CANARA
243
CANARY
the end of this period he returned to Madrid and with
his brother Augustinian. Fr. Antolin Merino, was ap-
pointed by the King to continue the monumental
"Espafia Sagrada" tHoly Spain), begun in 174:! by
the Augustinians Henrique Florez and Manuel Risco.
This valuable collection of documents and researches
relating to Spanish ecclesiastical history had already
reached its forty-second volume. The work em-
braces an account of the foundation and vicissitudes
of all Spanish dioceses, the succession of the Spanish
hierarchy, the most important monasteries, and other
matters of interest to the Spanish Church studied in
their original sources and by the most severe critical
methods. From the time of his appointment Canal
devoted himself with ardour and perseverance to his
task. In order to collect material for the publica-
tion, he undertook two journeys into Catalonia,
making his headquarters at Barcelona and Gerona,
and working assiduously in the archives of these
cities. In conjunction with Father Merino he pub-
lished vols. XLIII-XLIV of the " Espafia Sagrada " at
Madrid in 1819; vols. XLV-XLVI (Madrid, 1826-32)
were due to Fat her Canal alone. These volumes t reat
of the churches and monasteries of the diocese of
Gerona, and are remarkable for the number and im-
portance of hitherto unpublished documents, and for
the critical accuracy of the investigations. To his
collaborator Father Canal dedicated an interesting
biographical study in his "Ensayo histdrico de la vida
literaria del Maestro Fr. Antolin Merino" (Madrid.
1830); he also published a second edition, greatly en-
larged by himself , of the "Clave bistorial" (Key to
Eistory) by Father Florez (Madrid. 1817) and a
"Manual del Santo Sacrificio de la Misa" (Madrid,
1N17. 1819). He translated from the French various
theological and historical works, and was successively
corresponding member, treasurer, censor, and director
of the Royal Academy of History. He belonged to the
Academy of Natural Science of Madrid, to the Acad-
emy of Belles-Lettres of Barcelona, and to the Anti-
quarian Society of Xormandy. Father Canal was
an exemplary ecclesiastic, distinguished for charity
to the poor. He refused the See of Gerona in ls:!t>
notwithstanding the entreaties of Queen Isabella
II. excusing himself on the score of age and ill
health, and declaring he believed he could better serve
God and his country if he continued to devote the
remainder of his life to historical research.
Saxnz uf. Baranda, Ensayo historico de la vida literaria del Fray Jose de la Canal, de la Orden de San Agustin, Direct,,? nia de la Hisloria y continuador de la
Espafia Sagrada (Madrid, 1S50).
Eduardo DE Hinojosa.
Canara, Diocese or. See Mangalore.
Canary Islands, The. form an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean facing the western coast of \lnr-i. between the parallels of 27° 4' and 2!)° 3' N. bit., and the meridians of 13° '.',' and IS" 2' W. long. They consist of seven important islands and some islets. From east to west the first encountered are Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, the nearest to the African continent; then come Tenerife and Gran ria, while farther westward are I'alma, Gomera, and Hierro (or Ferro). The total area of the islands is about 3256 square miles; their population, accord- ing to the census > ii I 100, was 358,564. The country in general is mountainous and volcanic; in Tenerife the Pico de Teyde, or Peak of Tenerife, reaches the height of 12,200 feet, and towers above the other mountains which extend throughout the islands, gen- erally from north-east to south-west. Natural cav- erns abound, some of them very extensive. There is no great river, but there are numerous springs and torrents. The fauna differs little from that of Europe, with the exception of the dromedary and the thistle- finch, or canary-bird. There are extensive forests of pine and laurel, and some stems reach a gigantic
height. The climate of the islands is mild and salu-
brious; hence they are much frequented as winter
resorts. The Canary Islands are essentially agricul-
tural. Their soil, usually fertile, though subject to
frequent droughts, produces an abundance of fruits,
sugar-cane, and tobacco. The wines :irr exquisite,
and together with the fruits, tobacco, and fish, which
is good and plentiful, form the principal articles of
commerce for export. Much cochineal, also, is manu-
factured in the islands. The most important centres
of population are: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Orotava,
and La Laguna in the island of Tenerife; Las Palmas
and Arracife in Gran Canaria : Santa Cruz de la Palma
in the island of Palma; Quia and Valverde in that of
Hierro.
Civil and Ecclesiastical Divisions. — The Canary Isl- ands constitute a civil province, a judicial district (aii(licncia), with its seat at Palmas, for the admin- istration of justice, and a military governorship (captaincy-general). Ecclesiastically they are divided
The Cathedral, Las Pa
into two dioceses, suffragan of Seville, that of Tener-
ife, with episcopal residence at Santa Cruz, and that
of Canaries, with residence at Las Palmas. In 1906
the Diocese of Tenerife, which comprises the islands
of Tenerife, Gomera, Palma, and Hierro, had a Catholic
population of 171,045, with 62 parishes, 86 priests, 60
churches, and 167 chapels: while 1 1 i • ■ Diocese of Cana-
ries had a Catholic population of 83,378. 50 Protes-
tants, 42 parishes, 103 priests, 42 churches, and 113
chapels, and comprises the Grand Canary. Fuerteven-
tura, and Lanzarote. The courts art held at Santa
Cruz de Tenerife. All ports are free, i. c. merchan-
dise entering them is exempt from duty. The inhab-
itants satisfy the obligation of military service, not in
the ranks of the peninsular army, but in the local
territorial militia.
History. — The primitive populations of the Canary Islands were the Guanches, a white race, vigorous, of high stature, fair-haired and blue-eyed, and leading mostly a pastoral life. At the time of their conquest by the Europeans they used weapons and utensils of H ood and stone, were clothed in skins of animals, and lived in the numerous natural grottos. Their orna- ments were of bone, sea-shells, and baked clay. They were hospitable and deeply attached to their inde- pendence. Each island was divided into separate states, ruled over by kings, who were assisted by the chiefs of the noble families and the most esteemed priests or soothsayers. They held their meetings in the open air in places specially intended for this pur- pose. They were monotheists and made offerings of domestic animals, milk, and fruit to the Supreme Being. At some early date < >ld World peoples from Africa and Asia reached these islands and founded there permanent colonies, blending with the aborigi- nal stock. Their invasions are attested by archaeo- logical remains and inscriptions; certain Numidian
