lie CONCLUSION OF THE VOYAGE. 



hig'hest part of the island. At an elevation of a 

 little more than 8000 feet^ we reached the ridg-e 

 forming- the margin of a circular crater^ rather 

 more than a mile in diameter, and 700 feet deep. 

 The outer slope is g-radual, hut the inner walls 

 are steej), deeply furrowed by small ravines and 

 watercourses, and covered with g-rass, fern and 

 heath-like bushes. The bottom contains a con- 

 siderable extent of swampy meadow land, a 

 shallow lag'oon, and a small hill with a crater also 

 partially filled with water. The view here is 

 mag-nificent, enhanced, too, at times by the rolling- 

 volumes of mist overhead, at one moment admitting- 

 of a peep at the blue sk}^ above, in the next 

 concealing- the rim of the crater and increasing- in 

 idea, the heig-ht of its wall-like sides. The caldeira, 

 I may add in conclusion, is said to have been formed 

 during- the last eruption of Fayal in 1672, but this 

 statement appears to be very doubtful. 



We resumed our homeward voyage on October 

 5th, and on November 9th, the Rattlesnake was 

 paid off at Chatham, after having- been in commis- 

 sion upwards of four years. 



