THE DESCENT. 295 



high altitude, for, as evening drew on, a couple of 

 bats came flitting round us, and in the crater we 

 saw several large swifts. The night air became 

 cold as the sun went down, so we commenced our 

 downward journey, arriving at Alta Vista by 

 8 o'clock, and reaching Orotava, without difficulty, 

 about 3 a.m., the bright moon giving a peculiarly 

 unearthly and weird-like tone to the desolate scenes 

 through which we passed. 



