84 C A N A R Y T S L A N D S . 



the fire sometimes forces its way out of one island, and 

 sometimes out of another. TenerilTe alone contains in its 

 centre an immense pyramid, which discharges lavas from 

 one century to another ; whereas the other islands have 

 broken out in various places. The following is a state- 

 ment of the volcanic eruptions which have occurred since 

 the middle of the sixteenth century. 



On the 15th of April, 1558, a volcano burst out in the 

 isle of Palma, near a spring, in El Partido de los Llanos. 

 A mountain rose from the earth and formed a crater at the 

 top, which discharged a current of lava 200 yards in 

 breadth, and more than 5000 in length. The lava flowed 

 to the ocean, raising the temperature of the water at a 

 considerable distance around, and destroyed a great num- 

 ber of fishes. 



On the 13th of November, 1646, another volcanic 

 mouth was opened in Palma, near Tigalate, and two other 

 mouths were formed near the sea-shores. In 1677, a third 

 eruption took place. La Montana de las Cabras threw 

 out scoriae and ashes through a multitude of small mouths, 

 which were formed in succession. 



On the 31st of December, 1704, the Peak of TenerifTe 

 formed a lateral eruption in El Llano de los Infantes above 

 Ycore, near Guimar, which was preceded by a tremendous 

 earthquake.* On the 5th of the January following, a 

 second opening took place in El Baranco de Amerchiga, 

 a league from Ycore. The lavas were so abundant, that 

 El Valle de Fasnia, or Areza, was nearly filled up. This 

 second mouth continued to discharge lavas eight days, and 

 then ceased flowing. A third mouth was formed on the 

 2d of February, the same year, in La Canada de Arafo. 

 The lavas divided into three currents, and would have 

 destroyed the town of Guimar, had they not been stopped 

 in El Valle de Melosar by a chain of rocks, which formed 

 an insuperable barrier to their course. During these 

 eruptions, Orotava experienced heavy shocks. 



On the 5th of May, 1706, another grand lateral eruption 

 of the Peak took place. The mouth opened at the south 



* At TenerifFe, the shocks have hitherto been very inconsiderable, and limited 

 to a small extent of ground. 



