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height of four thousand four hundred and eleven 

 metres);, at Suniguaicu, on the ridge of porphy- 

 ritic mountains, which joins Cotopaxi to the 

 Nevado de Quelendanna. 



The conic point of the Peak of TenerifFe is of 

 easy access, rising from the midst of a plain 

 covered with pumice stones, and on which a 

 few tufts of Spartium supranubium vegetate. 

 In scaling the volcano of Cotopaxi, it is ex- 

 tremely difficult to attain the inferior boundary 

 of the perpetual snows, as we experienced in an 

 excursion we made in the month of May, in the 

 year 1802. The cone is surrounded by deep 

 crevices, which at the moment of the eruptions 

 bear down scoriae, pumice stone, water, and 

 blocks of ice, to Rio Napo, and Rio de los Ala- 

 ques. After a near examination of the summit 

 of Cotopaxi, we may venture to assert, that it 

 would be impossible to reach the brink of the 

 crater. 



The greater the regularity in the form of the 

 cone of this volcano, the more we are struck in 

 finding, on the side to the south-east, a small 

 mass of rock, half concealed under the snow, 

 studded with points, and which the natives call 

 the head of the Inca. The origin of this singular 

 denomination is very uncertain. A popular tra- 

 dition prevails in the country, that this isolated 

 rock was heretofore a part of the top of Coto- 

 paxi. The Indians relate, that the volcano, at 



