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AHKIVAI, AT COKUNNA. 



DardanclK-s, while it enlarged the basin of the Mediter- 

 ranean, overwhelmed the southern part of Europe. 

 The high central plain just descrihcd would, it may be 

 presumed, resist tlie effects of the inundation until the 

 escape of the waters by the strait formed l)etween the 

 Pillars of lli'rcules had gradually lowered the level of 

 the Mediterianean, and thereby once more laid bare 

 Upper Egypt on the one hand, and on the other the 

 fertile valleys of Tarragon, Valentia, and Mureia. 



From Astoi-ga to Corunna the mountains gradually 

 rise, the secondary strata disappear l)y degrees, and the 

 transition- rocks which succeed announce tiie proximity 

 of primitive formations. Large mountains of gray wacke 

 and gray wacke-slate present themselves. In the vici- 

 nity of the latter town are granitic summits which 

 extend to Cape Ortegal, and which might seem, with 

 those of Brittany and Cornwall, to have once formed a 

 chain of mountains that has l)een broken up and sub- 

 mersed. This rock is characterized by large and 

 beautiful crystals of felspar, and contains tin-ore, which 

 is worked with much labour and little profit by the 

 Galicians. 



On arriving at Corunna, they found the port block- 

 aded by the English, for the purpose of interrupting 

 the communication between the mother-country and 

 the American colonies. The principal secretary of state 

 had recommended them to Don Raliiel Clavigo, recentl}' 

 appointed director-general of the maritime posts, who 

 neglected nothing that could render their residence 

 agreeable, and advised them to enibark on board the 

 corvette Pizarro bound for Ilavannah and Mexico. 

 Instructions were given for the safe disposal of the 

 iiistrunu-nts, and the captain was ordered to stop at 

 TcncriHc so loni; as should be found necessary to en- 

 able the travellers to visit the port of Orotava and 

 n-scend the IVak. 



During the few days of their detention, they occupied 

 thcnisclvcs in j)r(i)aring the i)lants which they had 

 collected, and in makiim sundry obsur\\».tioijs. Crossing 



