152 



and firs, which has suffered greatly from the vio- 

 lence of the hurricanes. In this place, men- 

 tioned by some travellers under the name of 

 Caravela, Mr. Eden * asserts that he saw little 

 flames, which, according to the doctrine of the 

 naturalists of his time, he attributes to sulphu- 

 rous exhalations that take fire of themselves. 

 We continued to ascend, till we came to the 

 rock of La Gayta and to Portillo ; traversing this 

 narrow passage between two basaltic hills, we 

 entered the great plain of Spartium^. At the 

 time of the voyage of La Peyrouse, Mr. Man- 

 neron had taken the levels of the peak, from the 

 port of Orotava to this elevated plain near 1400 

 toises above the level of the sea ; but the want 

 of water, and the misconduct of the guides, had 

 prevented him from taking the levels to the top 

 of the volcano. The results of this operation, 

 which was two thirds finished, unfortunately 

 were not sent to Europe, and this work is still 

 to be recommenced from the seacoast. 



We spent two hours and a half in crossing the 

 Llano del Retama, which appears like an im- 

 mense sea of land. Notwithstanding the ele 

 vation of this site, the centigrade thermometer 



* This visit took place in 1715. Phil. Trans, vol. xxix, 

 p. 817. Carabela is the name of a vessel with latin sails. 

 The pines of the peak formerly were used as masts of vessels, 

 and the royal navy cut it's wood (cortes de madera) on the 

 Monte Verde. 



f Los Llanos del Retama. 



