DEPARTURE FROM SANTA CRUZ. 47 



fete in the garden of Mr. Little, who had reduced to 

 cultivation a hill covered with volcanic substances, 

 from wl]ich there is a magnificent view of the Peak, 

 the villages along the coast, and the isle of Palnia. 

 Early in the evening the volcano suddenly exhibited 

 a most extraordinary spectacle, the shepherds hav- 

 ing, in conformity to ancient custom, lighted the 

 fires of St. John ; the scattered masses of which, 

 with the columns of smoke driven by the wind, 

 formed a fine contrast to the deep verdure of the 

 woods that covered the sides of the mountain, wliile 

 the silence of nature was broken at intervals by the 

 shouts of joy which came from afar. 



CHAPTER IV. 



Passage from Teneriffe to Cumana. 



Departure from Santa Cruz— Floating Seaweeds— Flying-fish— Stars- 

 Malignant Fever— Island of Tobago — Death of a Passenger — Island 

 of Coche — Port of Cumana — Observations made during tlie Voyage; 

 Temperature of the Air ; Temperature of the Sea ; Hygrometrical 

 State of the Air ; Colour of the Sky and Ocean. 



Having sailed from Santa Cruz on the evening of 

 the 25th of Jiuie, with a strong wind from the north- 

 east, our travellers soon lost sight of the Canary 

 Islands, the mountains of which were covered with 

 reddish vapour, the Peak alone appearing at intervals 

 in the breaks. The passage from Teneriffe to Cu- 

 mana was performed in twenty days, the distance 

 being 3106 miles. 



The wind gradually subsided as they retired from 

 the African coast. Short calms of several hours 

 occasionally took place, which were regularly inter- 

 rupted by slight squalls, accompanied by masses of 

 dark clouds, emitting a few large drops of rain, but 



