Memarhahly smooth Cones of Scoria. 285 



visible at night from the deck of the ship, and which greatly 

 resembled the celebrated nocturnal fires of Pictra Mala, in the 

 mountains between Florence and Bologna, were nowhere visible, 

 at least during the time we were on the island. 



On the north-west side of the islands, facing the sea, two 

 lofty pinnacles of scoriae, with truncated summits, rise in cones 

 of such exquisite regularity of form as speedily attracted the 

 attention of our geologist, and became somewhat later the 

 chief scene of his activity. In the immediate vicinity, many 

 traces of lava-streams are visible, which plainly show the 

 direction in which their currents had flowed. From the upper 

 edge of the great basin of the crater the ground slopes 

 gradually to the sea, ending abruptly in a precipice, descending 

 sheer 150 or 200 feet into the sea. 



In order to avoid retracing our steps by the same path, we 

 directed our guide, the ever active Ferdinand, to conduct us 

 back to the shore by some other track than that by which we 

 had clambered up to this point ; whereupon he stopped at 

 a point of the upper rim of the crater, where the ground fell 

 suddenly away quite perpendicular, grasped the rich luxuriant 

 grass hand over hand, and having proceeded a few steps, 

 invited us to follow. At the first glance we involuntarily 

 recoiled at the bare idea of descending into the abyss by such 

 a route, but presently we found our advance less dangerous and 

 appalling than had at first appeared, when it was found we 

 might, without any misgiving, let ourselves down by the long 

 tough grass, the strong stalks of which supplied a safe means 

 of descent. 



