Summit of the Peak of Teneriffh in February 1829. 29 



Lomo de la Calavera, we met with a new barranco running 

 into an ancient one of the same name as the hill ; and about 

 three-quarters of a mile from it we came to Barranco Jura- 

 dillo, which is of an immense breadth and depth. At the spot 

 where we crossed it the torrent had divided itself into two 

 branches, forming a sort of islet in the centre. The sides of 

 the ravine were composed of various strata of lava and mud : 

 the superior stratum was basaltic trap, occasionally inclined to 

 a columnar formation; the second was a brown volcanic mud, 

 about ten feet thick, below which was trap in laminar masses, 

 volcanic breccia, and a sort of colorific earth. A short distance 

 beyond Juradillo we passed on our left hand a hill of pumice *, 

 which had been cut down in a perpendicular manner to the 

 depth of at least eighty feet by the waterspout of 1826. 



The surface now entirely consisted of white rapilli partly 

 decomposed, and masses of porphyritic lava, occasionally mixed 

 with veins of pumice in the centre. Some time before we 

 gained this elevation we found vegetation gradually becoming 

 less luxuriant and more and more scanty, till here it was re- 

 duced to one variety only, the mountain broom (Spartium 

 nubigenum\ which is the last plant of the upper regions, and 

 indicates the fifth and highest zone of plants. The dry, close, 

 and ligneous formation of its leaves fully enables it to support 

 the immense difference of temperature which it is obliged to 

 undergo every four-and-twenty hours. During the summer 

 season, in the day-time, the intensity of the solar rays is almost 

 insupportable on account of the nature of the soil and the 

 clearness and rarefaction of the air: on the contrary, the 

 night air is excessively cold and moist. In winter the snow is 

 permanent for some months, which, joined to the great ele- 

 vation, produces a cold equal to that of the arctic regions. 



At 10 P.M. we passed a spot called the Ultimo Pino (last 

 pine), and had a view of the foot of the Peak, which bore W. 

 by N. of us. The view on our right was a novelty to a person 

 who was not accustomed to ascend great elevations. The 

 valleys below were filled with vapours, whilst the sea and the 

 regions above were quite clear. Objects below were unusually 

 refracted. Two brigantines, which were just in the horizon, 

 presented inverted images of some of their parts; but what was 

 very singular, they occasionally altered their form: sometimes 



* At this spot the waterspout brought to light two earthen bowls which 

 had belonged to the Guanches. The possessor of them, Don Lorenzo Ma- 

 chado, very kindly presented me with one of them ; it is made of argilla- 

 ceous earth, mixed with a black volcanic sand, and is sun-dried : it holds 

 about 200 cubic inches of water. 



the 



