oo VOLCANO OF LANCEROTA. 
cultivated district, and entirely destroyed nine villa- 
ges. Its eruptions were preceded by an earthquake, 
and violent shocks continued to be felt for several 
years,—a phenomenon of rare occurrence, the agita- 
tion of the ground usually ceasing after a disengage- 
ment of lava or other volcanic products. The sum- 
mit of the great crater is rounded, and its absolute 
height does not appear to be much above 1918 feet. 
The island of Lancerota was formerly named Tite- 
roigotra, and at the time of the arrival of the Spa- 
niards its inhabitants were more civilized than the 
other Canarians, living in houses built of hewn stone, 
while the Guanches of Teneriffe resided in caves. 
There was then a very singular institution in the 
island. ‘The women had several husbands, each of 
whom enjoyed the prerogative belonging to the head 
of a family in succession, the others remaining for - 
the time in the capacity of common domestics.* 
The occurrence, between the islands of Alegranza 
and Montana Clara, of a singular marine production, 
with light-green leaves, which was brought up by 
the lead from a great depth, affords our author, in 
his narrative, an opportunity of stating some inte- 
resting facts respecting the colouring of plants. This 
seaweed, growing at the bottom of the ocean ata 
depth of 205 feet, had its vine-shaped leaves as 
* A similar practice is stated by Mr Fraser, in'his “ Journal of 
a Tour through the Himala Mountains,” p. 206, to occur in seve- 
ral of the hill provinces of India. It is usual all over the country 
for the future husband to purchase his wife from her parents; and 
the sum thus paid varies of course with the rank of the purchaser. 
The difficulty of raising this sum, and the alleged expense of main- 
taining women, may in part account for, if it cannot excuse, a most 
disgusting usage, which is universal over the country. Three or 
four or more brothers marry and cohabit with one woman, who is the 
wife of all. ‘They are unable to raise the requisite sum individually, 
and thus club their shares, and buy this one common spouse.” 
