250 



is contained in the narrative of the voyage * of 

 Aloysio Cadamusto, who landed at the Canaries 

 in 1505. This traveller was witness of no erup- 

 tionSj but he positively affirms, that, like Etna, 

 this mountain burns without interruption, and 

 that the fire has been seen by Christians retain- 

 ed in slavery by the Guanches of TenerifFe. The 

 Peak therefore was not at that time in the state 

 of repose, in which we find it at present ; for it 

 is certain, that no navigator or inhabitant of 

 TenerifFe, has seen issue from the mouth of the 

 Peak, I will not say flames, but even any smoke 

 that was visible at a distance. Perhaps it is to 

 be wished, that the funnel of the Caldera may 

 open anew ; the lateral eruptions would thus be 

 rendered less violent, and the whole group of 

 islands would have less to fear from the effects 

 of earthquakes -f\ 



* Nec silendum puto de insula Teneriffse, quae et eximie 

 colitur, & inter orbis insulas est eminentior. Nam caelo sereno 

 em in us conspicitur ; adeo ut qui absunt ab ea ad leucas his- 

 panas sexaginta vel septuaginta non difficulter earn intuean- 

 tur. Quod cernatur a longe id efficit acaminatus lapis ada- 

 mantinus, instar pyramidis, in medio. Qui metiti sunt lapi- 

 dem aiunt altitudine lucarum quindecim mensuram excedere 

 ab imo ad sura mum verticem. Is lapis jugiter flagrat, instar 

 iEtnae montis ; id affirmant nostri Christiani, qui capti ali- 

 quando hsec animadvert&re. Aloysii Cadamusti Navigatio ad 

 Terras Incognitas, c. 8. 



f At TenerifFe the shocks have hitherto been very inconsi- 

 derable, and limited to a small extent of ground. The same 

 thing has been observed at the Isle of Bourbon, and almost 



