S4 Recount of a Journey to the 



The night was delightf^'ul, without a cloud, and scarcely 

 a breath of air stirring. The colour oi the sky appeared to 

 be a very imteuse black ; the stars sparkled with an exceed- 

 ing bright light, by the help of which we faintly perceived 

 the obscure vapoura that veiled every thing below us. 

 Every time I rose to observe the thermometer, I employed 

 a considerable time in enjoying the charms of so rare and 

 so beautiful a situation. Raised to that height in the at- 

 mosphere, seated quietly on that enormous mass of smok- 

 ing rums insulated in the ocean, being alone awake amidst 

 the silence of nature, I admired with religious awe the ma- 

 jesty of its sleep; I recalled past even's, and waited with- 

 out impatience for the hour when I was going to satisfy the 

 curiosity which had brought me so far to visit one of the 

 oldest volcanoes of the earth. 



At a quarter before five the thermometer fell to three 

 degrees below zerol It was now day-light, and I set out 

 with mv guide. The acclivities are rapid, and formed by 

 heaps of ruins which cover the currents. We had always to 

 clamber up large masses of scorine and vitreous lava ex- 

 ceedingly sharp and rough. The snow retained in thi.- fur- 

 rows formed by the currents was fortunately solid. I took 

 advantage of it to ascend from time to time in a less painful 

 manner. Towards tlie sununit we no longer found any 

 thing but pumice stotics, exceedingly fatiguing by their in- 

 clination and mobility. Without advancing too fast, wC 

 arrived at the end of three hours at the summit of the peak. 

 To look to the bottom of the crater then behind me, and to 

 survey the immensity of the horizon, was the affair of a 

 moment ; to enjoy the accomplishment of a project which 

 1 had long formed, was the aft'air of a second. The former, 

 mv dear Devilliers, was certainly worth the latter. 



When my first eagerncis was satisfied, I ensured my po- 

 sition on the most elevated edge. It is impossible to walk 

 round the crater : it is necessary to remain on the northern 

 part by which you have ascended. It appeared to me proper 

 to place my instruments a little lower, to shelter them from 

 the sulphureous vapours which the wind agitated above the 

 crater before it carried them away. When I returned to my 

 post I hoisted a fl?.g, to announce my success to my good 

 friends at the port of Oratava, and I quietly conununicated 

 to them tire observations I had made. A line of vapour 

 marked out on the horizon the separation of the sea and the 

 air, forming an innnense and perfect circle. On the smooth 

 surface of this truly boundless plain arose the isles of Ferro, 

 Canary, Gomera, and Palmo, which seemed to crowd around 



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