41 



ASCKN r or THE PEAK. 



Ascent of 

 tlic peu'ii. 



plieno- 

 Dieiion. 



I maces of 



fAee of tt 



I. where, under a solitary pine, known by the name of 

 I'ino del Doinajito, they procured a supply of water. 

 From this place to the crater they continued to ascend 

 without crossing a single valley, passing over several 

 regions distinguished by their peculiar vegetation, and 

 rested during part of the night in a very elevated position, 

 where they suffered severely from the cold. About 

 three in the morning they began to climb the Sugar- 

 loaf, or small terminal cone, by the dull light of fir- 

 torches, and examined a small subterranean glacier or 

 cave, whence the towns below are supplied with ice 

 througliout the summer. 



In tlie twilight they observed a phenomenon not 

 unusual on high mountains, — a stratum of white clouds 

 spread out beneath, concealing the face of the ocean, and 

 presenting the appearance of a vast plain covered with 

 snow. Soon afterwards another very curious sight 

 occurred, namely, the semblance of small rockets 

 thrown into the air, and which they at first imagined to 

 be a certain indication of some new erujjtion of the great 

 volcano of Laneerota. But the illusion soon ceased, 

 and they found that the luminous points were only the 

 images of stars magnified and refracted by the vapours. 

 They remained motionless at intervals, then rose per- 

 pendicularly, descended sidewise, and returned to their 

 original position. After three hours' march over an 

 extremely rugged tract, the travellers readied a small 

 ))lain called La Kambleta, from the centre of which 

 rises the Piton or Sugar-loaf. The slope of this cone, 

 covered with volcanic ashes and pumice, is so steep that 

 it would have been almost impossible to reach the 

 summit, had they not ascended by an old current of 

 lava, wliicli had in some measure resisted the action of 

 the atmosphere. 



ic On attaining the top of this steep, they found them- 

 selves on the edge of the crater, from whicli they de- 

 s<'ended to the bottom of the funnel or caklera, the 

 tjreatcst diameter of wliich at the mouth seimed to be 

 020 feet. There were no large openings in the crater ; 



