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us of the ancient fluidity of the whole mass, and 

 the combination of several deranging causes, 

 which determined the direction of each flow. 

 The top of the circular wall exhibits those gro- 

 tesque ramifications which we find in coak. 

 The northern edge is more elevated ; towards 

 the south-east, the enclosure is considerably 

 sunk, and an enormous mass of scorious lava 

 seems glued to the extremity of the brink. On 

 the west the rock is perforated ; and a large 

 opening gives a view of the horizon of the sea. 

 The force of the elastic vapours formed perhaps 

 this natural aperture, at the moment of some in- 

 undation of lava thrown out from the crater. 



The inside of this funnel indicates a volcano, 

 which for thousands of years has vomited no fire 

 but by it's sides. This assertion is not founded 

 on the absence of great openings, which might 

 be expected in the bottom of the Caldera. Those 

 naturalists, who have studied nature on the spot, 

 know, that several volcanoes, in the intervals of 

 an eruption, appear filled up, and almost extin- 

 guished ; but that in these same mountains, the 

 crater of the volcano exhibits layers of scoriae, 

 rough, sonorous, and shining ; with hillocks and 

 intumescences, caused by the action of the elas- 

 tic vapours, cones of broken scoriae, and ashes, 

 which cover the funnels. None of these pheno- 

 mena characterise the crater of the Peak of Te- 

 nerifFe ; it's bottom has not remained in the state 



