125 



but divided into ledges of small thickness, and 

 inclined to the east under an angle of 30 or 40 

 degrees. It has no where the appearance of a 

 current of lava flowing from the sides of the 

 peak. If the present volcano has given birth to 

 these basalts, we must suppose, that, like the 

 substances which compose the Somma, at the 

 back of Vesuvius, they are the effect of a sub- 

 marine effusion, in which the liquid mass has 

 formed real strata. A few bushy euphorbiums, 

 the cacalia kleinia, and Indian figs (cactus), 

 which are become wild in the Canary islands, as 

 well as in the south of Europe and the whole 

 continent of Africa, are the only plants we see 

 on these arid rocks. The feet of our mules were 

 slipping every moment on beds of stone, which 

 were very steep. We nevertheless recognized 

 the remains of an ancient pavement. In these 

 colonies we discover at every step some traces 

 of that activity, which the Spanish nation dis- 

 played in the 16th century. 



As we approached Laguna, we felt the tem- 

 perature of the atmosphere gradually decrease. 

 This sensation is so much the more agreeable, as 

 the air of Santa Cruz is very suffocating. As our 

 organs are more affected by disagreeable impres- 

 sions, the change of temperature becomes still 

 more sensible when we return from Laguna to 

 the port : we se^em then to be drawing near the 

 mouth of a furnace. The same impression is felt* 



