CANARY ISLAND S. 51 



to be heard at the distance of a few hundred feet, 

 and efforts that would produce sounds of ordinary inten- 

 sity in the regions of common life, made but feeble im- 

 pressions. Notwithstanding these disquietudes, I was 

 not out of the range of other beings than myself. 

 About mid-day, several swallows, (Hinindo apus. Lin.) 

 were seen darting across the crater with great celerity, 

 and a number of wild bees were collecting spoils from 

 the soft mud that covers the summit. 



The following table shows the temperature of the atmos- 

 phere, and of boiling-hot water at different points of eleva- 

 tion indicated by Fahrenheit's scale. 



Temp, of the Air. Of Hot Water. 



At the small llano at the base of the Peak, Sept. 9, . 76^ . . 200' 



La Estancia de los Yngleses, Sept. 10, . . 74 . . 194-5 



AltaVista, 70 . . 19-2-75 



La Cueva del Yelo, . . ... 43 .. 199 



LaRambleta, 77 . . 190-9 



Summit of the Peak, 72 . . 190 



At six feet above the summit, .... 55 



Aqueous vapors in the small hole of the crater, . 160 



The Peak of Teneriffe, called by the natives. El Pico 

 de Teyde,^ consists of a pyramidal mass of more than 

 twenty miles in circumference at the base, and is elevated 

 nearly 12,'200 feet above the level of the ocean. Nearly 

 one half of its surface is thinly scattered with the retama, 

 the remaining portion being sterile and very sparingly pro- 

 ducing a small violet, (Viola cheiranthifolia. Lin.) which 

 is of a flaming hue. Also a few species of grasses are found 

 a considerable distance up the sides, and some species of 

 cryptogamous plants vegetate quite on the verge, and even 

 in the crater. A great portion of the surface of the moun- 

 tain consists of rugged tracts of lava, having a base of 

 pitch-stone, or obsidian of a blackish-brown, or deep-green 

 color, and in most instances, contains crystals of feldspar. 

 Several varieties of obsidian are found here, as well as 

 pumice, the latter being generally of a whitish color. On 

 the borders of Las Caiiadas are also to be found immense 



* Corrupted from the Guanche word Echeydc, hellj from the belief of the abo- 

 rigines, that the infernal regions existed on the highest summit of this mountain, in 

 consequence of their having seen it discharge fire and sulphur at the time of 

 eruptions. 



