3S C A N A R Y I S L A N D S . 



green, forming a beautiful contrast with its white papiliona- 

 ceous flowers which emit an agreeable odor, and are very 

 productive in honey. During the season of their bloom, 

 the natives transport their hives of bees to the distance of 

 several leagues, that they may extract the nectary, and 

 likewise to prevent them from puncturing the grape which 

 is in an immature state at this period. The retama grows 

 in the midst of a vast field of ashes and pumice-stones, which 

 encircles the Peak, and which is generally ranked by 

 botanists as its highest zone of vegetation, although there 

 are a few species of gramineous and cryptogamous plants 

 growing amongst it, and even some of the latter are found 

 on the most elevated parts of the mountain. 



In passing over a small plain destitute of vegetation, 

 which appeared to have been inundated during the rainy 

 seasons, I observed a flock of wild goats, (Capra Mrcus. 

 LiN.) the species of which, has run wild on the Peak for 

 centuries, and has subsisted on the boughs of the retama. 

 From this place we travelled more than a league over a 

 sterile tract, composed almost entirely of small fragments 

 of pumice-stones and ashes, which were constantly pelting 

 our faces by the cold south-west wind that was blowing 

 directly against us. The latter portion of these llanos 

 became more steep, and bore scarcely any marks of vegeta- 

 tion, and huge masses of feldspathic lava, lay scattered 

 up and down. On leaving Las Cahadas, the way became 

 very rugged and difficult of ascent, so much so, that our 

 mules were scarcely able to sustain their burdens. How- 

 ever, after a great deal of patience and fatigue, we arrived 

 at La Estancia de los Yngleses, at two o'clock in the after- 

 noon, where we pitched our tent for the night. Here the 

 mountain became less steep, and contained some rocks of 

 lava, of an incredible size, which evidently were dis- 

 charged from the crater at some remote period. They 

 served to break off" the winds which blew with biting keen- 

 ness from the south-west, rendering this the most com- 

 fortable resting-place that the mountain affords. After 

 refreshing myself with food and repose, I employed myself 

 the remainder of the evening in making observations. 



My principal object in ascending this mountain, was to 

 make an admeasurement of its height, and also of several 



