RECOLLECTIONS OF TENERIFFE. 441 



in the art of packing ; but we had, on the whole, no reason to 

 complain of our quarters. Having ordered some refreshments, 

 our next care was to provide horses for our expedition to the 

 Peak the following day, which was accomplished in a short time 

 by the zeal of Senhor Tinoco. Some of us then strolled out to 

 take a moonlight view of the town. The only thing worth notice 

 seemed to be a tolerably good square, with some trees and a 

 fountain. The view from it of the snow-clad Peak, glittering 

 in the moonlight, was extremely grand. From a small fort 

 which we entered, having gained the hearts of the guard by 

 the present of a few cigars, we took a survey of the frightful 

 mass of rocks and breakers which here line the coast. There 

 is only one narrow channel through which boats from vessels 

 in the anchorage can gain access to the landing place. The 

 anchorage is by no means safe, being much exposed to winds 

 from almost all quarters. Since the destruction of the Port of 

 Garachico by the eruption of the Peak, in 1706, this part of the 

 island has possessed no harbour, properly so called. Returning 

 to our hotel, we found Senhora Tinoco still " on hospitable cares 

 intent ;" but at length a combination of dinner and tea was set 

 before us, to which, in despite of the predominant flavour of garlic 

 in some dishes, we were fully prepared to do ample justice. 



Having arranged our baggage for the next day's expedition, 

 and ordered an early breakfast, we were not sorry, after our 

 rough ride of nearly thirty miles, to retire to rest, and, notwith- 

 standing we had very hard couches, were soon asleep. 



Qth. — We were stirring early, but it was some time before we 

 could get any breakfast, and there was also considerable delay 

 in the arrival of our horses, so that it was nearly nine o'clock 

 before we started. Immediately on leaving the town we entered 

 a most desolate track, similar to that we passed through between 

 Santa Cruz and Laguna, but, if possible, still more sterile and 

 rocky. The only vegetation I observed consisted of a coarse 

 grass, {Andropogon sp. ?) and a few tufts of a yellow-flowered 

 composite plant, probably a species of Helenium. Having 

 crossed this desert we began to ascend through country lanes, 

 shaded by the chestnuts and other fruit-trees in the cottage 

 gardens. The stone walls bore tufts of Ceterach Maranfa and 

 C. officinarum;^ and the road-side exhibited a very pretty 



s The Canary Gramviitis has been described as distinct from G. Ceterach, (I be- 

 lieve by Swartz,) under the name of G. aurea. It is said to be identical with the 

 NO. v. VOL. V. 3 L 



