"The diftri&t in which this tree ftands is called Tigulahe, near to which and in the cliff, or fteep rocky afcent that furrounds the whole ifland, is a narrow gutter, or gulley, which commences at the fea, and continues to the fummit of the cliff, where it joins or coincides with a valley, which is terminated by the fteep front of a rock. On the top of this rock grows a tree, called in the language of the ancient inhabitants, Garfe, Sacred or Holy Tree, which, for many years, has been preferved found, entire and fresh. Its leaves conftantly diftil fuch a quantity of water as is fufficient to furnish drink to every living creature in Hierro; nature having provided this remedy for the drought of the island. It is fituated about a league and a half from the fea. Nobody knows of what fpecies it is, only that it is called Til. It is diftinct from other trees, and flands by itself; the circumference of the trunk is about twelve fpans, the diameter four, and in height from the ground to the top of the highest branch, forty fpans: the circumference of all the branches together is one hundred and twenty feet. The branches are thick and extended; the lowest commence about the height of an ell from the ground. Its fruit refembles the acorn, and taftes fomething like the kernel of a pine-apple, but is fofter and more aromatic. The leaves of this tree resemble thofe of the laurel, but are larger, wider, and more curved; they come forth in a perpetual fucceffion, fo that the tree always remains green. Near to it grows a thorn, which fatens on many of its branches,

and interweaves with them; and at a fmall diftance from the Garfe are fome beech trees, brefos and thorns. On the north fide of the trunk are two large tanks, or cifterns, of rough ftone, or rather one ciftern divided, each half being twenty feet fquare, and fixteen fpans in depth. One of these contains water for the drinking of the inhabitants, and the other that which they ufe for their cattle, washing, and fuch-like purpofes. Every morning, near this part of the island, a cloud, or mift, arifes from the fea, which the fouth and easterly winds force against the fore-mentioned steep cliff; fo that the cloud, having no vent but by the gutter, gradually afcends it, and from thence advances flowly to the extremity of the valley, where it is stopped and checked by the front of the rock, which terminates the valley, and then refts upon the thick leaves and wide-spreading branches of the tree, from whence it. diftils in drops during the remainder of the day, until it is at length exhaufted, in the fame manner that we fee water drip from the leaves of trees, after a heavy fhower of rain. This diftillation is not peculiar to the Garfe, or Til, for the brefos, which grow near it, likewife drop water; but their leaves being but few, and narrow, the quantity is fo trifling, that though the natives fave fome of it, yet they make little or no account of any but what diftils from the Til, which, together with the water of fome fountains,` and what is faved in the winter feafon, is fufficient to serve them and their flocks. This tree yields moft water in those years when the

Levant,

Levant, or easterly winds, have prevailed for a continuance; for by these winds only the clouds or mifts are drawn hither from the fea. A perfon lives on the fpor, near which this tree grows, who is appointed by the council to take care of it and its water, and is allowed a houfe to live in, with a certain falary. He every day diftributes to each family of the district feven pots, or veffels, full of water, befides what he gives to the principal people of the island."

Whether the tree which yields water at this present time be the fame as that mentioned in the above description, I cannot pretend to determine, but it is probable there has been a fucceffion of them; for Pliny, defcribing the Fortunate ifland, fays, "In the mountains of Ombrion are trees refembling the plant Ferula, from which water may be procured by preffure. What comes from the black kind is bitter, but that which the white yields is fweet and potable."

Trees yielding water are not peculiar to the island of Hierro, for travellers inform us of one of the fame kind on the island of St. Thomas, in the bight, or gulph of Guiney. In Cockburn's voyages we find the following account of a dropping tree, near the mountains of Vera Paz, in America.

"On the morning of the fourth day we came out on a large plain, where were great numbers of fine deer, and in the middle ftood a tree of unusual fize, fpreading its branches over a vaft compafs of ground. Curiofity led us up to it; we had perceived, at fome distance off, the ground about it

to be wet, at which we began to be fomewhat furprifed, as well knowing there had no rain fallen for near fix months paft, according to the certain courfe of the feafon in that latitude; that it was impoffible to be occafioned by the fall of dew on the tree, we were convinced by the fun's having power to exhale` away all moisture of that nature a few minutes after its rifing. At last, to our great amazement, as well as joy, we faw water dropping, or as it were diftilling, faft from the end of every leaf of this wonderful (nor had it been amifs if I had faid miraculous) tree; at least it was fo with refped to us, who had been labouring four days through extreme heat, without receiving the. leaft moisture, and were now almoft expiring for the want of it.

We could not help looking on this as liquor fent from heaven to comfort us under great extrémity, We catched what we could of it in our hands, and drank very plentifully of it, and liked it fo well, that we could hardly prevail with ourselves to give over. A matter of this nature could not but excite us to make the ftricteft obfervations concerning it, and accordingly we ftaid under the tree near three hours, and found we could not fathom its body in five times. We obferved the foil where it grew to be very stoney; and upon the niceft enquiry we could afterwards make, both of the natives of the country and the Spanish inhabitants, we could not learn there was any fuch tree known throughout New Spain, nor perhaps all America over; but I do not relate this as a prodigy

"The diftrict in which this tree ftands is called Tigulahe, near to which and in the cliff, or fteep rocky afcent that furrounds the whole ifland, is a narrow gutter, or gulley, which commences at the fea, and continues to the fummit of the cliff, where it joins or coincides with a valley, which is terminated by the steep front of a rock. On the top of this rock grows a tree, called in the language of the ancient inhabitants, Garfe, Sacred or Holy Tree, which, for many years, has been preferved found, entire and fresh. Its leaves conftantly diftil fuch a quantity of water as is fufficient to furnish drink to every living creature in Hierro; nature having provided this remedy for the drought of the ifland. It is fituated about a league and a half from the fea. Nobody knows of what fpecies it is, only that it is called Til. It is diftinct from other trees, and ftands by itself; the circumference of the trunk is about twelve fpans, the diameter four, and in height from the ground to the top of the highest branch, forty fpans: the circumference of all the branches together is one hundred and twenty feet. The branches are thick and extended; the lowest commence about the height of an ell from the ground. Its fruit refembles the acorn, and taftes fomething like the kernel of a pine-apple, but is fofter and more aromatic. The leaves of this tree resemble thofe of the laurel, but are larger, wider, and more curved; they come forth in a perpetual fucceffion, fo that the tree always remains green. Near to it grows a thorn, which faltens on many of its branches,

and interweaves with them; and at a small distance from the Garfe are fome beech trees, brefos and thorns. On the north fide of the trunk are two large tanks, or cifterns, of rough stone, or rather one ciftern divided, each half being twenty feet fquare, and fixteen fpans in depth. One of thefe contains water for the drinking of the inhabitants, and the other that which they ufe for their cattle, washing, and fuch-like purpofes. Every morning, near this part of the island, a cloud, or mift, arifes from the fea, which the fouth and easterly winds force against the fore-mentioned steep cliff; fo that the cloud, having no vent but by the gutter, gradually afcends it, and from thence advances flowly to the extremity of the valley, where it is ftopped and checked by the front of the rock, which terminates the valley, and then refts upon the thick leaves and wide-spreading branches of the tree, from whence it. diftils in drops during the remainder of the day, until it is at length exhausted, in the same manner that we fee water drip from the leaves of trees, after a heavy fhower of rain. This diftillation is not peculiar to the Garfe, or Til, for the brefos, which grow near it, likewise drop water; but their leaves being but few, and narrow, the quantity is fo trifling, that though the natives fave fome of it, yet they make little or no account of any but what diftils from the Til, which, together with the water of fome fountains, and what is faved in the winter feafon, is fufficient to ferve them and their flocks. This tree yields moft water in thofe years when the

Levant,

to be wet, at which we began to be fomewhat furprised, as well knowing there had no rain fallen for near fix months paft, according to the certain courfe of the feafon in that latitude; that it was impoffible to be occafioned by the fall of dew on the tree, we were convinced by the fun's having power to exhale away all moisture of that nature a few minutes after its rifing. At laft, to our great amazement, as well as joy, we faw water dropping, or as it were diftilling, faft from the end of every leaf of this wonderful (nor had it been amifs if I had faid miraculous) tree; at least it was fo with refpect to us, who had been labouring four days through extreme heat, without receiving the leaft moisture, and were now almost expiring for the want of it.

"On the morning of the fourth day we came out on a large plain, where were great numbers of fine deer, and in the middle stood a tree of unusual fize, fpreading its branches over a vast compass of ground. Curiofity led us up to it; we had perceived, at fome distance off, the ground about it

We could not help looking on this as liquor fent from heaven to comfort us under great extrémity. We catched what we could of it in our hands, and drank very plentifully of it, and liked it fo well, that we could hardly prevail with ourselves to give over. A matter of this nature could not but excite us to make the ftricteft obfervations concerning it, and accordingly we staid under the tree near three hours, and found we could not fathom its body in five times. We obferved the foil where it grew to be very stoney; and upon the niceft enquiry we could afterwards make, both of the natives of the country and the Spanish inhabitants, we could not learn there was any fuch tree known throughout New Spain, nor perhaps all America over; but I do not relate this as a prodigy