DRAGON-TREE OF OROTAVA. 49 
vellers found to be about 60 feet high, with a cir. 
cumference of 48 feet near the roots. The trunk di- 
vides into a great number of branches, which rise 
in the form of a candelabrum, and are terminated 
by tufts of leaves. This tree is said to have been 
revered by the Guanches as the ash of Ephesus 
was by the Greeks ; and in 1402, at the time of the 
first expedition of Gethencour, was as large and as 
hollow as our travellers found it. As the species 
is of very slow growth, the age of this individual 
must be great. It is singular, that the dragon-tree 
should have been cultivated in these islands at so 
early a period, if being a native of India, and no- 
where occurring on the African continent. 
Leaving Orotava they passed by a narrow and 
stony. path through a beautiful wood of chestnuts 
to a place covered with brambles, laurels, and 
arborescent heaths, where, under a solitary pine, 
known by the name of Pino del Dornajito, 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 distin- 
guished 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 Su- 
gar-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 throughout the summer. 
In the 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 
Cc 
