67 Synopíic picture . 68
INFORMATION OF INTEREST FOR TOURIST
Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Arrival 69
Aspect of the City . . 70
Principal Feasts . . . 77
Travelling Agencies . . 78
Banks 78
Balneario . . . . 79
Oíficial Centres . . . 79
Aerial Communications » 80
Interurbans Communica- 80
tions 80
Maritime Communica­tions
. . . . . 80
Postal Communications . 80
Teleplionic Communica­tions
80
Telegrapliic Communica­tions
80
Service Stations . . . 81
Garages 81
Hotels 81
Boarding- Houses. . . 82
Restaurants . . . . 83
Societies and places of
amusements > . . . 84
Taxis ( Stops). . . . 85
Theaíres and Cinemas . 86
Las Palmas de G. Canaria.
Aspect of the City . . 87
Principal Feasts . . . 100
Travelling Agencies . . 102
Balnearios . . . 1 102
Banks . . . . . 102
Librarles , . , . 103
Official Centres . . .103
Societies and places of
amusements 105
Aerial Communications . 105
Interurbans Communica­tions
105
Maritime Communicia-tions
106
Postal Communications . 106
Telephonic Communica­tions
, . . » . 106
Telegraphic Communica­tions
. . . . . 106
Garages and Service Sta­tions
106
Hotels . . . . . 107
Bording- Houses . . . 108
Restaurants . . . .109
Taxis ( Stops). . . . 109
Theatres and. Qnemas .110
Plan of Santa Cruz de Tenerife . . Under the first shieet fold.
Tenerife isle map Under the first sheet fold.
Plan of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Under the last sheet fold.
Gran Canaria isle map . . . . Under the last sheet fold.
Situaticn of the canariac archipiélago. Under the last sheet fold.
^
RNET
IBIANOUEUTORBB
CANARY ISLANDS
GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY AND CUSTOMS
SiTUATION
In the North températe zona of the Atlantic Ocean, op-posiíe
to the Northwest shores of the African Continent, Ca-nary
archipiélago stands; its islands cióse to the Tropic of
Cáncer; in the direction of Alíseos winds and in the cross
where the routes of the three continents join; between 27°
37' and 29° 25' North latitude and 13" 20' and 18° 10' west
longitude from Greenwich; an interval of 52 minutes to the
meridian oí Madrid.
The longest and shortest days are of 14 and 9 hours rés-pectively.
Far from Cádiz 565 miles — 1.050 kilometers, approxi-mately—
and 65 miles — about 115 kilometers— from Cabo
Juby.
Thirteen istands íorm the archipiélago; an extensión oí
7.36S' 5D kilometers; 93 Kms. of which are uninhabited,
Their ñames, from East to West, are: Laníarote, surroun-ded
by the islets Roque del Este, Roque del Oeste, Graciosa,
Montaña Clara and Alegranza; Fuerteventura, with its Lobos
íslet; Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Gomera, La Palma and Hierro.
Separated by a narrow canal, named El Río, Graciosa island
rises to the North of Lanzarote. One mile to the Northwest,
12 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
Montaña Clara and Roque del Oeste stand, and a little more
oí 6 miles from Lanzarote and 4' 5 from Montaña Clara, Ale-granza
is situated. Towards the Norttieast of Lanzarote at a
distance of 6 railes you may find Roque del Este. Up to the
North oí Fuerteventura, one mile íarther, Ldbos island may
be sean.
TKese islands are geographically divided into Eastern,
Central and Western Canary, Qran Canaria and Tenerife is­lands,
corresdonding to the Central groQp.
Fuerteventura is the nearest to African shore. Hierro the
westernest. In the latter the first meridian was established;
Icngitude then counted towards the Easí. In 1634 Lewis XIII
of France made its acceptance obligatory; and in 1876 was
also adopted by the Geographical Society of Madrid. Nowa-days
some chartographs continué using it.
CLIMATE
Differently to what in happens up to the North, in the
Azores islands, where strong winds blow and low temperatu­ras
are felt; and not similar to Cabo Verde islands, where
down to the South an excessive warm is suííered; in Canarias
there are not hard weather oscillatíons in the course of the
seásons, ñor during the transition of day and night. The soít
clúnate is of ever lasting Spring. In the central islands you
can affirm without hyperbole that you Uve, because of the
mildness of the diraate, in a delicious paradise. The puré
airs, the agreeable temperatura, the transparent sky adorned
with the most sHght white gauzes and the best caressing
breeze, bring to your senses the blue turkish symphony of the
Atlantic.
Folo A. BENITEZ
roque, in the circulo de las cañadas
at the bachsround the top of the teide
Foto A. DENITEZ
CARNET GUANCHE 13
On íhe shore; the tetaperature is l § ° fti Winter and 24°
in Summer.
In the Eastern islands the" warm is féft: more intensely
when the dry African windS blow.
The climate in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is always
uniform with the exception of slight oscillations, the same in
the máximum and minimum Ihermometrícal zonas. The pre-dominant
winds are from Noríh to Northwest. Very few and
seldom rains in Summer; íhe máximum pluviometer is in No-vember
and December, and then not during long périods.
In Tenerife, the temperature in Summer is not excessive-ly
high, only on the months oí July and August a remarka-ble
heat is experimeníed; in Wmter, on the contrary, it is
pleasant and temperated, Rains are scarcely and seldom felt
in Summen, only sume drops on April. Days rearly appear
wholly covered in the course of the year; you always see the
blue sky,
NATURE ADN RELiEF
The Geological structure of the Archipiélago is generally
hilly, of volcanic origin revealed step by step for the presence
of many extinct zones, as a continuation of the, Atlas, which
from North to South extends with manifestations of igneo ty-pe.
This last may be perceived by following afíer an imagina-ry
line the prolongation of the 2.300 Kms. longitude of the
mountain range of Northern África.
This imaginary line would touch Roque del Este, Tene­rife
and Hierro.
Supposing than Canary islands were succesive fragments
from the neighboring shore, the first separated would be íhe
14 • VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
occidental group, principally Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
Gran Canaria and Hierro would form only one island. Tene­rife
and Gomera, iiyided by th « narrow arm oí sga wliich frora
a very recent epoch separatesthetn.
TeneHfe island.— El Pico de Teide rises in thfi island of
Tenerife, reaching a height of 3704 meters sea- levcl and rests
ón a raountaining base of 495 Kms.* surface,
Volcanic efuptions were frequent until XVIII century, so­ma
of them preceded by earthquakes, as it happened in 24th
December 1704. In three hcurs were registered more than
thirty. Some days later other geological phenomena broke up
more than thirty craters. On May 1706, the lava of another
eruption, after extending 12 Kms., destroyed the population
and tlie port of Garachko. On 1798 another cráter opened m
the mountain named Chahorra, the lava runing along during
three months. And lastly, after a century of inertia and at the
beginning of the present one, on September 1908, other erup-íions
destroyed many orchands and cultivations in the same
región of Chahorra, thest opening three craters.
Los Azaleps, 2865 u eters; Guaiara, 2500; Chahorra,
2475; Izaña, where an observatory has been built, and Porti­llo,
2010 meters, are also prominent heights.
The most remarkable points on the island of Tenerife are:
frotn Northeast to South, Anay, a, which may be seen at a long
distance from the open sea; Antequera, immediate entrance
to the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife; Güimar, a large port;
Ahona, bristed by basalts; the one called Roia, with the beau-tifuí
beach Médano; Rasca, on the South, where other won-derful
beaches are found; the- very well known of Las Galle­tas;
and Los Cristianos. On the Northwest direction, after pas-sirig
by the port of Santiag. o, the most occidental. Punta de
Folo A. BENITEZ
gran canana
isle
map
rolo ASCANIO
de
las
gran
aerial
view
of
la luz
mole
palmas
canaria
CARNET GUANCÜE 15
T& no, and Buenavista on the North, with its volcanic choir,
and Baiamar.
This island forms a triangle, the base on the Noith and
its vertexes pointing to Teño, Anacía and La Rasca.
Gran Canaria.— This island is a large pyramid, the top
of which being 2000 meters high. The saw crossing it íroin
North to South, is callea La Cumbre; the lunar landscape seen
from it, has been co. Tipared to a « petrified ocean » . From the
saw a true spider of ravines are spread; the most famous for
the current river and the cinematographic landscapes are:
Guinig. uada, Telde, Guay. adeque, Tira{ ana, Maspalomas, Te-
¡ eia, Ag. aete, Moy. a, Azua¡ e and Teror, which help to keep
alive very fertile valleys.
The highest mountains are: Los Pechos, 1951 m.; Pozo de.
las Nieves, 1910 m.; EL Nublo, 1862 m. ~ « El Roque del Nu­blo
» is an inaccessible monolith, 60 m. high—; Saucillo,
1850; and Pan de Azúcar, 1405 m. At the same poinst where
waters are separated from eastern to western, a magnificení
residence for turistn, in an architectonic íorm and canary or-namentation,
has been built.
This istand conserves treces of volcanic origin in Jinámar
mountain and Caldera de Bandama; the latter being an ex-plosive
cráter 200 meters deep and 3000 m. circumference.
The lava oí this cráter covers the fertile lowland of the Lentis­cal
mountain, where recognised wines are reaped.
This island contains a great hidromineral wealth.
Gran Canaria island is almost circular and on the Northest
a vocanic promontory rises baptized by cañarían people as
« Isleta » .
The shore offers succesive contrasts: Eastern shore is low
16 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
and aríiculaíed, with open andsmall bays where the principal
ancíioring grounds and fishing ports are. The western shore is
brave and bluff, without any protection towards the sea. Nor­thern
band is also craggy, The beaches are comfortable and
vast, with a fine oíd golden coloured sand protected by
mountains and hills.
The most atractive beaches by the city are: Las Canteras,
Alcarávaneras and La La( a; Melenara, situated 17 Kms. far-ther
Oíi the South; Ganda — also a vast. airport—; Maspalo-mas
on the South; Mog. án on the West, and Sardina ori the
Northwest.
The port oí Las Palmas, etnbracing the incomparable bay
La Luz, ís ene oí the most important ports in Europe.
La Palma island.— This island is a magnificent and elo-quent
prooí for those persons thinking that Canary Islands
surged from the bottom of the sea. Its geological structure
seems to show us no metamorphosis from its origin.
Caldera de Taburiente, also named Eceró, is a wonderfui
work of nature, a large amphitheater between two mountain
ranges crossíng the island in the direction Northsouth- South-west,
formed by a first order submaríne eruption. This immen-se
cráter, the most famous in the world, is 948 meters deep
and 10 Kms. diameter. In its inside, to make descent easy,
two alniost vertical steepnesses are, 750 m. and 600 m. res-pectively,
eách of them. The walls of Caldera de Taburiente
offer usgreat cracks, spurts and ravines, crossing them from
up to bottom, in so a capricious way, that leave no plain
space. . . .
This Caldera ( boiler)„ has been declared National Park,
aftér the oífícial décree dated 6th October 1954.
Srape harvest ín lanzarote ísland Folo BAUCELU
banana shipment, for exportins Folo ASCANIO
CARNET GUAÑCHE 17
Oii'the South oí theisland, in Fuencaíiente, a volcano
appeared iti century XVII. Récently, 24th June 1949, so me
volcanic nianiíestations ocurredin Duraznero « Cumbre Vie­ja
» Mountain, which lasted 35 days, with a pause of four,
appearing an explosive « peleano » type volcano.
A shorí true story pf this curious phenomenon says that
nothing denoted restlessness or foundering in that hot mor-ning
of summer, and as any other day, the cattle pastured on
the fresh grass while the young shepherd looked confidently
at the vast borizon only inierrupted by the majestic Teide,
suspended amongst the clouds, and as background, towards
the east, the top of Gran Canaria.
Suddenly the cattle ran frightened, the fearful and asto-nished
shepherd also fled... but, where? if thewhole mountain
shiverd...
The convulsions lasted two hours, two hours that the
víolení gas took, up and down the « chimney » to break up the
« mouth » at 1826 meters altitude.
A dense cloud of steam appeared and remained for ten
days. Finally another superior mouth opened, two kilometers
high, throwing a vertical column of gases to the sky, and
which ended like a parasol, in an inmense tuft.
On the following days nobody could expect the fire ex-tinguished,
on the contrary, it wení up so hardly that even
the strong high winds could not break down the firing co*
lumn. When the gases dragged along the ashes, the steam
bacame red, or black an< i heavier; thus forming some quite
black clouds and which, turning over the ground, produced a
sinister noise and speedly burnt trees and razed everything
along its way, causing the people of El Paso evacúate.
28 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE •
The 8th July, in EZ Llano del Banco — 1200 m.—, ano-ther
cráter burst and its lava ran down the mountain like li- r
quid during eighteen days,
The orographic systein of the island is divided inte two
principal parts. One of them composed by regular lew moun-tains
going along the Southwest shore ana the other follo-wing
the South direction. On the latler the highest mountains
are: Rocfue de los Muchachos, 2354 m.; Pico de la Cruz, 2.350
and Cedro, 1.941 m. There are also other heights towards the
half of this mountain range, as Monte. Cabrito, 1.967 m. Los
Picos de Tacandé, 1415; and Borg^ oyo, 2.000 m. which tops
are nearly always covered with snow.
Numerous gorges make its ground irregular, the princi­pal
being named Las Ang. ustias. Some bridges cross them to
facilítate communication. Most of itsshores are covered with
very clean sand; only with the exception of Northwest zone,
where some hills arise and few wells roughly deep the ground.
La Palma is the first island in the archipiélago in craggi-ness
and the second following to Tenerife, in prominences.
Its highest top reaches 7724 feet, sea- level.
Forming a smart maritime avenue, the port oí Sta. Cruz
shovfs El Risco de la Concepción.
Gomera.— Althoungh there are no traces of recent erup-tions,
this island is also of volcanic characteristics. Its configu-ration,
elliptic, raises from the shore to Garaiom^ tops, 1872
m. altitude; Guadalupe rocky mountain range is situated on
its east, and Fortaleza mountain on the West, 1245 m. The
centre is a vast plateau; fertile valleys on its spurs furrowed
by deep ravines, origínate violent air droughts; Arinuela to-rrent
is rather famous.
'. pnng
; I')
' c'icc
nw í FirVlTT? > 1 I
W! fd
llo- wermg
grass
Foto A. BENITEZ
wínter
in
tfie
teide
road
to
las
caña ¿ as
( 2.000 m. high)
CARNET GÜANCHE 19
Also leafy woocis beautify the scenary for even rains are
seldom, the ground is artificially well watered, and generally
it is covered with rich vegetation.
Its very bluff shores present the polnts of Punta de Agu-to,
Mahoma, Los Pesebres, Vejira, Del Valle, San Cristóbal
and Los Farallones.
On the North, in Stplace called Los Órganos, many ba-saltic
rocks are formed. Plenty of ports and small bays, the
raost important of which are San Sebastián and Puerto de la
Arena, compese the shore.
Gomera is called the Portillos island, because step by
step in the outward wall, opens a Portillo of ravines.
Another typical sight is the hardened lava, which tears
the island forming erected and isoleted rocks.
Hierro.— This island is íhe westernest, and smallest, in
the Canary archipiélago. Its form is that of a clover, the three
points: Restinga, Punta del " Norte and OchiUa; where the first
meridían passed until this convention was refused; then this
meridian being substituted by the Greenwich one.
The ground is volcanic. In the middle of the island a vast
plateau is surrounded by rapid and mountainousslopes, which
become softer to the North. The principal height of this is­land
is Pico de Mal Paso, 1745 meters altitude, Deep ravines
on the slopes; forestal vegetation is very considerable.
Hierro very bluff shores are surrounded by many disse-minated
reefs and islets. On the Northwest, La Estaca port is
situated, which is a prolongation of Valverde village.
Fuerteventura island — It is the largest in extensión, fo-
Uowing to Tenerife. Its principal orography is the great mas-
20 VICTORIANO PE ÍA TORRE
siven « ss where Betancuria village is situated and the moun-taiti
of the same natne raises, 725 m. sea- level. This island
from North to South m 23 Kms. wide and 90 Kms. long.
At the foot of this massiveness and between a chain of
parallel mountains, 8 Kms.^, there is a very fertile arm of land,
which with the vasl and productive Tetir valley — this latter
joining Puerto del Rosario, capital of the island—, are the
grounds for cultivation. Aiso another vast massiveness in íts
orography, Vallebron's one, With ancient volcanoes. The hi-ghest
point in the island is Jatidia, 807 meters altitude, sea-level.
In Fuerteveníuía, remarkable ravines are also formed;
but the charasteristics of its ground, the named « malpaises »
— rnodern escoriáceas lavas— and the downs, absorb the rain,
so forming no torrents.
This island is continually whiped by Sahara winds, which
let not healing the deep wound of its traces; baing this the
reason why this island has been object of improper qualifica-tions,
The ground of Fuerteventura is as another surface of the
earth may be. It will not be leafy, perhaps dry and very deso-lated,
but this island lives by iíself, produces and isinhabited
by laborious and patriotic citizens whose treasure is the most
germine virtues of our race, and also, a great catholic íaith
and Christian resignation.
From 1950 this island is under the protectión of the Exce-lentisimo
Señor Don Francisco Franco Bahamonde, Jefe del
Estado Español,
lanxarote.— This is the Northernest of the principal is-lands;
the parallel 29 crosses the middie oí the island.
FARO OE MABT/ X! —
** ISLA DE LOBOS!
FABO DEL roSTOl,
PTA. DEL TOSTÓN
\\
EL COTILL'
• TA. O t ,
22 • VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
r
Its volcanic activity, which lasted till the first half oí the
century XVIII, cóvered witía lava a. vast portion of thís island;
and still interiorly persista in Montaña del Fue^ o.
Although its sky is always clean and puré its air, there is
no forestal v^ etatión; so me cattle are breeded on the small
hills and also plenty of fowling.
Its shores are forraed by lava grounds, where stnall
sand bays, anchoring- grounds and fishing ports^ especially on
the eastern coast, aternate; these shores are the best defen­ded
fr- oiB the swell oí the sea.
Its principal orograpy is Haría massívenes on the North;
in the Western border raises Risco de Famara, inaccessible;
being its highest point Castilíeio, 632 m. altitude, and Femes
laassrvenes on the South, usualiy known as Aiaches mountain,
the maxiitmni heighí Hacha g. rande, 561 m.
Thé scenary is rather plain, with some volcanic tops;
ofíering the particuíarity that the manifestations of the same
correspond fo a. continued and followed order in dates of
eruptio| § . ^
An embíioned traveller, his ñame ígnored, has written...
" The only flov/ ejj^ atid gay that in. the island show characters
of Ganarían broihérljopd, is found, as cornered in the oriental
coast, in Putrto de ^ rf^ cif^ e, the capital of " mudejares" graces,
bathedinthe marine ufhiteness. of always green ground, signed
by so femenine steps, thésplendid marine crypts, its alvi^ ays
magnificent gardins, fuU of tpmatoes, vegetables... but imme-diately,
the volcanic bowel § of Lanzarote are becoming owners
of the ground. The man swept by the rnilleíiary blows graps
the sandWtíUs and the operiings of the hills, covers his seeds
with volcanic ashes, and soníe flowers on the very same
Chumberas plants* fire; the ground gettíng spüt...
C M. » tí.^ ltAUtH
ROQUE DEL
J^ JJ OESTE
n. MONTAÑA CLARA
. GRACIOSA
UNZAROTEISUIIB
l % _ V. CASTUtOOt
/ aCANCAjCN ^ , , ,
_ _ _ JBEPtKUao
•'" 30_ PEs:> tíGyE{' A^
CARNET OUANCHE 23
And man desappears; after hftn the woaian Whose face
keeps hided. On both sides of the road, aloi% whéJt the
afraid foKigner wafks, - the íocky ground breaks ils dark skin,
similar tp an aniaial being sacrificad. And a great silence is
comitig'on, pressing the íraveJler's heart. The very same eárth
flies away. Onlythe lava stands, a stílidified wave of lava. .
People reach M< Mía « < z áe íiíégo ( firing, mountain); their feet
moving on the breathing ground. Digging with a finger
would be sufficient in this natural fiíe- place, to boil an egg.
And in the very same kingdom of ííre, into the same vol-cano,
the waters from the sea filter... *
The huge ravine rocks cut one another; narrow canyons
like naves írom demoHshed cathedrals, deep crevices, cones,
craters, valleys, builiing materials írom the Planet abandoned.
Sharp points tearing the sky, in the quiet valleys where
wind has taken earth and lava, form odd figures. ' *•
Neithera plant, ñor a wing, ñor a breathing.,. Only the
silence covering everything with its bell of glass; in the meán-while,
the tourist noticing how his heart moves with strong
vibirations", • "
Ninor Itlands.— Some isloís, of the same charasteristics
than Lanzarote. are to be appreciated: Roque del Oeste, balsa-tic
rocks that keep the attention of the traveller; Roqée del
Este, with its sharp polnt named Él Campanario; Mecifanaa,
well- known for its gay light- house; Graciosa island, desoláted;
Montaña Clara, very hilly; and Lobos ( wolves) island, so called
because sea wolf fishes ( from the skin of which fishes the
conquerors got leather for íheir shoes) Uve in the waters
around.
- " 24 VlCTQRIANO DE LA TsRRE
^ 4 ' — ^ — : • •
San Borondon island,— This island never formed the
' geaeral geological stracture oí the archipiélago; it oniy exis-téd
in the imaginatión oí the # ncient people, as a coasequen-ce
of a visual ¡ Ilusión.
. * • .
AGRICULTURE ANb l> RODUCTION
Although the ground of these| islands i » generaily rather
bfóken and hilly; there are soni€ plain fertile and. cultivated
vallfeys which produce a gréat variety of crops; protected by
its excellent and inalterable ciimate.
Agriculture is the principal wealth in the economy of Ca-nary
islands; once supplied the interior market, spanish pro-vinces
and ships coming to its ports, its goods are sent to
abroad, principally Europe and America.
One of this mentioned wealths is the banana, which is
grown all over the year, and the tomato; both overlasíing
sources of economy.
Also plenty of potatoes ( much appreciated for not being
contaminated with « coleópteros » insects), onions, wheat, corn
( where « gofio » — a cañarían baked flour— is obtained from),
bafley, rye, chikpeas. peas, lentils ( from a very tasty small
seed, rich in vitamines), beans, sweet potatoes, large green
beans, smooth- podded tares, olives ( specially good in Temi-sas),
almonds, chestnuts, dates, lupines, and a great variety of
vegetables.
All kinds of fruit- trees and also grapes, from which last
are obtained the famous Cañarían wines; those from Malvasia
Vidueño and Norte de Tenerif. e are much appreciated.
Wax, honey, salt and some silk, is raanufactured as well
in these islands. and many industrial plants: sugar- cane, to-
Fniji A lírvírn
rnoiisat'ion
.¡ arden
s'n
cj orotava
:(^ n? mrí fe
. ^ a » ,
' fte**^ p » '
0160 de N. MASSIEU
risco de san nicolás
las palmas de gran canaria
CARNET GUANCHE 25
bacco, agave, sisal, ficinus, coffee- íree, nopal — írom which is
obtaioed the importaní production oí « cochinilla » ; nowadays
in decadence owíng to the vast chetnical competence of the
« anilina » , cotton, flax, and a greaí variety of aromatic and
medicinalplants.
The breeding of cattle and swine is generally succesful;
the requine race is very esteemed in Lanzarote island; the
goat is everywhere; camel, always useful, has been substitu-ted
by tractors and is at present only employed for turist attrac-tion,
as they take beautiful cañarían girls on íts hump when
pilgrimages performances; also the sheep breeded in these
islands are much celebrated.
Among the domestic and singing birds, are EL Canario;
which is a bird from these islands, with a very pretty yellow,
green or white plumage; they are reproduced in captivity and
sing very well.
There are pine groves, cedars, cypresses, ulmus, laurels,
beechs an some dragón írees.
Moyor Fishing has been industrialiced, being also sold
in ice at the markets. The minor one, gathered out from the
waters of fhe islands, is fresh, abundant and of a very exqui-site
palate; being common, the cherne, corbina, salmón, sar-dine,
moUuses and sorae crustaceous.
MINING
In Gran Canaria island there are rich springs of mining-medicinal
waters: those from Aguaje and Berrazales, of a very
similar composition, are acidulous, ferruginous, and thermal;
diuretic and stimulant of the hepaíic function, pancreatic and
intestinal: indícated ín the afections ofskin, genital femenine
26 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
physiol and of artritic nature. That oí the El Rincón, in Las
Palmas city, sodium- magnesia carbonated, chloric- silicic: in-dicated
in hepatic afections. The onekriown as Santa Catali­na,
also in the mean town, chloric sodium- magnesia: useful
in perturbations of artritic origin, In San Roque, another im-portant
spring of carbonated- magnesic waters: good principally
for the digestive phisiol and hepatic afections. And leror
and Firgas acidulous table- waters.
In Lanzarote island there are radio- active minerais or sus­ceptible
to be used for the obtention of atomic energy. In
Montaña del Faeg. o, Tinecheide a great number of prospec-tions,
about forty- five kilometers of perforations, have been
carried out, by this way getting thíee thousand küograms oí
noble metáis and radio- active minarais. In the near under-ground
there are important streams of thermo- nuclear energy,
and which have allowed, in a tria! penod oí 24 hours the des-tilation
of 40 m.* of sea- water, at a temperature of 140* centi-grades,
using a steam boiler contacting the earth at a depth
of 40 centimeters,
In all the archipiélago there are stone blocks for manu­facture
and ílagstone pavement. And black sands of volcante
origin, very useful for agricultura as it is ñot necessary to
water them.
FAUNA AND FLORA
Flowers are beautiful and exotic in all landscapes and
regions: Plenty of palm and banana trees; tomatoes and not
so frequent, sugar cañe and tobáceo. Aromatic and medicinal
plans grow amongst the grass; magnificent examples of Pinas
Canafiensís, and even older, the beatiful Drago.
In the vast plain ground monstruous desert flowers are ad-mired;
the curious exemplaries of Cardones, oí tubular roots.
CQCÜUS
¡ owenfiQ
Fíl » A. BEHITEI
ata h. UEMIEZ,
Champion messenger
pigeons,
belons¡ n3
to pigeon
societies
in canarias
bessu belga canary,
clean yellow colour.
tbe lillle bird feeis x\ o\ captive
in Ihe trapezium
of a guanchinesa's
beauTíful hand
CARNET OUANCHE 27
under a sunny sky, opposing the dryness, looks at íhe hori-zon
frora its gigantic heights. By the other side the quiet oa­sis,
with the pleasant shadow of the palm- trees and its pool
of standing and quiet surface, revertíng the acaatic plants,
In the heights, the delicate note of the rose or white flo-wer
of almond; in the rocky ciiffs, nutritious pastures; in the
torrents, medicinal culantrillos and heléchos; veriles in hotels
aad hamlets; wonderful gardens is the cities. Flowers of all
countries in constant renovation, predomining Cactus in the
islands.
The decorative note in cañarían human characters is the
care tq flowers, to beautiful flowers; there are plants in the
pporest house and the majestic Anturio whose flower lives
three tnonths on its stalk, always stand out at the gate oí them.
The beauty and colour of these plants is so vast, that it
is impossible they are enumerated,
Scientifically, it is very interesting the habiíuation garden
of La Orotava in Tenerife and the experimeatation one in
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Fauna, after knowing the paradise of the Flora^
shows us but nothing new. In canary islands there have
never been wild animáis, ñor even small reptiles; the fox,
the wild cat or other similar have never dwelled in its moun-tains.
But there is plenty of shooting and other animáis crea-ted
to help human being.
In the first place we have íhe wild goat, of prominent
ubers, which race have not lost the quality of good milfc pro-duction
once domesticated. This is followed by the very fa-mous
in this islands sheep; and also abundant and selected
cattle. Tos horses in Lanzarote island go parallel with those
from Andalucía in vivacity. There are also good exemplaries
28 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
oí camels and dromedaries. The herd oí swines is well consi-derated
likewise. Dogs, very frequent formerly, are now extin-guished;
being nowadays only breeded those for shooting.
As indicated before, plenty
of wild rabbits and hares; birds
and poultry; EISO game- cocks
and pigeons.
Froni singing — birds, the Ca­nario
deserves a special men-tion:
In the ornithological no-menclature
its ñames is Cana­rio
de. Canarias « Serinus Cana-rius
» , belonging to the Fringí­lidos
family. This bird is about
thirteen cm. long, very sharp its wings, forking and long tail,
conical and thin beak, yellow, green or white, and sometimes
dark in portions, and aiso some odd black ones, íeathers. It is
known or cpmmonly nacied in the islands as Canario del
Monte or Canario Silvestre. Its íame has gone far from the
country limits, but its race has been foisted everywhere in the
world.
This little bird in wild state Uves only in Canary, Azores,
Madera and Porto Santo islands.
It has been determined as four centuries the time since
which this bird was domesticated by civilitation; being later
on modified, and so making Linneo and Bufíon, íailedon de­termine
that the golden- yellow colour of this bird made its real
type, not bearing in mind the green colour of the true mother
that after its generation - has kept this bird anchanged.
The conquerors íound this bird already captive in 1404;
CARNET GUANCHE 29
Juan de Bethencourt took some of them a sa curious present
to Castilla Courts, in small hails made with pieces of cane,
by tile nativas in their primitive dwellings. Tliis barón
also gave very fine exemplariesof this bird to the queen
Isabel de Baviera, when definitely retired to Francia.
Nearly by this time this bird appeared in Portugal, brou-ght
by the pilots of Enrique el Navegante, as a product of his
explorations through the Azores.
The British Isles heard about the canario when the expa-triation
of the flatningoes, during the spanish o ccupation, on
1565. But it was imporíed directly frorn the country of origin,
by the English seamen. At this time the wild canario was
introduced in Central Europe through North Italy, to where
they went crossing Liorna, Toscana región, and Genova; one
of the most important port in the Mediterranean. One of these
days a ship frora Spain wrecked in íhe Gulf of Genova her
cargo being composed of a great quantity of canarios in woo-den
boxes, which the crew let fly away. The small birds ílew
as far as Elba island, where they could have lived and repro-duced
if the native shooting had not badly extinguished them.
This proves that by that time Italy was already importing
and marketing the canario. They exported it to SwUzerland,
Germany, Holland ond Belgium, etc.
The breeding of these birds was so much intensified that
its marketing íailed for the need of purchasers.
In the XVII cenlury, the canario Xas well known in Euro-pe;
everybody admired and looked for it, but the colour of
its feathers had suffered many alterations, as a consequence of
ttiutations, This, that was firstly thought oí a phenomenon, and
to which has been given a reasonable explanation, caused
30 VICTORIANO PE LA TORRE
Spain, when the yellow canario appeared, lost iís sales, for so
Igng forestalled.
Actüally the canario from Adáníidas Isles has come to
less, but these islands is still the nest for its wíld reproduc-tion.
To conserve and better the race the Canariocultures
Asociation was undertaken, quite altruist and intigrated in its
most, by cañarían patriotic people.
HISTORICAL SYNTHESIS
The first historical news from the canary archipiélago is
not definitely known. That which may be settled as begin-ning
isthat these islands were visited by some phoeroician ves-seis;
the reason forsituating the Elysian Fields in them: Ali-zuth,
hebraic word, that communicated to the greeks, becomes
Elisias « The most recondite Paradise in the earth, breathing
the ocean air everywhere » .
It isalso true that the hebraic people heard from these is­lands,
poets and philosophers also named them « Afortuna­das,
Felices y Morada de Bienaventurados » — Fortúnate,
Happy islands, and Dwellingof Successful people.
The arabs called Canary islands Al facir al Kaledat: For­túnate
Islands.
It is in the Conquest penod when they are definitely na­med
Canarias, doubtlessly because of the noisy conquest of
the Canary island, and for the conjunctness of properties that
gave them the adjectif of Grande, which brought to íhis island
all the attention, and make forget the particular ñame of
the other isles,
Canis, in román language, means etymologically ( dog)
from which word comes Canaria; ñame with which Juba,
CARNET GUANCHE 31
King of Mauritania, and fairly well grown up in Rome, baptizad
this ialand. This king, very fond of sciences and Geogiaphy,
had a special interest in examining ílie islands,. ^ thering
írom the exp^ itionary records the principal charasterisfics of
every pne, to make thetn different and give them a ñame. In
this island the explorators found plenty of big dogs, from
which they took two, as well as a great number of palra-trees
and a vast variety of plants and birds.
The existence of dogs was confirmed in 1.403, by the
príests Bontier and Le Verrier, accompanying Juan de Bethen-court,
and who leít written down in their tiiary « Therewere
in the island some wild dogs, like wolves, although a little
smaller » . And another historiographer, points out: « former ca­carían
people commonly ate meat of castrated dog and goat-milk.
The ñame of the rest of the islands, got from Juba's me-moríals,
and gathered for History by the recognized author
Plinio, are: Mayor Junonia, Ombrios, Capraria and Nivaria.
It is only made mention of six islands, being Grand Canary
the only one that has ío be pointed out without error, as after
the distintion made to the others it may be understood and
interpreted after several meanings and is common ío every
one. These islands, as they were known, took a european de-nominatíon:
Lanzarote owes its ñame very probably to the
french Lancelote Maloy^ el, who explored it before the Con-quest,
and built a casttle, whích ruins were found by Juan de
Bethencourt.
Fuefteventura was known as Herbaria, for the abundabt
grass, until the conquerors, seing the barracks built by
the natives as a consequence of their civil wars, gave its ac­tual
denomination. The ñame of Gomera, is owing to being
32 ViCTORIANO DE LA ToRRE ^
abundant Almacigo in tfais island. The Hierro island, was na-med
by the french people Isla de Fer, due to the great
quantity* of iron material. La Palma may be a corruptioa of
Planaria, ñame afterwhich was called by the xtativ& s Echey. de
— hell, in guanche language— and Isla del Infierno by the
seamen. In a more modern epoch was named Tenerife, mea-ning
—^ Tener- Yfe— snow and high mountain, being this the
reason why Juba named it Nivaria.
The nativos — If indetertnined is the origin of the Canary
archipiélago, quite coufused is the one of its first citizens.
The eminent naturalists that iti different epochs have thorou-ghly
investigated the Canary museum — full of craniums,
mummies, skeietons, and primitive objects— have not found
the brilliant Une of the Iruth concerned. Neverthless it exist a
point of coincidence, and this is why even the characteristics
of the race were uniform in the archipiélago, three difíerent
types are revealed in the study of the anthropology.
The first proceeds from the european race in the superoir
paleolitic epoch and therefore of dolicocéfah craniums, skeie­tons
of admirable proportions; fair hairs — these may be stiil
defined in some mummies— right shoulders, large thorax re-veaiing
a high stature and strong complexión. This is the
one considered as puré guanche, and which identifies the
cromagnon who emígrated through all Europe. The rest oí
the same may be found in La Cueva del Castillo, a province
of Santander, dwelled in the cheJense period and also in the
neolitic and eneolitic, and which sculptoric rebuilding is
found in the Hisíorical National Museum ofViena, with the
skuU discovered in the Grotte des Enfants ( iVlentón, France)
ín 1,868, and which subsist in autoctonic families in Canary
islands, in the swises from Dalarnas and many other countries
of Europe.
CARNET GUANCHE 33
Other oí the fundamental types diseminated with irregu-larity
through the isles, is also dolicocefalo, oí a long face,
average complexión, long eyes and dark skin, identified with
the most ancient and numerous race and clasified as europe-oide
or white, w/ hotn the italian philosopher and anthropolo-gist,
Joseph Seigi, ñame euroafrican. This race lived in Euro-pe
and asiatic- african mediterranean couníries, including ca-nary
islands, and being the origin of the iberos, libares, etrus-cans,
ancient pelasgians, bereberes and guanches.
The third race is not very numerous and quite dispersed,
From braq. uicéialo origin, the chins very prominent; being a
descendent oí black people.
There are also real proofs of crossing of races different to
the three mentioned before, which have not surprised us, for
if in the Conquest epoch the people from the islands were in
the quaternary period, when human life was still purely vegeta­tiva,
there are rerainiscences of an improved civilítation, such
as embalments — in rare parallelism wííh those from Egypt—,
ways of government, pasture and something of agriculture.
About how the first citizens carne to the island, is some­thing
that remains hided in the móst completad Ethnography.
Sciences have not yet been able to determine the time hu­man
being has been living on the earth, and still more
difficult for them to know, on a particular ground.
Should we affirm that the Canary Islands were fragments
separated from the african continent, as a result of a catastro-phe
or geológic evolution, it may be supposed this happened
— as in Australia— after the first people have arrived, and so
being the culture petriííed in the State. The igneus rocks co-vering
the atlantic ocean would exist before human being
34 VICTORIANO DE LA. TORRE
• • i . . ll_ i II I .1 M, ••..— , .11 _ , g- «
appeared, but the bridge sunk after this had inhabíted íhe
islands. The quaternary period begins about 2 million years
before Christ, but human being did not appear before the
present epoch. The much discussed existence of the human
being in the tertiaty period has no probatoiy worth, being
made a receot demonstration in Nantes, France, that the
EmoUtos were a capnce from Natura and not a product oí hu­man
manufacture.
After this conclusión, we can definitely say that human
being appears in the qualernary epoch, glacial period, about
250.000 years ago.
But let US leave now the happenings before History.
When the first lights from cívilization shine, our attention is
drawn towards the phoemician nation; belonging to one of
the three nomenclatures of the coucasian race, the semitic
branch; and whose inhabitants, natives from the Persian Gulf
grounded on a narrow arm of land, in the occidental coast of
Siria, between Libano and the Mediterranean Sea, by Cros­sing,
undoubtlessly between The Tigris and Eufrates, the re­gión
where the origin of History is to be found: Caldea, Babi­lonia,
Siria and Mesopotamia.
This happened in cctury XXIV before Christ, and towards
the century XI, they had reached the top of Europe, grounded
on the islot San Sebastian, where they founded Gades
— 1.100 years b. C.— on the West of the present Cádiz and
built a huge temple in Hercules honour.
After the hebrews owned the country of Canaan, and
causing the dispersión of these people, the phoemicians went
to the North of África, establishing along the shore, and gi-ving
the ñame Canarias to some cities on the down of the
CARNET GUANCHE 35
Atlas. In 1.250 they founded their bestand beautiful city, neat
the present Túnez, and which they named the goddess Car-tag.
o. This powerful commercial Republic counted 700.000
itihabitants when the capitulation of the Third Punic War.
This city sufíered a blockade oí three years, in which siega
every house was converted into a fortress and lastly fired du-ring
seventeen days, its mins being also destroyed, The sur-vivors
exiled to the interior, at the same time, like the smoke
of the ashes, the phoemícian Nation flew away. This was the
year 146 before Christ,
It has been authentically demonstrated that the phomi-cians
were the expert seamen of the ancient times: in the X
centuiy they piloted the Salomon's merchant íleet. In the V
century with the vessels of the King Necao of Egypt, sailed
surfounding África from the Red Sea to the mouths of the
Nilo. Concerning the Atlantic Gcean, they saiíed it to reach
the British Coasts; from Scilly and De Cornualles Isles they
acquired the tin,
Lastly, we ought to draw our attention towards their ma-rititne
iniportation: on the purple brought to thé continent
from a very. fertile and sanng. üks, they named Purpurina. We
have born in mind when speaking about the purple, the pro-duction
pheomicians from Tiro got from shells, in large quan-tity
in these shores, but not sufficient to supply the Courts
oí that time.
With this slight exposition, we suspend the ideas bet-ween
the lines in order the reader may come to an end by
himself about who were thé real primitive inhabitants oí the
Canary islands.
Their complexión.— The fací that the guanches lived
quite isolated in their purest nitency, conserviag their integrity
36 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
until century XIV of our era, made seem to these named bea-rers
of: civtlization, they ^^ ftK extraordinary beings. Nothing
more natural was to be expected írom a race like the cauca-sian;
frorn all of iís branches flowering the most beautiful gifts
' XA/. I
Ancient warrior, with his « hield and tahona.
CARNET GUANCHE 37
írom naíure. The ptimitive islanders were íaíl, sparing apd of
strong complexión as every being created after his wílling, i'n
brotherhood with natura; moreover if they are from autocto-nic
generations: as nowadays families, not contaminated, who
practise physical exercises, swiming and oíher sports,
They were of white skin, fair hair; although in some re-gions
their skin was dark and in others of golden one — the
colour of the wheat—, and dark hair. Women, of a extraordinary
beauty, had a very thin long hair they combed naturally, Their
waist genteei and well shaped; fresh their mouth, showing
the wonderful treasure of their very white pearls. And at the
back of their eyes, as the quietness of a iake, the ccntrasted
blue of the atlantic was reílected: sweet, dreaming looking;
showing alive their intense and faithful loves.
They composed an aesthetic people: dedicating speciai
care to their anatomical beautly. Their favourite pastime was
fighting, under noble laws, in which practise they joined
strengh and skillfulness. They were very skiliful in throwing
stones and darts, In their spare time they leí their natural me-lancholy
apipear in beautiful and sensitive songs: folias.
Sometimes the tribes met to commetnorate together com-mon
principal events or festivities, such as the crowning of
their Kings, the general Courts pf the islands, and the one
called Beñestnen. This last feast lasfed several days, beginning
when the summer solstice; commencement of the guanche
year; this divided into 29 changas of the moon. The lunar
year used by the mohammedans, is the period of twelve sy-nodic
revolutions of the moon, and the interval of each con-juction
is of 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes. ( We cali the-reader's
attention on that the primitive calendars, most pro-bably,
were also established on the changes ot tbe Moon,
38 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
such as the egyptian's for instance, already fixed 4.000 years
b. C).
During the festive periods, hostilities were suspended
and any member íroin other State in war, was respected if he
carne into the belh'gerent ground.
The language.— Dictions in every isle generally began
with « tt » , « che » or « gua » ; affinity which may be proved
by ¡ the ñames that tradition has conserved; the common tan-guage
contained the dialectical roots oí the whole archipiéla­go.
Or better said, the different dialects spoken in the islands,
carne from a mother language. '
Religión.— From the tops of their mountains they ado-red
the Sun — Mag^ el— and paid veneration to nature; offe-ring
as a sacrifice, milk, fruits, and cheese libations. But a
monotheist idea prevailed: one only God, called Alcorac,
Achinacac or Abora, in Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Palma,
respecíively.
The iaicanes — priests— were elected by the noblemen
of the race. Besides directing the religious peifomances,
made the marriage of thé nobles ligitimate, attended the
counsel of the tribes, and adviced the Kings.
The irionasteries were built between the rocks. Large
caves with buildings joined closely; some of them very remar-kable
beause of their ouíwalls and rooms. The noblemen's
daughters were grown up there, where the Arimag. uadas
— príestessés of the epoch— also live,
These príestessés proceeded from any social category,
but chosen amongst the most beautiful and clever ones; in
the convent, wtthout any contact with raen, were educated for
religious performances.
CARNET GUANCHE 39
Their very simple perfomances were to foretell íhe faíure
by studying the changes of the smoke, to invoke for rain, eíc,
When dryness times, they carne to the beach in full moon
nights^ afld goitig into the water, they Whipped the tops of
the waves, making arise silvefed bubl^ es which lately fell,
like rain, on íhe naked arftber of their vestal — from the god-dess
Vesta— virginities. this was an atfvance of the benefac­tor
clouds that because of their rite were beginning to con­dense.
Qovemrtfienf.— The guanche state was formed, air over
the islands, by independant kingdoms; which crown they
reached by hereditary líne. In the same way the employs in
the coansif of Guaires — senate— were holded, having access
to this only the noblemen, after hierarchy.
Thé Tagoror — the Courís— met on a circular plaín
ground, sitting on some laboured stones covered with lea-thers.
The Faican also attended these meetings but had no
vote on the deliberations.
The proclamation of the Guanarteme or Mencey — King
of Canary or Tenerife, respectively— was carried out on these
circular grounds where the Tagoror met, then attending the
whole Royal famify, the noblemen, and^ the common people
who surrounded fhe circle.
The oíd man in most relationshíp with the king dead,
was the bearer of a humeros belonging to the most ancient
kingof his íace, which was wáíched and kept inan envelope
of chamois leather. He hacded it to the present monarch who
took it very solemnly on his head and then swore to imitate
his ancestor's doings and keep his people happy, oath that
was repeated by the noblemen handing one another the bo-ne,
after every one touched his shoulder with it
Whipping the waves ceremony. '
CARNET GUANCHE * 41
The performance finished with the cheering of the peo-pie
and immediately íhe feasts began, which were comme-"
raoraíed with balls and big meáis in scenaries adorned with
palms and laurels and aromatic grass as tapestry. There were
aíso physical exercise exhibitions: skilfulness and agility,
climbing of the highest and dangerous rocks, throwing of sto-nes
and darts, rising of weights, and individual or bands
fighting, callad cañarían fighting nowadays.
In the big meáis the Gofio mixtured. with butter or palm-honey
was abundant; also the fish; rabbit and goat meaí boi-led
in milk, or roasted with butter. Generally the Guanches
were not very fond of drinkin'g but on these performances the
tacerq. U£ n — juice from palm- trees— and other spirits never
missed.
Society and laws. - Two social spheres constitued the
nation: the privileged, composed by the roya! members, and
the noblemen and common people, formed by those who wor-ked.
Nevertheless, there were no slaves and even some em-ploys
they considered denigrating like those of butcher and
executioner, were holded by prisoners.
In case of war or crops the whole State formed one only
family. But, with these two exceptions, the tribes maintained
separately, not allowing mixtures even fcr marriages. The no­blemen
married virgins of a cenobitical life, thus verifying a
continued depuration of the race.
Concerning the common people, they married each other.
after the own willing of the both, with the only authorisa-tion
of íhe bride's father, without any ceremony at all, and
the marriage was dissolved when any disagreement appeared.
The Menceyes or Guanarteraes, only could marry royal
42 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE '__
women. On special cases, when there was no virgin under
this conditions, they married thcir own sisters ( as former
oriental monarchies did).
As a custotn they offered the monarch, faican, guaires or
other distinguished persons the firstfruits of the marriage
( prelibation rights in the civilized continent).
In soine islands some cases of polyandria happened ( as
in the actual China).
Comraonly the family, the father the head of the same,
constituted a solid base of discipline and ethics. Children
were grown up under the conception of good and bad they
learnt after fables and examples. The faults in considerating
their parents were punished through laws by the state. They
were also educated in the art of war from their first years, sub-raitting
them to a hard treatment of physical exercises their
own father direcíed: as beginning, he made them avoid the
throwing to them of some mud balls, which balls were later
on converted inío stonés and lastly became real warweapons,
such as darts and spears. Only knowingthis procedure of edu-cation,
can be imagined the skilfulness, agility, and flexibility
of the guanches, which virtues together caused so much asto-nishment
to the europian people of the epoch.
Onóther virtue that qualified the guanche people was the
love to Justice and Order.
For the best knowledge of the lawsuit, there were two
kinds of halls or judges administering justice, this depen-ding
on the condiíion of the oífender. By this way every per-son
acused was judged by members of his own catego-ry;
justice was administereü with equity and law was adjud-ged
severely. Only the publicly punishraents, like whip-
CARNET GUANCHE 43
ping and capital penalty, were suffered etther by night or day
depending on they were nobleraen or comnion people, res-pectively.
The degrees of penalties were the same in a! l the islands;
comprising from the forfeit to the capital penalty. Foi instan-ce:
The virgins deceived, were kept into prisión until the of-fensors
married them. The adulteresses were buried alive. He
who spoke to a woman alone along a road, was severely pu-nished.
Thieves were punished to the capital penalty, being
sticked. There were also killed the assessins and those who
falsified contraéis. Traitors were buried alive, burnt or stoned.
He who kilied his enemy facing him was declared a brave-man
ahd was forgiven, but if he did it perfidiously at his
back then was condemned to the capital penalty.
Dweiling and clothes.— They dwelled in natural caves,
with the exception of the Kings that had vast crypts. The is­lands
all were quite holed with caverns and this was the rea-son
why the natives were so fond of living in these aiready
made buildings, Nature offered them. Howeverthe caves were
made larger by digging on the walis; sometimes they tried te
hole them looking for the open air of the ravines. They also
joined some buildings made with stone and mortar, forming
the roofs with some wooden long pieces they perfectly joined
and covered with mud and straw ( as it was done in England,
France, Italy, etc. until Century XIII). They kept alight by bur-ning
some axes of candlewood.
The Tamarco — dress— which comes from « Tamar »
( phoemiciao word) and means palm, was something like a tu-nic
they wore tied to the their waist and which covered half of
their body. Women also were a very girded underclothe cove-ring
them as íar as the end of their legs.
44 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
These cloíhes were used the same by the noblemen and
the common people. The only difference was their hair, bolh
man and women let grow if noblemen or cut it out if they
were common people.
Wíi^^-
Primitive Guanche woman.
CARNET GUANCHE 45
The íunics were made from leather, worked very skilfully,
and so getting very flexible; the joining of its pieces, irapos-sible
to be seen, were boiled with nerves of animáis, to be la-ter
on tinged in red with a composition made from the sap
of the « dragos, and which intense colour still persists in the
muramies found. They also used yellow paint they got from
the boiling of a grass, which ü is thought they called « gual-dra>->
and which it may be the weld of our times.
Agricufture and arts.— lí was forbiden the noblemen
any kind of domestic works, but they worked enthusiastically
on agriculture. This work was then very hard for the only
tools they had to dig the earth were a horn of goat and a stick
hardened in the fire. Women helped them by sowing and cu-ting
the ears they after fhreshed under their feet.
The harvest were kepí as common goods; their only own
propérty was the goats and the house they lived. So much la-boriousness
was thanked by Nature who gave them a great
variety of fruit- trees.
Pottery and Ceramic were artisany works. The wheel was
not employed, the shape of the objects being formed with
their hands, by this way obtaining: vases, pota and cans, pla-tes,
dishes, neck rings and other femenine objects; which we­re
polished with pumice- stone and gayed with lineal drawings.
Other diligent doings or proffesions were those of dyer,
fishmonger, dealer on moluscans, leather- dresser, dwelling-builder
— specialized in the opening oí caves— and manu-facturer
of juncus screens and palm mats.
The proffesion of embalmer was said of a despisable and
lowly Job.
They did not pay much attention to medecine; the care
. 46 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
to their health was concentrated on physical excercises and
food, as we may deduce after having seen the integral teeth,
without no caries, found in the mummies; by the other hand
they suffered from no heieditary iilness. The base for thetr
recipes was the oíd whey of goat- mük, which was used as a
laxative.
Their burials.— On their last moments, quite sorrowful,
they called thjeir family together andsaid: Vaca guare — líeel
am going to die—. They were then carried to the cave they
had beforehand chosen, where they were left alone on a bed
niade with leathers, a vase containing milk at the head of it.
They were differently buried according to the catego-fy
oS the dead: The Menceyes or üuanartemes and noblemen
were introduced in biers of savin and carried to their ceme-tery
or caves, situated in the most inaccessible places, which
entrance they covered with síones.
The embalments were carried out by people of difíerent
sex — as it happened in Egypí— depending on the dead we­re
meo or women. The procedure is not quite known but the
perfection on this doing go parallel with that got on the
egyptian mummies.
We only are aware that they prepared a balsam contai­ning
amongst other substances, sheep oil, aromatic grass and
the sap from the dracto — milenary tree—, and which balsam
was spread all over the body once it had been desicated, and
also introduced through the ino. uth and nose; leaving it later
at the sun. When the corsé was dried and dre? sed with its
tamarco, they placed its arms either along the body or cros-sed
on it, if man or woraan, respectively. Afíerwards they
were five times tied with some pieces of sheep and goat lea-ther
perfectly dried.
CARNET GUANCHE 47
Thelr independonce endf.— After the incursión of some
errant people and pirales who gradually depopulated the is-lands
and brouglit the natives the fear and hatred towards
the invaders, the first formal expedition was organized by Al-phonso
IV of Portugal in 1.341, integrated by two big vessels
crewed by poituguese people and some smaller ones on
board of the same people from Castilla ( Spain), Florencia
and Genova ( Italy) came as aggregates.
The expedition landed all the islands, with the exception
of Tenerife; made some explorations, gathered some animáis,
plants, interesting objects, and some native people, etc., and
went back to Europe, exciting the aim of the Conquest.
At the end of the same century, the pppe Clemente VI
declared the Fortúnate Isles feudaíary kingdom of the Apos-tolical
Chair, and D. Luis de Cerda Sovereign of the same,
with the title of Prince of Fortune; bull that was denied by
Alphonso XI of Castilla, after considerating that the archipié­lago
belonged to the diocese of Morocco, suffragan of the
metropolitan of Sevilla.
The Prince concerned, after an uníortunate trial and lea-ving
some of his people captive of the natives, returned to
France, without no other willing to take possesion oí the
hypotheticai kingdom. And the century XIV elapsed, the bra-ye
guanches defending írom the incursions of adventurers;
some oí them so properly organized as those directed by such
a Don Gonzalo de Peraza, who with considerable ammunition
and horsetroops, pirating, ran over the islands; in Lanzarote
pillaging the humble homes of the natives and making these
childishly run after their cruel persecution, stole their cat-tle
and captived the King Tiguafaya, his wife and 170 abo
ngines.
48 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
The Conquest.— Bárbaro is said to any member of the
gothic people that in century V desolated the román Empire
and spread nearly all over Europe; rhetorically means: wiid,
cruel, uncultured, gross, rude. After the investigation carried
out on Cañarían history, we have discovered nothing suppor-ting
that the natives of these islands were wild, ñor cruel, ñor
rude, etc. as far as concerníng their somatology they needed
no poli& híng; they seemed « setnidioses » — demigods —. They
were of good character, even with their conqtierors, brave and
noble when fighting, tnagnanimus when forgiving and very
considerated tonvards their prisoners, whom they made regain
their'vigor, before let theoí go free. This is why we refuse this
word some historians have used referring the natives from
these islands and which allusions have received from the sa­me
pirates, explorers and adventurers, and also frotn any lea­der
or conjmander that really deceived, scolded and marketed
the guanche people.
In 1.402 Monseñor — a tittle of nobless in France— Rubí
de Bracamonte, of the French Navy, possesed the faculty of
conquering the Furtunated Isles as an honour given for his
donations to the war against Portugal, when the Kings of
Castilla Juan I and Enrique 111; this last governing at this time.
Monseñor transferred the rights on the islands to his ne-phew,
Don Juan de Bethencourt, Cavalier of the King of
France Corps, who associated to Gadiíer de la Salle, hackster
and adventurer of the epoch, undertook the expedítion, ac-companied
by the franciscans Bontier and Le Verríer and a
vernacular marriage.
After nine days of sailing, having started off from the port
of Sevilla, they w^ ere in f ront of Lanzarote. The first islot they
reached was natned Alegranza as a motive of happiness and
CARNET GUANCHE 49
íTie next one Montaña Clara beCause there were no clouds on
its sky.
Once íhey had diserabarked, Don Juan de Bethencourt
pacted with the King' Guadarfrá, governing the isle, and oífe-red
him to be treated ¡ as
independent prince. He
built a fortress and lea-ving
de Bernaval as Go-bernor
oí the same, went
to Fuerteventura.
ID this second isle he
disembarked, but had no
contact with the natives
for a week; after a sedi-tion
oí the crew, he went
the way to Spain,- where
he payed homenage oí
the islands to Enrique III
El doliente ( the sorrow-ful),
who became his so-vereign
and whom be­thencourt
swore íidelity,
being then helped by the
King to go back to the
Don Juan de Bethencourt islands.
Once in Lanzarote again he had to reduce a sedition pro-tected
by his very same Gobernor, and which finished with
the giving up of the Monarch and his principáis. Guadarfrá
was then baptized with the ñame of Luis.
It is the beginning of the Christianism in the Atlantic
50 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
ignored. Frotn the pages o{ Bontier and Le Verrier's caíe-chisra
the first rays oí religión comes over the isles.
On a second landing on Fuerteventura, they build a cas-ttle
on the top of a mountain, uamed Rico Roque, and in other
place, they baptize^. another, Val Tarajal, which was governed
by Gadifer de la Salle.
There is a period oo^ which many incursions to ptan Ca­naria
island happened; they went back cadgelled and hurted.
A disagreeanient between the twp conquerors niaaes
thera both go again, on diííerents vesseis, to the presen-ce
of Enrique III, who sent Gadifer de la Salle back to France
and Bethencourt to Ganaríais with somenew royal documents,
weapons, food, and money.
And once tnore they are againsi a sedition directed by
Aníbal, step- soo of Gadifer de la Salle. And once more the
good judge of the Kings oí th « island made themselves and
their subjects give up to the conqueror^ and the Monarches
Giiize and Ayoze, are baptized as Luis ana Alfonso, becoming
christians all the natives. "
On this epoch a church is built in the islands, under the
advocation of the Saint Marf oí Betencuria, in the place
known as Val Tarajal.
Another asalt to Grand Canary island; meanesses and
aaother defeat. This time Juan de Bethencourt had disposed
íhat his fleet were divided: two vesseis on the South of Ca­narias
and one by La Palma island.
The íirst landing was carried oui in Arguineguin, being
welcoraed by the Guanarteme Artemi Semidan, in the mean-while
the best officers of Bethencourt tried to get the natives
into a circle. These last ones, far írora being írightened, reac-
CARNET GUANCHÉ 51
tea against the forméis and a great and furious battle took
place which lastly was decided on the part of the islandere,
cauSii^ many deads, aiíJongst thetn- the bravé Monarch and
the beát europeati ofíiceií. It is then when they called the
isle Grand Cánary, naflle that has not beén changed until
nowadays.
The crew of the third vessel landing on La Palma isle,
after three months of hard íighting, deCided noí to go on with
the Conquest. With favoürable winds they sailed the way ío
Gomera.
This isle and Hurto, were rather desolated by the pira-tes
and the inhabitants óf the same offered no resistance. The
conqueror shared the lánds amoñgk his soldiers, who made
the natives their sltfves.
Don Juan de Bethencouit formed a kingdom — depen-ding
on the Castilla crown— composed by the four isles; le-gislated
a way oí government, at the head of this his relation
Macioí de Bethencourí, who married Guadarfrá's daughter,
and sailed to Frátice, going before to Castilla Courts where
he obtained the intercession frotn Enrique III íor the íoiinda-tion
oí a bishopric in Canarias. This was undertaken under
the denomination of San iVlarcial de Rubicón; bull dispat-ched
by the pope Inocencio Vil to the favour of Don Alber­to
de Las Casas.
The Government of Macibt, was far from being a good
one: the sale of slaves increased, even those from the isles
submitted, and was in connéction with the King of France
trying to obtain some troops and vessels. When he transfe-rred
the commandement oí the isles to the envoy oí Castilla,
Don Pedro Barba de Campos, went with his wife to the isle
of Madera — portugueses' property from 1.419— making a
52 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
new cession of Canarias to the lusiíanian infante Don Enri­que.
It is íhen undertaken by Portugal as hers the enterprise
of the Conquest; as inany times íhey try the incursión, are
defeated by the brava grancanarios. In the town of Galdar
their is a very cünging mount named Silva and which perpe-tuates
a noble an heroic feat:
A great number of portugueses troops, commanded by
Don Diego de Silva, after
an unsuccessful incur­sión
were took prisoners
by the grancanarios, who
always victorious and
magnanimus, 1 e a d e d
ttiem down a clinging
mount with the conse-quent
fear from the part
of t h e prisoners. The
Guanarteme oí the isle,
- i
Tenesor Semidán, then
smiling kindly, pffered
his arm to the head of
the expedition in order
his fear went away. They
were leaded to a place ve­ry
near the beach, where
they regain their vigor
before were let go íree on
board. Diego de Silva ga-ve
to the Guanarteme as
a present, a golded sword, aiíd started off with his fleet, sorro-wed
and admired-
Tenesor Semidán, Guanarteme of Qaldar.
CARNET GUANCHE 53
With triáis of asait and transactions oí the isles, the time
elapses; until the Catholic Kings organized a numerous expe-dition,
under tlie commandement of Don Juan Rejón, who
helped by the deán of Rubicón Don Juan Bermudez, very
skillful in the language and customes of the islanders, disem-barqued
the 24th June 1.478 on the isle of Gran Canaria, and
encamped on the limits of the ravine Guiniguada, where they
built a foríress of solid walls they named the Real of Las Pal­mas
— there the hermitage of Saint Antonio Abad stands
nowadays.
Tenesor Semidán, Guanarteme de Gáldar, and Doramas
who had usurped the crown of the statés of Telde, formed two
corps of troops and attacked the Real of Las Palmas, refusing
beforehand the mission of Juan Rejón with the arrogant
words: « go and say to your Captain thatyou will have an ans-wer
íomorrow » .
The fighting was furious and disastrous on the part of the
cañarían people. Adargoma, Guaire and leader of the troops of
Galdar, was taken prisoner, and the brave Doramas retreated.
At the shade of this triumph many buildings were joined
to the fortreess and many natives carne to its gate asking for
being baptized.
But the portugueses that wished not to stop in their aim
of conquering all the isles, returned with a fleet, this time
composed by seven carvels and a large artillery, and combi-ning
with the natives the attack by land in the meanwhile
they did it by sea, attacked the Real.
The Spanish people were so brave and skillful when figh­ting
that the crew from every carvel reaching the shores was
defeated. The fleet had to retire without being able to take
54 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
the wounded soldters on board and leaving. on the isle plenty
oí deads and spoiled little boats. Concerning the canarians
they did not attack the fortress; only slightly contacted the
vanguard line.
From íhese motnents the History is confused with hates,
arrests, and repairments, without any remarkable feat oí war
interesting to Conquest. Untilthe 18th August 1480, on which
day Don Pedro de Vera — brave nobleman from Andalucía
who as General Captain oí the isles, took the commandtnent
for the Conquest— arrives at the Real of Las Palmas;] at this
timé being bishop Don Juan de Frías, a great help to the en-terprise
through pacifíc
means.
His first war feat was
to hostiliza the hosts on
the North carrying out an
attack by sea and estábli-ching
a bridge- head of
troops in Agaete.
By land they went as
far as the mountain of
Arucas, where the intre-pid
Doramas had become
strong.
Once the two forces
; faced, Doramas sent a
messanger to Pedro de
Vera, saying as follows:
« Should amongst your
effeminate european peo-pie
be anyone who dared
Don Pedro de Vera. • fightíng against me, with
CARNET GUANCHE 55
íhe presence oí the two
sides, the battie could be
avoided » .
The challenger was
accepted by Pedro de Ve­ra,
but the hidalgo Juan
Flores interposed and fo-und
death afíer a st^ ong
hit on the skull.
Soon aíter, the figh-ting
generalized; Dora-mas
was seriously woun-ded
by Don Pedro de Ve­ra
at the same time Don
Diego de Hoces hurthim
at his back with a spear;
the cañarían chief then
said: « You have not been
the one who has killed
me but this traitor who ^'^'^" P '^°" •'"^" ^' ^'^'''•
has hurt me at my backs » ; he died some moments later he was
taken prisoner.
His head was then put on a spear and taken as a trophy
to the barracks. His mutilated body was buried in the moun-tain
today called aíter his ñame; being until this moment ac-companied
by a lot of his warriors who preíerred not leaving
their heroic Guanarterae although they were taken prisoners.
The very much felt death of Doramas broke the sligbt
cuirass of their independence. By the other hand, the troops
of Pedro de Vera were strengthened by centuries of prosely-tes
inured to war who obliged the canarios to hide in i- nacce-
56 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
ssible places. And the bi^ hop Don Juan de Frías introducing
his catechésis in the € ourt of the last Guanarteme.
A remarkable day, the 12th February 1.483, Tenesor Se-mldan
and his principáis were surprised in a cavern where
they were celebrating council. Pedro de Vera who carne to
meet the prisoners near Bañaderos, offered the Guanarteme
a Wellcome and a horse, but the monach refused everything
and preferred going walking to the Real of Las Palmas.
Tenesor Semidan was baptized in Toledo, named Fernan­do,
his God- parents being the Catholic Kings.
Atis Tirmal.— The next cañarían monarchy comes to the
beautiful prícess Guayarmina and his pretender to marriage
Bentejuí, also of régal dignity. Both of them assuíiied the su-preme
aim of ftghting: The princess representing the resis-tance;
Bentejuí a young and brave leader, who preferred death
to give himself up. And cantoned in Tirajana valiey, defen­ded
by high walls, hoisted the flag of independence on the
eminent and sloped Roque de Ansite.
The enterprise to finish the Conquest is reorganized
when Guanarteme Tenesor, now named Fernando Guanarte­me,
comes back to the island dressed at the Spanish fashion
— in fine scarlet and silk clothes—, commanding the militia
with the help of Maninidra.
In the district of Telde, the submission of the islanders
was as easy'as a military marching. The presence of a squa-dron
composed by Spaniards and proselytes, secondly helped
by two bodies of soldiers under the commandeinent of Pedro
de Vera, was a sufficient motive for the rendition with the ex­clusión
of the faican and some other puré canarian people
who preserved from it on the cantón of Ansite.
CARNET GUANCHE 57
The conslderations exposed by Don Fernando to tíie last
bulwark were of no worth. This ex- canarían King wás repu-diated
by his former subjects that lastly bffered their subor-dination
to k'iiTi if he remained amongst them, under these
words: Cañarían exists, look ai it oñ these rocks.
From this moment the resistance is strongly and bravely
maintained; stratagems and ambushes get the conqtíerors con­fusión;
guerrillaá make their troops come to less; when
the attack of Ajodar the SpaníardS retire, leaving 200 of their
soldiers dead on the rocks, amongst them their Captain
Miguel Mujíca,
Things in such a way, Pedro de Vera decides aíter a
isupreine effort, to rejoin his troops togethcand face the final
battie. On seeing these prospections Don Fernando Guanar-temé
applied for a diplomatic mission and going alone to the
íortress, obtained aíter wise advices, the natives gave up their
weapons.
Bentejuí and the Faican of Telde signed an honest capi-tulation
in order their people were treated like a free one,
guaranteeing at the same time the social situaíion of the prin-cess.
The last guaires and cañarían nien threw away their ma-gados,
darts and tahonas, invoking on their knees the protec-tion
of Don Fernando. An the heroic Bentejuí ánd the Faican
immortalízed the race's honour with the epopee of their
death: like one only man after a strong embrace, they trew
themselves together from the eminent híeghts of Ánsite, the
prayer in their lips: Atis- Tirma!, sacred theorem that sacrifi-ces
everything to honour.
Grand Canary embodied the crown of Castilla the 29th
April 1483, Saint Peter Berona's day, from which date this is
the Guardian Saint of the isle.
58 VICTORINO DE_ LA TORRE
Colon in Canafy Islands.— A fortúnate happ^ ning, the
greatest known by any c^ untry's history coinés to favour the
history pf Canariat, *
The year 1.492 elapses and Don Fernánd © and Dona
Isabel's aims become reálity: the ' 2nd January, the Nationa}
Unity is acquire'd after tl^ e abdication © f Boabdil, nazari-ta
King, and on the top of the famous Tower La Vela, in the
beautiful pranadá, the cross of the. Cardinal Mendoza is ere-ted,
being the banner of ' íhe Catholic Kings, hoisted three
times.
The sovereigns then pay attention to Colon's próyects
of fínding along the Atlantic a new maritime route to reach the
oriental shgres of Apia, and the 17th April the named Capitu-
Jations of Santa Fe are signed. The 3rd August, frqni the port
of Palos in the saiall river Tinto ( Huelva) they leave on
board of thiee vessels, with 120 raen, to look for the other
half of the world and add it to the empíre of Spain, making
the first cali on the recent Spanish Isles. Firstly, Gran Cana­ria,
where the íleet anctiored in the port of La Isleta, repaired
the rudder of La Pinta — in the street nowadays known as He­rrería—
changed the lateen sail of La Niña for another round
one; and Colon comtpanding the Santa Maria surrounded
the north, of Tenerife and anchored in Gomera in whicli
isle he purveyed; starting off defenitely the llth Septem-ber
from this Spanish terrítory to join it in a f lorious track
of thirty days, with ftie isle of Guanahaní, which was called
San Salvador.
From this date and on different sailings Canary Islands
and Gomera were always necessary calis in their way to
America.
Fronj these isles Colon took to America seeds, plants.
CARNIT GUANCHE 59
cattle, poiíltry, etc., that so abundantly have been fepródu-ced;
amongst them the sagar cañe, one of íhe principal woríhs
in Las Antillas.
And frora this date the cañarían archipiélago is the
broocfa that joins íhe three most prosperous and civilized con-tinents.
The conquest goes on. — Don Alonso Fernández de Lu­go,
frOm the nobless of Galicia Kingdom, was the captain de-signed
for the conquest of the isles of La Palma and Tenerife.
The 29th September 1.492, this nobieman disetpbarked
on the occidental shore
of La Paiina, and on the
anchoring- ground of Ta-zacorte-
belonging to the
cantón of Aridane and go-verned
by the prince Ma-yantigo-,
and little by lit-tle
he entered the island,
wiíhout serious resistan-ees
and obtaining the
submission of the States
whtch he offered freedom
to themselves and their
properties, if they recog-nized
feudality t o the
Catholic Kings. It was on-ly
left to be conquered
the cantón of Eceró,
strong and inexpugnable
place, tnaiíitained under
íanausii, valiant palmer prince.
60 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
the not less strong wílling of the brave prince Tanausú.
Being no way to take these lands by arms, not even
with the help of the proselyts, Fernández de Lugo agreed a
truce, under agreaments of peace with the noble palmero
prince, but preparing at the same time an ambush for the day
of the meeting. In fact, when the named bárbaro, unarmed
and trustfully went to this meeting, was atíacked at his back
by the bearers of civílization. By this way was the isle of La
Palma incorporated to the crown of Castilla the 3rd Septem-ber
L493, And Tanausú that not willing to take any food let
himself die with hunger, in order not to be a conquerors'
slave, the shackles prisoning his wrists; and thus adding his
ñame to the brighting constelation that in the guanche sky
immortalizes the honour and heroism of the race.
The conquest ends.— If Canaria gave the ñame to the
isles, Tenerife generalized the ñame of the islanders, for
the real only guanches were those from the lands of the
Teide.
This isle, the only one still to be conquest in thé archipié­lago,
was politically divided into nine cantons, governed by
their corresponding Menceyes who foreseeing the happe-nings
to come, left at one side their common slight grudges
and joined together as one only troops.
Don Alonso Fernández de Lugo disembarked with his
troops oti the anchoring- ground of Añaza, in the Spring of
1,494, nailing on the earth a wooden cross and baptizing this-ground:
« Santa Cruz » .
From his contact with the Menceyes he carne to the con­clusión
that he would not be hostilízed if his aim was of pea-ce
but this not implying any obeisance frotn the part of the
CARNET GUANCHE 61
natives; And the many times he tried the incursión the many
times he aiet a body of islanders' troops that in a correct for-mation
under the commandinent of Bencomo and Tínguaro,
Don Alonso Fernández de Lugo baptized the ground invaded: « Santa Cruz »
62 VICTORIANO DE LA TOPRÉ
Meticey and prioce réspectively írom the ícingdom oí Taoro,
bravely faced him.
Fernández de Lugo fell back to his barracks on the beach
to think oí a strong aítack, By íhe other side bencomo reíired
to his States cailing to-gether
the Menceyes
to preparé the defen-ce.
This tagioror was
attended by eighf can­teas;
the only one
n o t attending t h is
kind of council was
that of Güimar, whose
Mencey, Anaterve, so-me
days later went to
the Spanish Conque-ror
ofíering alliance.
Quebehi Bencomo
presided the assembly
^ • ^ ^ ' T í ^ - ^ V v ^*^ J^ f 2nd spoke to his con-
^ ^ S w J ^ /^ ^ ! ^ ^ ^ ^ § ^"^' people of for-
^^^^ y^"-^ II* ^ f^ r tnitig a confederation,
he assuming the head
of the same and pro-tecting
this enterprise on the part of him with íive thousand
soldiers from his territories. But being recongized this King
oí Taoro as the more powerful and being the others af raid this
King could become obsolute Mencey in the isle, the íurther
States disagreed and then settled that evety cantón would de-íend
itselí when the attack happened.
Bencomo, Mencey of Taoro.
CARNET GUANCHE ' 63
' The first ánd most bloody and remarkable battle that took
place ín Tenerife was that of Acentejo, on the North of the
isle: The Spanish troops invaded the kíngdom oí Taoro, en-tering
a tenaille where they were defínitely defeated aíter an
envolvent moveraent directed by the prince Tinguaro. They
íefí many deads aod prisoners and rareJy saved some captains
badly wounded, amongst thera Fernández de Lugo, disguised
in the clothes of a subordínate.
Bencome sent the prisoners free after they regained theír
vigor With abundaní food. And Don Alonso decided to sum-mon
the conquest, retiring to La Palma.
The fortress of íhe conquerors was demolished by the
guanches, yet respecting the cross nailed near de beach when
the disembarkment.
The answer to this defeat was not long expected: the 2nd
Noveraber of the same year another disembarkment was ca-rried
out on the same beach of Afiaza by some new troops
coming from the península.
Bencomo, helped by other Menceyes, accepted the bat­tle
on the open ground. The fighting was also very bloody,
being finaliy, decided aíter the action of the helping íorces
composed by the troops of Fernando Guanarteme. The islan-ders
lost a great part of theír army and one of their best cap­tains,
the heroic Tinguaro. Bencomo had to go away serious-ly
wounded on his guanches' shoulders.
But the Menceyes of Taoro, Tacoronte, Tegueste y Ana-ya
still resisted, becoming strong in the rídge of mountains
Tigai^ a, until in view of the new troops and their coming to
less by the pest and hunger, met the Spanish leader on the
place known as Realejo Alto, offering their submission to the
Catholic Kíngs and applying for baptism.
64 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
Tke 29th Septetnber 1.496 the conquest of the archipié­lago
is considered over, being then Fernández de Lugo na-med
governor of Tenerife.
From this date the history of Canary Islands is that of
Spain. Which will not be an obstacle for the frecuent incur-sions
of pirates and corsairs, being the most bloody the ene
sufíered in La Palma, by Sombreuil « Wooden Foot « , who pi-llaged
and burnt the buildings; the enes in Lanzarote by the
Turkish people; by the arráez, Calafat; and by the argelians.
The isle oí La Palma is once more attacked this time by
Sir Francia Drake, who left in the bay one of his best vessels
and afterwards suffered another defeat in Las Palmas of Gran
Canary, where remarkably distinguished the officers Cons­tantino
Cayrasco and Pamochamoso. Later on were the dut-ches,
under the commandment of the leader Van der Does,
who disembarked in Las Palmas and invaded the city, plun-dering
it; the inhabitants had to fall back to the open plain
ground at the foot of the mountain Lentiscal to regroup them-selves
and under the commandment of Pamochamoso under-take
a counterattack and defeat the enemey. In 1.657 Sir Ro-bert
Blake carne to Tenerife with the aim oí appropiating the
treasures brought fiom America by the fleet commanded by
the Spanish Ádmiral Diego de Eguez, but they were repulsed.
In 1.706 another naval attack by the English Admiral, Genings,
with thirteen vessels, is repelled. And once more, after other
pirates' incursions to the archipiélago, at the end of the
XVni century, comes to Tenerife in 1.797, the English Admi­ral,
Horacio Nelson, famous for his naval victories, preten-ding
his appropiatíon of the frigate « Príncipe de Asturias » ,
anchored in the port; being the attack repulsed and receiving
the Admiral a wound in his right arm, which caused its am-
CARNET GUANCHE 65
putation. The flags abandoned when their üying away aie
still kept in Concepíion's Church, in the city of Teaeriíe.
CQNTEMPORANEAN DATA
Nowadays, the century of sciences, free from myíhs and
legends, gíorious epoch of the nacked truth; íhrough the
clean waters of the Spanish history, in the cañarían provinces,.
a « guanche » background is seen,
The fusión of Spaniards with the natives is an indubita­ble
fací. Race cleared the way to reason. And if the former
was an obtacle in time to climb the tops of the progress, the
reason of christian life never repulsed the contact with the
noble aborigines.
Soine unending series of ñames of ennobled Spaniards
and of cañarían nobless and royalty, form a compact wood of
genealogical trunks, declared by the ascendence of a great
part of the present population of the islands. Concerning the
society of an inferior sphere, it is known that the Spaniards
brought no women with them and those cotning were alrea-dy
married. So the military people and other colaborators
married in their most the « guanchinesas » , of extraordinary
beauty. Thus etnologically we can affirm the existence oí in­numerable
autoctonic families.
In the present cañarían people ít is appreciated the cha-racteristics
features of their ancestors in their natural melsn-choly;
in their altruism and hospitality, always disposed; in
their love to independence; in the sobriety óf their food; in
the care of their anatomic beauty; in the courage of their en-terpríses;
in their sound and strong sports, as « cañarían figh-ting
» , swiming and football, etc. etc.
The cañarían woman is an alive picture, without any ! i-
66 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
tographic shade of colours, of the vestal virginities ¡ iving ce-nobitically;
born amongst palms, frotn them she learnt the
manorial flexibility, her genteel growing up arísing over all
the other beauties on the earth.
And from the blue gamut of the atlantic sea, the water
paint took her eyes, always sweet and promising of adventu-res
ignored.
From a lace of sun, íiltered by the silk ivy, or from the
very black blanket of the nights, ful! of stars, she adorned her
exotic face of strong f< íatures, of goddess's sculture; on a neck
shaped like coiumn of a temple, tremble exciting two rings
of gold.
She is very smart in her dressing at the Spanish fashion,
or with the parisin hat, or in the airy skirt, embroidered at
the international fashion, or in the polychromatic dress of
the « " egion; yet it has not been made the panegyric when she
uses the cañarían echarpe, unique clothes, created onlj to
keep hided her shoulders of amber.
Canarian woman loves with obsession, faithfully, with
sacrifice, and she will never forget:
« When a canarian women loves
whom knows how to love her
from so much loving she dies
and died, she ¡ oves likewise*.
Children like playing in the open air: they are not fond
to sweets as nearly all over the world they are, this pointing
out the traditionai sobriety of their food. And when their pu-berty:
an irreducible willing takes them to swiming and other
masculine and cotnpleted exercises.
CARNET GÜANCHE 67
Artisany is another expansión of the cañarían people, ve-ry
typic and especialized in the women; giving good proofs
of this the embrodiers oí the country, highly worthed in Ihe
international markets. The appling to ceilings and ironwork
is another magnificent art manífested in the buildings.
POLITiCAL AND ADMiNISTRATIVE DATA
The Canary archipiélago constitute two Spanish provin-ces:
Sania Cruz de Tenerife, ( Tenerife, La Palma, Gomera and
Hierro) and Las Palmas ( Gran Canaria, Lanxarote, Fueríeven-tura
islands, and Aleg. ranza, Graciosa, Montaña Clara, Ida
de Lobos, Roque del Este and Raque dzl Oeste islots.
The populatton of the archipiélago, which ai the b^ gin-ning
of the present century couníed 358.564 inhabitanrs, has
lately increased as follows:
In 1910
» 1920
» 1930
» 1940
>• 1950
» 1960
444.016 inhabitants
457.663
555.128
680.294
794.087
813.939
»
»
»
»
»
2' 4 « / o
0' 3 7o
2' 1 « / o
2' 3 « / o
17 "/<,
2' 5 o/ o
increase
»
»
»
»
»
The porcentage of inhabitants per Km.^ in the archipié­lago,
is 112; 124 in Tenerife, and 94 in Las Palmas,
Synoptic
ISLES
Tenerife
Oran Canaria
Fuerteventura
La Palma
Gomera
Lanza rote
Hierro
Graciosa
Alegranza
Isla de Lobos
JVÍontafia Clara
Roque del Oeste
Roque del Este
TOTALS
picture of the extensión
Extensión
square km
1.91370
1.53i' 50
1.784' 80
653' 40
361' 20
805' 70
263' 70
27' 60
lO'tO
4' 50
1' 30
O'Oa
0- 06
7.368' 49
and population
Statistic Population
Males
163.234
170.736
7.290
33.380
14 946
15.237
4.73' i
409.559
Pernales
171.764
1Í7.625
7.290
35.525
15.701
15.498
4.468
427.871
Total
334,998
348.361
14.580
68.905
30.647
30.735
9.204
837.430
of the isles
Real Population
IVlales
157.948
168.241
6.937
30.451
13.998
15.753
4.299
397.627
Pernales
172.723
176.787
6.897
24.704
15.084
15.767
4.350
416.312
Total
330.671
345.028
13 834
55.155
29.082
31.520
8.649
813.939
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE
Arrival.— When we leave at our backs the last european
City, far from our sight the trimíUenary « little silver cup » , it
is a custom on the ships of the Spanish merchant fleet, to
play the « pasodoble » Islas Canarias, once havitig passed by
the Columns of Hercules. Aad it is so sensitive the music of
the celebrated composer José María Tarrila, and so beautiful
his verses and they toch the heart in such a way, that we
cannot avoid a pleasenl unquietness, nearly always denoun-ced
by a tear.
Once in the heart of the atlantic sea, surrounded by ene
only horizon of water and sky, the way to the 4.° above the
Tropic oí Cáncer, we feel an alíve wish to the ignored, as if
we travelled towards the far and raisterious Occident where
the Atlas and Hespero^ s daughters watched the golden apples.
And this is that the archipiélago of the Fortúnate Isles
still is envolveds as in oíd times, by the magic and mysterious
darkness of rayth and legend.
On this cruiser everything is immensely huge: The ves-sel,
as a gigantic ornith, slides speedly, sailing on the depth
of plenty of kilometers, carrying with her in the gracious
wings of her white sides the spumy kisses of the curled waves.
One only piece of sea, a water mountain of this immensura-
70 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
ble ocean, have been a motive for the best pictures. When
this wiew is spread, the contemplation is imposed, the sea
calis US confusing our mind and in a moment of inconscien-ce;
we lean against the gun- waie.
Sotnething like a batintin invites us to eatíng, and with
sound gay we enter the splendbrous rooni full of lookirg-glasses
and flowers.
And later on, under the roundhouse oi- multicolour lights,
foUowing the compasses of a mysteriousiy hided orchester,
the dance improvisated by sailing society; the ice of the ano-nymous
breaks, opening the doors to friendship and confiden-ce:
Optimism, desbordant gay and laughing, wonderful la-ghing
from the female passangers, that are confused with the
singing of the syrens.
In the meanwhile tlje mate at the heim smokes, thinks,
watches and expect the dawn of the day.
After forty four hours from the port of Cádiz, on the rapid
mail- ship from Barcelona, we reach the « guanchinesa » bay.
Aspect of tfie City. T- SHrrounding the points oí Anaga
and Antequera, formar Mencey Benearo's jurisdicción, we
pass by the leafy valley of Igueste and the steep sides of the
ghore named « Los Órganos » , finding the first nucleus of the
islaqder eity, at the foat of the h^ tts, inhabiting little white
hwses. Further on are the villages of San Andrés and Maria
Jiménez, where an important manufactory of cement and the
deppts of gasoline of the Spanish Petroleum Co. stand cióse
to the east' dock, the deepest in the archipiélago.
Arriyiíig theti at the oijtsides of the gillot Tahodio, whe­re
the districts oí Val Jeseco and la Alegria stand and where
we may find the Nautical flub, on the north dock, the Junta
K
The main ciíy © f Tgn « rifg, hldád ámenjií « xaJis ; § :| 3!' dl « m. í ifíio. l. BINlTn
'• bzra mole [ sania cruz de fenerife) Folo A. BEN/ TEZ
CARNET GUANCHE 71-
de Obras del Puerto is also found, in a very modern
building, and the maritime Arsenal. But the typical features
of these districts is to be found on visiting the town, in the
former fishermongers' viilage, witt its plenty of fishing con­serve
manufacturies, between the wonderful picture of the
green banana trees, waving the scenary.
Leaving on the left the south dock we reach Ribera Mo­le,
where we may see in all its splendour and magnificence
the so much loved city of Tenerife.
Thus we may see, suddenly, as coming from illusion, the
city hided amongst beautiful gardens; on the first planes the
vast avenues and modern buildings.
In the large España square, a very high cross arises as a
monument to those dead in war, beautified with artistic gar-denery
and ornamented with worth releafs. From the highest
fíat to the one getting up in the Uft a vast panoramic view
is showed; being this a motive to film a short documental of
magnific perspective.
This beautiful square is centred, at one side, by the en-trance
oí the port and ai the other by the magnificent palaces
of the Insular Cabildo and Communications; this last one of a
new fíat where the offices oí Post and Telegraphs are ins-talled.
In the first fíat oí the Cabildo's building, Turism Offices,
General Direction and Insular Board are, gíving gratuitous
iníormation in every language.
And then, from the same España square, the entrance to
the city is iniciated, showing the Triunfo de la Candelaria
monument, in Carrera marble, work from the century XKIII,
72 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
t) y the iíaliati Sculptor Canova, and which represents the ado-fation
by the guanches to the very saint Virgen.
Candelaria square is a olear showing oí the vast category
of the cóniraeice in Tenerife and there it resís, on a vertical
Une, Castillo street, from which the body of the main city
starts off.
On tliis district it is easy to go walking and the foreig-ners
tnay delight themselves and agree their parchases in the
innumerable expositions of the shop- windows, where the
naost odd noveltiet and oriental fantasies are shown: Televi-sion-
seís, radios, portable- radios, machines of avery kind for
home's comfort and general articles of nationaí and foreing
tnanufacturing, unique artisany works, and in general all the
merchandises that a city standing in the joining of severeral
continental ways and with the privilege of her Free Port can
offer.
Inside the shops the staying is delícíous owing to ifs
high standard comfort and the kindness of the clerks, some
of them knowing several languages.
Oriental, ndvelties are to be found principally in the ba-zars,
most of them directed by an active indian colony quite
solvent and very friendly with the turism. Cloíhes are from
european and american manufacturing, the same regarding
jev/ ellery, in^ ernational perfume, and exclusively of Spanish
manufacture, shoes, íuiniture, hardware, etc. Cañarían embroi-dery.
is extraofdínary, very appreciated in Spain and highly
páid abroad. For its practica! utility it is much required the
plástic from nationaí tnanufacturing.
Hotels and restaurants are fited with every comfort and
the activities of the same are ruled and deeply watched by
the Information and Turism Mínisíry Delegation. -
CARNET GUANGHE 73
In bars and beer- shops it is noticed much peninsular in-íiuence,
although they aiso sell all kind oí foreign drinks
without any adulteraíion. The most recognized wines are those
frotn the country and from Andalucía, specially the « Jereza­nos
» . Those from La Mancha and Levante ge parallel with
those from the north of the island, of high degrees, with the
exception of the wines already boítled which show their ori-gin
on their marks.
The beer from tínerfeña production is « C. C. C. » and is
considered one of the best in Europe. Coffecisdrunk without
succedaneum. The mi'k is a natural one, brought daily to the
City by typic and nice countrywomen in their straw hat of
wide wings: It is very frequent in the first morning hours, to
meet these industrious tinerfeñas with a pyratnid of jugs on
their heads, mairitainirig a perfect equilibration while walk-ing.
Cooking is typically cañarían, with some andalucian in-fluence.
At hotels and restaurants reasonably you may eat
choosing from the menú.
As atnbient aperitives or with cañarían flavour, you ha-ve
the áteme sancochado — very delicious salt- fish similar to
the cod— tollo con. moio — dried fish and piquant sauce—
papas armg. adas — boiled, without water, potatoes, only with
salt, in a pressure- can— huevos duros — quite boiled eggs,
and el pescado sancochado in particular la vieia — fish— very
well prepared in the districts by the port. In the country it is
very typic to eat conejo en a\ ülo, preceeded by a consomé
and accompanied with wines from the country: Tacoronte, el
Sausal, La Victoria, etc. And it is very easy to leave the city
and come back again at a determine hour as there is a re­gular
Service of buses; the initial stop in Weyler square.
74 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
Sweets, cakes, and bread are especially well made, very
select and varied.
The gofio and banana still are foods very common in the
modest sphere, both of a very strong nutritive power.
The following visits ought to be made by waiking al-though
longer is taken, as waiking up and down ítie city is
an amusement íor the wondetful gardens everywhere you fínd.
Besides th¡ s, along the vast avenues and most sunny places ar-tistical
kicsks oí drinks offer the magnanimous shade of their
terraces and awnings of alive colours, where, sitting in com-fortable
arm- chairs we enjoy the caress of the breaze. One of
the predilect places for the tinerfeños is the Principe square,
of very pretty gardens, in which kiosk it is a habit to present
them wiíh the choised records, for what they count on a
vast number of records.
Archeology Museum.— It is installed in the Insular Pa-lace.
The sections of etnografy and anthropology is of a great
scientific interest. They have objects, mummies and more than
half a thousand craniums of the guanche race. Also can be
admired authentic rebuildings of burials.
Painting, Sculpture, and Natural Sciences Museum.—
The principal entrance is in Principe square, José Murphy
Street. Theré are painting- rooms and contemporanean sculp-ture.
Also an interesting coUection of weapons and nu-mismatics.
In the same buildidg it is installed the Town- hall
library, with a vast collection of books and curious maga-zines.
Insular Palace.— In José Antonio avenue, n.° 1, good
paitítings by José de Aguiar can be admired.
Carta Palace.— Thi § building standsin Candelaria squa-
processseri
piigrímüc • 1' j
f->
M *.**^ • íu. ¿ l'- A' 4- ¿ ^^:^
vj i*. VtMTU
\ vY © ñdsr[ yl
• md
<- fot » A, KENiTE/
Foto A. BEMTEZ
lighted
fountain
in
Ja
paz
square
santa cruz
de
tenerife
CARNET GUANCHE 75
re, from the XVII century with basait front and canaTian yaíd.
It was declared Monument oí artistical National interest.
Paso Alto Castle — In San Andrés road. On thi' buií-ding
has been risen a monument to héroes in 251h Ju! y
1797 — Nelson's defeat—. There you can find a Mihtary Mu-seum,
plenty of artillery trophies and the cannon named Ti-ffre
that wounded the English admiral Nelso « ís right arm, cau-sing
later on its amputatipn. It was also declared National Mo­nument.
Municipal Park « García Sanabria » .— It stands betwf en
the General Franco Avenue and the street Méndez Nunez
This beautiffil garden endoses six hundred áreas of ground,
with a great variety of trees and decorative and tropical plañís,
A zoological zone and an Infentile Garden, with all kírd ot
objects for amusement. From the centre of the avenue a HÍO
nument to that who was the Capital's mayor, Don Santiago
García Sanabria, has been erected.
It is of great importances the clock made with ílowers,
considered the second in Europe. There is also a • ínia
ture Golf ground and a bar in the open air, of beautifui IB! -
dern lines.
Concepclon's Church.-- This is found in the squsr vi
the same ñame. It is the most ancient one in the city, iiother
Parish. It is from the year 1.500 and was rebuilt in 1.652. In
this church it has been conserved the Cross of the Conques!
that the leader Fernandez de Lugo took when disembprkirj'
on Aflaza beaches. And the flags and trophies taken to the
great Englishman Horacio Nelson.
San Frandsco's Church.— This church is situated in thv
square of the same ñame. This is a building from XVIII cen­tury,
colonial baroque facade.
76 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
San Jose's Church.— District oi Toscal's Parish, situated
in Méndez Nufiez streeí. There ís a statue from el Señor de
la Columna, work by the Sculptor Mariano Benlliure, and
other magnificent ones by modern sculptors.
Nuestra Señora d « Africa's Market.— It is situated in
San Sebastian street, opposite to General Serrador bridge.
Of very modern instaliation and some reminiscences of colo­nial
architecture, meat oí eveiy kind, fruits and vegetables,
fishes, etc.
Spanish Petroleum Co. Refinery,- It is situated in the
avenue 3 de Mayo. It posses installations with a capacity of
destillation for 1.700.000 tons oí crude per year. This refinery
produces aviation and turism oil, naphtha, gas- oil, diesel- oil
and asphalt. Lubricants, paraíins, etc. Tanks for more than
200.000 tons oí oil.
Sagrada Famiiia's Infantile Carden.— Ycu can find
this garden in the suburbs of the city, South road. It is a mo-del
beneficent Jnstitution directing the education of the or-phan
children, created and fuUy economically assisted by the
Cabildo Insular.
Other interesting places.— The square 25 de Julio,
known as Plaza de los Patos, is one of the most beautiful
points in the city. Paz square, with its lighted fountain. Wey-
1er square, every day more modern and beautified, with its
romantic marble fountain. General Franco Rambla or avenue,
plethoric oí very beautiful gardens, chalets and manorial man-sibns.
The theatre Quimera, Town- Hall's property, built at
the end oí the century XIX, named after the illustrious dra-matist
born in the city. Las Mimosas Garden and those of
CARNET GUANCHE 77
Quisisana, oí prívate property, situated on the higher zone
of the residential district óf the « hoteles » .
PRINCIPAL FEASTS
The principal feasts in Santa Cruz de Tenerife are cooi-metnorated
in May and iast the whole month. They begin the
30íh April wilh a radiophonic publication. Juegos Florales in
the honour of the Queen of the Spring, and great popular
verbenas. On the first day of the month, it is commemorated a
a solemn campaign- mass, dedicated to the exaltation of the
Cross. And in the evening, in a colouring cavalcade, adorned
coachs march, as a showing of the comniercial, industrial
and artistical liíe of the isle.
Contitiually are celebrated nautical, fooball, cannarian
fighting, cycling, chess, fishing and shooting competitions;
also bull fightings, artificial fires, gysnamtics, athleíicism and
other festivals. Painting, photography, artesany works, phila-tely,
and other expositions. Concerts at Guimerá theaíre,
by the Chamber Orchestre of Canarias. Provincial competi-tion
of bands of musicians. Clasic theatre and Spanish and
International ballet.
VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
OTHER INFORMATIOKS OFINTEREST FORTHETOURiST
Traveiling Agencies
Aeromar Expreso, S. A.
de viajes. San Juan Bautis­ta.
7.
Al SERVICIO
DE LOS QUE
VIAJAN
tüP-Siiielei
aéteoi, mariUmoí
g ie ( errocurril a precioi
oi'iuolti.
San José, 1 - Teléfono, 2240
Conde Hardisson Hnos.
V. Hervás, 5.
Viajes Atlántida, S. A.
San Francisco, 9. Tlf. 1438.
Viajes Blandy. Marina,
45. Tlf, 4880.
Viajes C. Y. R. A., S. A.
Av. Anaga, 13. Tlf. 1282.
Viajes Marsans, S. A. San
José, 1. Tlf. 2240.
Viajes Viking. Castillo,
72. Tlf. 1793.
Wagon's Lits Cut. Pilar, 2.
Bilbao
Central
Banks
Marina
Pl. Weyler, 13
San Francisco, 6
Rambla Pulido, 81
España V. y Clavijo, 35
Español de Crédito Pl. Candelaria, 5
Rambla Pulido, 50
Exterior de España Valentín Sanz, 9 y 11
Hispano Americano Valentín Sanz, 21
Tlfs. 2736, 4683
V 1836
» 1190,3130
5572
5873
3590, 4031
2890, 3790
5657
2490, 1546
2990, 3097
2942
CARNET GUANCHE 79
Hispano Americano Pl. Candelaria, 2 Tlfs. 2802
Santander San Francisco, 9 » 4480, 5543
5519, 5545
Rambla Pulido, 87 » 5717
Vitalicio de España Pilar, 2 » 2008 ,
Vizcaya José Murphy, 1 » 5593,3297
Balneario
Residencia Obra Sindical de Educación y Descanso. Carrete­ra
San Andrés.
Official Centres
Administraciones de Lotería: Núm. 1, Plaza Candelaria, 4.-
Núm, 2, Valentín Sanz, 19.- Núm. 3, Pl. Candelaria, 10.
Ayuntamiento, Viera y Clavijo, 34, Tlf. 2390.
Bomberos, Parq., Ruiz de Padrón, 5, Tlf. 2349.
Capitanía Oral. Canarias, Pl. Weyler, Tlf. 2593.
Cabildo Insular, Pl. España, Tlf. 2090.
Caja Ahorros y M. Piedad, Pl. Santo Domingo, Tlfs. 4642 y
4643.- P. Galdós, 9, Tlf. 3436.
Cámara de Comercio, Pl. Candelaria, 6, Tlf. 3933.
Cámara Pdad. Urbana, Pl. Candelaria, 6, Tlf. 3323
Cámara Sindical Agraria, 18 Julio, 9, Tlf. 1596.
Casa de Socorro, José Murphy, Tlf. 1502.
Comandancia de Marina, Gral. Franco, 11, Tlf. 2190.
Comisaría de Policía, P¡ y Margall, Tlf. 2300.
Deleg. Abastecimientos y Trans. San Francisco, 67, Tlf. 3543.
Deleg. Prov. Estadísticas, José Murphy, 1, Tlf. 3248.
Deleg. Prov. Información y Tur., Pilar, 3, Tlf. 1198.
Deleg. Industria, Méndez Núflez, 42, Tlf. 3906.
Deleg. Prov. Sindicatos, Sabino Betherlot, 4, Tlf. 1440.
Documento Nacional Ident., Callejón 1." Combate, Tlf. 1096.
80 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
F. E. T. y de las J. O. N. S., Robayna. 11, TIL 3093.
Gobierno Civil, Méndez Núñez, Tlf, 3132.
Gobierno Militar, 25 Julio, 1, Tlf. 1990.
Guardia Civil, Ballester, Tlf. 3100.
Hacienda ( Delegación), Av. José Antonio, 3, Tlf. 1899.
Jefatura Prov. Sanidad, Oral. Franco, 17, Tlf. 1790.
Org. Nacional de Ciegos, Imeldo Serís, 62, Tlf. 1590.
Policía Armada, Av. 3 de Mayo, Tlf. 3859.
Policía Municipal, Viera y Clavijo, 34, Tlf. 2390,
Aerial Communications
Aviación y Comercio, Pilar, 3, Tlf. 5890.
« Iberia » , Av. Anaga, Tlfs. 6675 y 7677.
interurbanos Communications
Transportes Tenerife: Oficinas, Marina, 5, Tlfs. 7175 y 7176
Estación, Pl. Weyler, Tlf. 1521.
Marifime Communications
Compafiía Tiasmediterránea, Marina, 3, Tlf. 1390.
Compañía Trasatlántica, Pilar, 38, Tlf. 2256.
Naviera Pinillos, S. A , Marina, 13, Tlf. 4380.
Postal Communications
Correos: Plaza de España « Palacio de Comunicaciones » .
Telephonic Communications
Cía. Nacional de España: Teobaldo Pówér, Tlf. 03
Telegraphic Communications
Telégrafos: Plaza de España « Palacio de Comunicaciones » .
Tránsradio Española: Pl. Candelaria, 1, Tlf. 4280.
Autopista
Benavides
D. I. S. A.
Golding y Cía.
Bello Alonso
Brito Rivero
Espinosa Barroso
Expósito Expósito
Farizo Díaz
Marictial
Marrero Suárez
Anaga
Camacho
Continental
Francia
Mencey
Orotava
Service
Vía Enlace
Benavides, 21
C. del Señor
Av. Asuncionistas
S. Feo. Javier
S, Martín. 18
S. F. Javier, 42
Benavides, 23
18 de Julio
S. Feo. Javier
2.^ Uruguay
Slations
Molina Hdez.
Olimpia
Shell
Vda. de Yánez
Garages
Molina Hdez.
Olimpya
Pérez Brito
Rod. López
Vandewalle
Zamorano Pinto
Zamorano Tais
Hotels
Imeldo Serís, 7
Sar
Ma
2."
Av
1 Fra
riña,
ncisco, 11
5
Fielato, 5
Gei leral Franco
Plaza Candelaria, 1
•
Oral. Mola, 9 ' '
Av. Cuba
Vía Enlace
R, y Cajal
Oral. Mola, 7
Av. Anaga
P. Cáceres, 4
C. Grijalba, 4
S. Rosalía, 77
E. Cervantes
S. Antonio, 80
Teléfono, 5050
2695
» 1597
2951
» 3994
» 4690
Pino de Oro
Ramos
Resideücia Príncipe
San José
Santa Cruz
Tenerife
J. Naveira
Rambla de Pulido, 93
Pilar, 3
Sania Rosa de Lima, 7
Castillo, 43
JVlarina, 23
Teléíono
»
»
»
»
»
3490
4293
5990
5794
4113
1957
Boardíng- Houses
Acosta Armas, Telesforo.- Dr. Allart, 10
Arbelo Ramos, Encarnación.- 25 Julio 27
Bfito González, IVlanuel.- Castillo 29
Castañeda Pérez, Pablo.- Candelaria 21
Castilla González, Elisa.- Marina 13
astil lo Rodríguez, Juan.- Dr. AUart, 8
Castillo Rodríguez, Pablo.- Dr. Allart, 12
Castillo Rodríguez, Pablo.- D. Alfonso 13
Damas García, J, Dimas.- E. Caizadilla 14
Delgado García, Matías,-!. Serís IC3
Díaz Vila, Inés.- A, Lugo 49
Dorta Robles, José.- San Francisco 47
Fdez. Glez., Candelaria.- J. H. Alfonso 25
González Armas, Elías.- Dr. Allart, 32
Gorrín Glez., Magdalena.- S. Domingo 15
Hdez. Armas, José.- S. Feo. 40- Ferrer 17
Hernández iVlartín, Pedro.- I. Serís 92
Hernández León, Carios.- P. Iglesia 14
Hdez. Padrón, Eligió.- J. Nazareno 30
Infantes Flandes, Josefa.- Im. Seris 99
Les Sarrires, Daniel.- Castillo 43- 2.°
Letre Vallejo, Elena de.- Marina 143
López C, Puriíicación.- I. Seris 4
Lorenzo Martín, Tomás.- Porlier 35
Martínez Vázquez, Clara.- E. Caizadilla 1
Medina González, Sotero.- P. Iglesia 4
Méndez Martín, Juan.- Castillo 74
Mesa Lemus, Antonio.- Galcerán
Mora Trujillo, Francisco.-, Verde 15
Mcrales Armas, Pedro.- P. Weyler 13
Morales Armas, Virgiíio.- Estudiante 2
Nieves Trujillo, María.- Ferrer 7
Noda Damas, Manuel.- S. Sebastián 21
Noda Perdomo, Candelaria.- S. Guerra
Núflez González, Lorenzo.- andelaria 1
Núñez Pérez, Manuel.- S. Domingo 25
Padrón Armas, Erasrao.- ruz Veide 1
Padrón Gutiérrez, Julio.- A. Quimera 41
Pérez Ayala, Juan.- Clavel 11
Pérez Freiré, María.- J. Padrón 11
Pérez García, Domingo,- P. Canseco 57
Pérez Hernández, Leopoldo.- Miraflores 1
Quintero Cejas.- Candelaria 18
Ribot P0U.- 2." Fielato
10 Rivero Delgado.- Castillo 53
O Rodrg. Conc.- Domingo Alfonso 21
Saotana Alonso.- Miraflores 5
Spragg.- V. Clavijo 36
Tellado Alfonso.- C. Verde 17
Trujillo García.- Ca tillo 60
Restaurants
Acosta Expósito
Alvarez Méndez
Baroja Martín
Batista Rodríguez
Brito García
Cera Pozo
Cruz Guadarrama
Domínguez Cámara
Expósito Cruz
I. Madera 6
M.^ Jiménez
San José, 1
San José 8
S. Sebastián 26
I. Madera 5
Gral. Mola 26
V. los Pájaros
Miraflores 23
Fariña Alvarez
Fons Molí
García Santos
González García
Jiménez Prieto
Krawietz
Martín Alvarez
Medina Rodríguez
Mesa Lemes
P. Canseco 85
Gral. Franco 42
P. María J.
V. Hervás 2
La Salle 32
Adelantado 1
Miraflores 44
Serrano 2
Miraflores 86
Morales Fernández
Negrin iVlorales
Negrín Morales
Noda Chinea
Núñez González
Padrón Amalia
París Abadía
Pérez Pérez
Quintero González
Quintero Otero
Quintero Pérez
S. Feo. Pauia 2
P. San Telmo 9
Candelaria 13
Candelaria 23
Candelaria 12
Candelaria 14
A. Romero 2
Miraflores 17
Bufadero
Miraflores 17
Gral. Mola 132
Faustino Pérez
Rivero León
Rodríguez Glez.
Rodríguez Hdez.
Santana Alonso
Silverio Gómez
Suárez Sosa
Torres Torres
Trenkel
Trujillo T..
Gral. Mola 132
Marina 81
Car. S. Andrés
P. Canseco 79
S. José 8
6." Uruguay 2
Dr. Allart 23
Car. S. Andrés
S. Francisco 11
S. Sebastián 34
• 00
Societies and places cf amussinents
Casino de Tenerife.- Pl. de Candelaria 11, Círculo Mercantil.- Pl. Candelaria 6, Telé-
Tlf. 2590. fono 1283.
Club Náutico de Tenerife.- Carretera de Tropicana « Sala de Fiestas.- Pl. Patriotis-
San Andrés, Tlf. 3790. mo.
Círculo de Bellas Artes.- Castillo 47, Telé- Bella Nápoli « Sala de Fiestas » .- José Mur-fono
2649. phy 1.
Circulo de Amistad XII de Enero.- Ruiz de Mirador « Vista Bella » Sala de Fiestas.- La
Padrón, Tlf. 4990. Cuesta, Tlf. 1004.
Dancing Copacabana.- Av, A. Romero 2
D. ancing Riga.- V. de los Pájaros, Tlf. 1059,
Dancing « Rosaleda » .- Vuelta de los Pája­ros,
Tif. 1026,
Masa Coral Tinerfeña. Ruiz de Padrón 18,
Tlf, 5390.
Club de Golf de Tenerife.- El Peñón.- Ta-coronte,
a 15 kms. de la Capital.
Super Golf Miniatura,- Parque Municipal
García Sanabria.
Estadio « Heliodoro Rodríguez López » .-
San Sebastián.
Balneario.- Carretera de San Andrés. *
Parques- Zoológicos.- En el Parque Muni­cipal
García Sanabria y etl la Cuesta,
a seis kms. de la Capital.
Bolera Araericana.- Ramón y Cajal 3
Palacio de los Üeportes.- Ramón y Cajal 3.
Tiro Nacional de España.- Ram. General
Franco 23.
Sociedad de Tiro de Píchón.- La Mesa.- Ca-rretera
de los Campitos.
Plaza de Toros.- Ram. Oral. Franco.
A. Guimerá
Alameda Muelle
Áv. Asuncionistas
Barriada Victoria
Barrio La Salud
Gral. O'Donell
La Equis
Marina
Tlís,
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
. 1009
4013
1004
4030
4010
1006
1051
1055 y
Taxis
1925
( Stops)
Mencey
Méndez Núñez
Mercado
Pi y Margall
Pilar
Plaza España
Plaza I. Madera
Plaza La Iglesia
Tlfs
»
»
»
»
»
»
»
.2019
2354
2673
6125
1016
1054 y 1056
1035
2860
• '•
Piaza Patriotismo
Plaza Weyler
Ram, Gral. Franco
Teatro Baudet
» Quimera
» S. Martín
Cine Avenida
» B. Aires
' » Costa Sur
» Crespo
» La Paz
» Numancia
» Moderno
» P. Recreativo
Tlf, 1002
» 1012
» 1010
Teatres
Gral. Mola 10
Pl. I. Madera
San Martín
Pescadores
B. Aires
Bda. G/ Escámez
B. La Salud
Pl. de la Paz
Numancia
San Sebastián
Pl. Patriotismo
Salamanca
Serrano
and Cinemas
Cine Price
» Rambla
» Rex
» Royal Victoria
» S. Sebastián
» Tenerife
» Toscal
» Victor
Cinema Victoria
Ideal Cineina
Tlf. 1041
* 3061
Salamanca
R. Gral. Franco
Méndez Núñez
La Rosa 8
S. Sebastián
Gral. Mola
La Rosa
Av. Asuncionistas
Pl. La Paz
S. Feo. Javier
soufh tower of fhe cathedral of las palmas de gran canaria
Foto ASCANIO
LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA
Aspeet of the City.— Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, of
eternal Spring, very puré transparent sky; archipielago's pearl,
the cosniopolite city of the señorial palm, in which gardens
of wild beauty the cactus opens its flowers; that of La Luz
Bay, polyglot port of obliged cali, opening its doors to
Orient and being the sun her first daily visitor.
The goddes city yawns, quietly takes off the darkness
and bathes in the morning dew.
And thus naked, at the lights from the day, she looks her-self,
in all her beuty and perfection, this great city of
t82.000 inhabitants is sitting above the sea- sides, on a long
arm of land of 12 kilometers, from La Luz mole to La Ho­ya
de La Plata, in San Cristóbal.
And from La Luz mole, marchtng towards the sea her
protector arm of 2' 5 km. — 3.500 lineal berthing meters—, it
is annouced her internationality in the multicolours flags of
the vessels anchored.
Her situation is found betweenn 28° 8' 18" North longi-tude
and 15° 25' 19" West latiíude, taken advantage of the
protection the predominant winds from the first and fourth
quadrant offers La Isleta mountain.
88 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
For this reason, wiíh íhe exception oí the very few days
South winds blow, it may be. said that the port offers an ex-traofdinary
protection and even on these very few days of
meridional winds, no danger risk the vessels berthed at the
moles,
Very frecuent, two or three days in the month, ships
berthing sum a total of 130.000 Tons., figures these to take
under consideration and that allows getíing a very clear
idea oí the capacity of the port.
The moles are more than 4.000 m. long and offer opti-mus
depths to every kind cf ships. In Generalísimo mole the
percentage of depth is from 17 to 18 m. It is to bear in mind
that huge English Liners over 80.000 tons., are only in want
of 13 ra. depth. In La Luz mole the percentage of depth is
of about ten meters, oscillating from a mínimum of more than
seven to a máximum of eight.
The annual movement of ships at La Luz mole reaches
the figure of thirty millions tons.; a total of about ten
thousand ships from more than thirty difíerent nationalities,
which gives an idea of the international character of the isle.
Behind the port you find La Isleta mountain, after which
named was formerly called the port until this ñame was sus-tituted
by the present one because of a little light that coming
from the Risco de Guanaríeme descended to the hermitage
nowadays called Rosario's church, and later on, surrounding
the mountain, went farther the limit of the causeway, loosing
itself in the sea. And also changed its ñame the image under
which advocation the church was bullí, being thence named
Nuestra Señora de la Luz. This image is a beautiful sculpture,
master work from the grancanaíio Lujan Pérez.
CARNET GUANCHE 89
La Isleta is of a strong cañarían character: its urbane bo-dy
is uniform; tnost of the buildings of two and three fíats,
although there are modern houses, but the typic buildíng in
La Isleta is of only one fíat, with a beautiful yard centred by
tlie rooms. In the yard the sun enters but filtered through the
silk flowers, so there is a slight shade between light and
darkness. The íernfilix, hunging from a metallic thread in a
cascade, are two meters high and make think of another geo-logical
epochs; and on the ground, in a sybaritical distribu-tion,
infinity of pots with oxotic plants, that could be natned
canarias, predominating the cactus and anturio, this latter the
most beautiful hail- plant for the alive colours of its leaves.
There the roncóte lives, fishermonger who, untíl íhe
Puerto de La Luz had the present high life, lived in San Láza­ro,
San Nicolás and San Roque suburbs. This fisherman, de-dicated
to high coasting fishing, is of a sharped face tanned
by the breazes; very brave; gay and floklorical people that
during the fishing epochs in the african coasts prepare a mu-sic
work and its writing to be sung every year on El Pino's
pilgrimage.
In la Isleta, ruiH of 60 degrees is drunk, and roasted cut-tle-
fish eaten; it is played envite and sanga — cards— and it
is presumed of their courage, and it is an honour to belong
to the harbour.
Tradition has inspired the following poem from the cele-breted
singer Mari Sánchez born in the very popular district
« El Refugio » of La Luz mole which song is sung by every
canarian woman:
From La Isleta and íhe Refugio
and Muelle Grande,
are the most brave men
¡ God bless them!
90 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
Following La Isleta you may find the very famous beach
oí Las Canteras, oí doble shell, embraced by the mountains.
A smaü causeway, visible when lowsea, makes waters arrive
quietly the fine sands of oíd golden colour.
The balnearios are opened the whole year and the can-vas
tents are set daily. From the comfortable hammock with
visor the swimmers enjoy the scenary of the mountains in
the isle that Hke stairs finish at the back- ground with the ma-jestic
one of Galdar. On clear days you also can admire the
top of the Teide, as suspended amongst the clouds. And the
sun- sets are wonderful, of variad mixture oí colours.
A vast maritime ávenue, at one of its sides the desert
plants, surrounds íhís beach, and along that you reach the po­pular
district of Guanarteme which iniciates the ascendent
curve that makes the city a big one.
On what formerly were sand- deserts, cement and iron at
the Umita of the asphalt, modern architectonical huge buil-dings
have been erected. Brave spins from the heart of indus-try
reach Ihe sky they cover with smoke. It is an incesant
• walking of activities directed by a íraffic in both directions:
factories of conserve, tobáceo in free competence; La Fosfo­rera
Canariense — Cañarían factory of matches—, destileries and
spirits factories; vases manufacturing; electromechanic; cabi-net-
work. ceramic; stone filters; fruit conserves and producís
of food; and finally, every kind of industry, with the most mo­dern
machinery which go parallel with the strong economy
of the isle.
This industrialized part or district go as far as the poetic
Santa Catalina Park. The many trees there give shade whora
sit in the comfortable arm- chairs at the open air bars. Every-
CARNET GUANCHE 91
thing is ready, being this an initiation to the aperitive or
fresh drink; There are bars, restaurants, sweet- shops, fresh
drinking shops, hotels, bazars, hair- dresser's, Bank branches,
tobacconists, etc. This, only in the beautiful Park, for these
shops are multipüed in the joining streets. The rectangular
base rests in Comandante Franco square, where all shipping
agencies, Turism offices and taxis and buses stops are. There
is also a miniature golf- ground, much crowded. Further on,
Santa Catalina Mole that forming a tenaille with that, of La
Luz, embraces another little mole for fishing boats and more
to the South, the vast Base Naval of the Navy.
And here íinishes La Luz mole zone and begins Alcara-vaneras
one. This is a popular beach, very clean and of fine
eand, on the East South. There you may fínd a balneario- re-sidence,
Educación y Descanso's property, with a good bar-restaurant
service. From this beach starts in straight line to
Las Palmas mole, a maritime avenue, product of a brave pro-yect
happily under execution.
This part of the city is getting bigger and feeding with
modern buildings, industrialized buildings and commerce in
general. It is also here the Insular Stadium, with capacity for
more than twenty thousand spectators. The mean arteriés of
the city are the streets: León y Castillo, Pío XII, Paseo de
Chil and Tomás Morales. A great quantity of chalets, every
one the most sober and smart, have given this district the
ñame of CIUDAD JARDÍN — city of gardens—. And effecti-vely,
we can admire a uníty, a beautiful garden in the most
ampie sense oí the sentence, full of swimming tanks, and
bird- cages, where no noise is heard, and no human presence
is noticed. However it is ínhabited by a lucky society.
A frontier hill has beeri converted into a garden, with a
92 VICTORIANO DE LA TORRE
beautiful ducks and coloured ftsh, pond and on the best
place rises the monument to León y Castillo, initiator of the
increasing of La Luz Mole. Opposite it is situated Julio Na­varro
swimtning- pond, where frequení swimmingcompetences
are carried out and is academy of national champions. More
fo the sea- side, the syperb and huge Doramas Park, with the
vivary of plants, fountains and fish- ponds. And the symbolic
Pueblo Canario, whose scheme v/ as made by the painter Nés­tor
de la Torre, with permanent painting showing, artesany,
plants and birds; a typic bodegón aud folklorical unities. Ció­se
to, Santa Catalina Hotel, one of the best in Europe, with
prívate switnming- pond and golf ground. It is rather interes-ting
to know that an underground tepid stream,' goes undet
this ground and until short ago a thermical Centre was there
established.
Qoing along León y Castillo street, where every day a
new house is built, we find the « Campo España » , canódromo
and « Canarian Fighting » circus. And arterwards a crowded
zone foUows, where some feast- halls are installed and at once,
as an open aim of progress, once more the modern city show
US large streets, like Tomas Morales Avenue, a monolith on
its raidst and a garden with the monument of the eminent
cañarían poet; the square of the engineer León y Castillo
where the huge building of the Civil Goverment of the pro-vince
rises, barracks of the Gubernative Pólice; and also the
Marine Military Commandership where the admira! dwells.
The more we go on, the more, like a film, the city
affects us: The wide Bravo Murillo street, with the interurba-ne
buses stations, where there are more than one hundred bu-ses,
and another Cooperative of microbuses or modern cars
of seats for nine, in a constant activity of Communications
Folo VIDFLATO\'\
insfallarions in las canferas beach
help children » o grow alive magnificcnt
Foto A. BENITEZ
romantic
square
.° f
weyler
santa
cruz
de
tenerife
CARNET GUANCHE . 93
through the whole isle. Cabildo Insular Palace. San Telmo
Park, odd and huge in its flora and ornamentation, where
the residential palace of the Military Government of the pro-vince,
stands. The building of the Gran Hotel Parque, of first
category. And the new Ciudad del Mar avenue.
From San Telmo Park we go to Triana street, the empo-rium,
with its adjacent streets and the parallel Viera y Clavi-jo.
Triana street is as typic and popular as Sierpe one in Se­villa,
and tradition tells us that its ñame is due to the foun-ders
of this street being m their most from the andaluza
City.
Very cióse to, you see San Bernardo square, one of the
most shaded street in the city, with wonderful eucaliptus- trees,
where the Circulo Mercantil — a very hcnourable club— is
installed.
And going on, Generalísimo Franco Avenue, with its
stairs full of palm- trees and which are a way to San Nicolás
risk. Along this avenue are concentrated all the Official De-partments,
in new buildings: Post Offices and Telegraph, De-legation
of Finance, Sindical Centre, Foresight National Ins-titute,
General Delegation of Work, Spanish Institute of Immi-gration,
Labour Mutuality, etc.
Soon later, Cairasco square will surpris