THE PACIFIC OCEAN. .«5 



wood. The people here believe its juice to be fo cauftic as '776- 



t^ r ■' Auguft. 



to erode the flcin * ; but I convinced them, though with " >r— ' 



much difficulty, to tlie contrary, by thrufling my finger into 

 the plant full of it, without afterwards wiping it off. They 

 bieak down the bufhes o^ euphorbia^ and fuffering them to dry, 

 carry them home for fuel. I met with nothing elfe growing 

 there, but two or three fmall fhrubs, and a few fig-trees 

 near the bottom of the vallev. 



The bafis of the hills is a heavy, compa(5l, blueifh ftone, 

 mixed with fome fhining particles ; and, on the furfacc, 

 large malTes of red friable earth, or ftone, are fcattered about. 

 I alfo o^'ten found the fame fubftance difpofed in thick 

 Jlrata ; and the little earth, ftrewed here and there, was a 

 blackifli mould. There were like wife fome pieces of ilagj 

 one of which, from its weight and fmooth furfacc, feemed 

 almoft wholly metalline. ' 



The mouldering ftate of thefe hills is, doubtlefs, owing 

 to the perpetual a(5lion of the fun, which calcines their 

 furface. This mouldered part being afterwards wafhed 

 away by the heavy rains, perhaps is the caufe of their fides 

 being fo uneven. For, as the different fubftances of which 

 they are compofed, are more or lefs eafily affected by the 

 fun's heat, they will be carried away in tiic like propor- 

 tions. Hence, perhaps, the tops of the hills, being of the 

 hai-deft rock, have flood, while the other parts on a decli- 

 vity have been deftroyed. As I have ufually obferved, that 

 the tops of Hioft mountains that are covered with trees 

 have a more uniform appearance, I am inclined to believe 

 that this is owing to their being fliaded. 



* Glas, p. 231, fpeaking of tliis plant, fays, that he cannot imagine why the natives 

 cf the Canaries do not cxtrail the juice, and ufe it inj}end of pitch, for the bottoms of their 

 boats. We now learn from Mr. Anderfon their reafon for not uimg it. 



3 The 



