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186 



the Fortunate Islands * We discovered Paima, 

 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 toises above the 

 level of the ocean. We are absolutely ignorant 

 of the height of the Black Mountains near Cape 

 Bojador, as well as that of the Peak, 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° 1'. The Isle of Madeira, dis- 

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

 3000 toises high. 



