186 



the Fortunate Islands *. We discovered Palma, 

 Gomera, and the Great Canary, at our feet. The 

 mountains of Lanzerota, free from vapors at sun- 

 rise, were soon enveloped in thick clouds. On a 

 supposition only of an ordinary refraction, the 

 eye takes in, in calm weather, from the summit 

 of the volcano, a surface of the globe of 5700 

 square leagues, equal to a fourth of the surface 

 of Spain. The question has often been agitated, 

 if it were possible to perceive the coast of Africa 

 from the top of this colossal pyramid ; but the 

 nearest parts of this coast are still farther from 

 TenerifFe than 2° 49', or 56 leagues. The visual 

 ray of the horizon from the Peak, being 1° 57'> 

 Cape Bojador can be seen only on the supposi- 

 tion of it's height being 200 toi^es above the 

 level of the ocean. We are absolutely ignorant 

 of the height of the Black Mountains near C^pe 

 Bojador, as well as that of the Peiak, called by 

 navigators Pennon grande, farther to the south 

 of this promontory. If the summit of the vol- 

 cano of Teneriffe was more accessible, we should 

 observe without doubt, with certain winds, the 

 effects of an extraordinary refraction. In look- 



* Of all the small islands of the Canaries, the Rock of the 

 East is the only one, which cannot be seen, even in fine wea- 

 ther, from the top of the Peak. It's distance is 3° 5^ while 

 that of the Salvage is only 2? V. The Isle of Madeira, dis- 

 tant 4° 29', would be visible, if it's mountains were more than 

 3000 toises high. 



