97 



of the Infierno is confirmed by a phenomenon, 

 which was observed towards the middle of the 

 last century in these same latitudes. At the 

 time of the irruption of the volcano of Teman- 

 faya, two pyramidal hills of lithoid lava rose 

 from the bottom of the ocean, and united them- 

 selves by degress to the island of Lanzerota. 



As we were prevented by the fall of the wind, 

 and by the currents, from repassing the channel 

 of Alegranza, we resolved on tacking duringthe 

 night between the isle Clara and the West Rock. 

 This resolution had nearly proved fatal. A calm 

 is very dangerous near this last rock, towards 

 which the current drives with considerable force. 

 We began to feel the effects of this current at 

 midnight. The proximity of the stony masses, 

 which rise perpendicularly above the water, de- 

 prived us of the little wind which blew : the 

 sloop no longer obeyed the helm, and we dreaded 

 striking every instant. It is difficult to conceive 

 how a mass of basalt, insulated in the vast ex- 

 panse of the ocean, can cause so considerable a 

 motion in the waters. These phenomena, well 

 worthy the attention of naturalists, are neverthe- 

 less well known to mariners ; they are extremely 

 to be dreaded in the Pacific Ocean, particularly 

 in the small Archipelago of the islands of Galli- 

 pagos. The difference of temperature which ex- 

 ists between the fluid and the mass of rocks can- 

 not explain the direction which these currents 

 vol. I. H 



