Mr. Bennet on the Island of Tener'iffc, 295 



Having reached the end of the plain we found ourselves at the 

 bottom of a steep hill, at the foot of which is a mass or current of 

 lava which has flowed from the higher regions of the peak, and 

 which constitutes the eastern branch of the lava of Mai Pah. We 

 began to ascend this steep and rapid part of the mountain which is 

 composed of a small white or yellowish ash mixed with masses of 

 pumice and fragments of lava similar to that found in the plains, of 

 which several small pieces that I picked up were in a state of vitri- 

 fication. After a laborious not to say hazardous ascent of about an 

 hour, the pumice and ash giving way and the mule sinking knee 

 deep at each step, we arrived at about five in the afternoon at the 

 other extremity of the stream of lava, which descending from the 

 summit of the second region of the peak divides at the foot of the 

 cone into two branches, the one running to the north-east and 

 the other to the north- north- west ; at the extremity of this 

 latter are several immense blocks or masses of lava which bear 

 the name of La Estancia di las Ingleses^ and are rocks, not caves 

 as has been stated by some writers. It was here we were to pass 

 the night, so, lighting a fire made of the dry branches of the Spanish 

 broom and stretching part of a sail over a portion of the rock, we 

 ate our dinner and laid ourselves down to sleep. I however passed 

 the best part ot the night by the fire, the weather being piercing 

 cold ; as I stood by the fire the view all around me was wild and 

 terrific, the moon rose about ten at night, and though in her third 

 quarter gave sufficient light to shew the waste and wilderness by 

 which we were surrounded : the peak and the upper regions which 

 we had yet to ascend towered awfully above our heads, while below, 

 the mountains that had appeared of such a height in the morning 

 and had cost us a day's labour to climb, lay stretched as plains at 

 our feet j from the uncommon rarity of the atmosphere the wholey 



