Letters of introduction

Leaving the garden we proceeded to the country house of Marqués of La Candia, La Paz, to deliver our letter of introduction. Part of the garden is on the edge of a precipice, from which while conversing with the Marqués and Marquesa we had a splendid view of the setting sun, the island of La Palma, the Puerto and, at our feet, the blue sea breaking on the rocks. We presented the next letter of introduction to Mr. Charles Smith, a wrangler of Cambridge, and a veteran resident at Orotava, where he is better known as Don Carlos.

Garden of Marqués de La Candia, 1884 […] Letters of introduction are almost a necessity to these islands if one desire to see other than hotel life. We were fortunate in procuring in England letters to numbers of residents, English and Spanish, in the principal islands and towns; these gave us letters to others; and so we were kindly and hospitably passed from one to another. The entrée into Spanish society is very difficult to obtain without introduction, as the Spaniards are very exclusive. They are extremely hospitable when once, however, that introduction has been made. One wonders much how an ordinary stranger and traveller can expect without introduction to be received with open arms into the houses of the gentry and nobility. Who is to certify that he may not be an adventurer if he have no credentials?

Olivia Stone, Tenerife and its six satellites (1887)