Extract of a Tour, by Mr. Olds. 



manner like us, but climbed with ease like a goat ; he being 

 one of those poor men who earn their living by gathering 

 brimstone in the cauldron, and other volcanos ; the Peake 

 itseU' being no other, although it has not burned for some 

 vears past, and all the highest parts of the island shew evi- 

 dent marks of those great revolutions, which have occurred 

 in former ages. 



" The Sugar Loaf itself is nothing else than earth 

 mixed with ashes and calcareous stones, thrown out of the 

 bowels of the earth ; and the great square stones above de- 

 scribed, seem to have been thrown out of the cauldron or 

 hollow of the Peake, when it was a volcano. The top is 

 quite inaccessible on every side, except that on which we 

 went up, which was the east. We tumbled down some 

 large rocks towards the west, which rolled a vast way, till 

 we lost sight of them. 



" After taking some repose we began to descend, and 

 with so much more quickness from the great descent, so 

 that in a little more than half an hour we cleared the 

 Peake. About five o'clock we arrived at Oratava : the 

 whole distance from the base of the Peake we compute to be 

 fifteen English miles ; and the hight of Estancia, above the 

 level of the sea, 1 estimate at four miles ; if to this we add 

 one mile more for the Peake, the whole height may be com- 

 puted at five English miles perpendicular. 



" The situation of Estancia is well adapted for the 

 purposes of an observatory, if a warm commodious house 

 was built upon it, to accommodate astronomers, while the 

 moderate weather continues, viz. in July, August, and 

 September. 



