CANARY ISLANDS. 83 



Near the verge of the crater, and often upon its walls, 

 there is a saline efflorescence, called by the natives el 

 saJitron. They are very eager to procure it for the prepa- 

 ration of matches which they make, by dipping pieces of 

 paper or tow into a solution of it. The matches readily 

 become ignited, and do not sparkle as if dipped into pure 

 nitre. Along the sea-shores of the northern side of this 

 island, there are often found hanging from the cliffs, sta- 

 lactitic salt, of a very pure quality. 



Having examined the exterior structure of the island, 

 and the composition of its volcanic productions from the 

 sea-shore to the top of the mountain, I will now oiTer a few 

 remarks on its internal structure and its eruptions. 



As the Peak appears to rise amidst a system of basaltes 

 and old *lava, all of igneous origin, it has been supposed 

 that this collossal pyramid is the effect of a progressive 

 accumulation of lavas, or that it contains in its centre, a 

 nucleus of primitive rocks, covered with lavas which are 

 the same substances modified by fire. To verify or refute 

 this supposition, would cause me to wander too far from 

 the principal object of my task. 



In regard to the first eruptions of the Peak, we seek in 

 vain in the writings of the Greek and Roman geographers, 

 which contain no passage that we can reasonably apply 

 to this volcano. Of all the written testimonies, the oldest 

 I have found of the activity of this volcano, dates from the 

 latter part of the fifteenth and the beginning of the six- 

 teenth centuries. In the life of Christopher Columbus, 

 by his Son, it is related that in August, 1492, he saw 

 flames gush out of the Peak in the night; and in the nar- 

 rative of a voyage by Aloysio Cadamusto, who landed at 

 these islands in 1505, he positively afiirms that this moun- 

 tain burns without interruption, and that the fire has been 

 seen by christians retained in slavery by the Guanches. 

 The Peak, therefore, was not at those times in the state of 

 repose that it exists at present, nor have we any authentic 

 account that fire or even smoke, has been seen to rise from 

 the summit, that was visible at a distance since those 

 dates. 



It is supposed that the whole group of these islands is 

 placed, as it were, on a great submarine volcano, and that 



