IN THE WESTERN AZORES, 395 
On the first occasion, which was on the 30th of May, two 
of the Lieutenants, the Assistant Surgeon, and myself, form- 
ed the party ; but having started from the vessel on a dull 
and unfavourable morning, we had scarce accomplished one- 
third of the ascent, before the increasing violence of the 
wind, the driving rain, and the dense mists in which we were 
enveloped, became obstacles sufficient to baffle our efforts. 
We persevered so long as to spend a highly uncomfortable 
afternoon and night in a low cave which afforded some 
partial shelter from the rain and wind; but were compelled 
the next morning to give up our struggle against the conti- 
nued bad weather, and to return to the ship. 
A second and successful attempt was made on the 1st of 
July. The party from the Styx consisted of Captain Vidal, 
with Lieutenant Cleaveland and myself, who intended to as- 
cend the mountain, and Assistant Surgeon Speer, who re- 
mained on the shore to register the barometer for compari- 
son with a second instrument which was to be carried to the 
summit. 
The Peak being perfectly clear from clouds on the 30th of 
June, we crossed to the island of Pico in the afternoon of 
that day, with the design of commencing our ascent early 
the following morning. We borrowed for the night a hand- 
some house built on the shore of Pico, by Mr. Dabney, of 
Fayal, Consul for the United States, in which he and his fa- 
mily are accustomed to spend a part of each summer. At 
this time, however, the house was unfurnished ; and not 
having brought any beds with us, we found the experiment 
ef trying to sleep on the floor, or on the wooden frames of 
sofas destitute of their cushions, to be a very bad overnight 
preparation for the laborious march of the following day. 
As daylight spread.over the shores of Pico, on the morning 
of the Ist of July, we had the uncheering prospect of a dense 
canopy of clouds extending across the island and completely 
shrouding the Peak from our view. Apprehensive that he 
could obtain no good observations with the theodolite, Cap- 
tain Vidal appeared greatly disposed to return to the ship, 
