34^ TRAVELS IN 
poffibly could, and cftablllhed my camp at 
the diftance of three hundred paces from the 
favage horde. I expefted to find on the 
fummit, as I had been told, a confiderable 
volcanoj that emitted fmoke and flames s but 
I faw nothing that had any refemblance to 
fuch a phenomenon. By the affiftance of 
my fpy-glafs, I difcovered an immenfe ex- 
tent of country ftretched out towards the 
north, and bounded only by the horizon 5 
and on the moft elevated peaks and the plain 
fpaces. pyramids of flints and fand, exactly 
like thofe found upon downs. I endeavour- 
ed, but In vain, to difcover fome fliells ; I 
obferved no fragments or remains that had 
the leafl: affinity to any marine production. 
My principal attention was direfted to birds ; 
and I had the good fortune to difcover and 
kill fome very uncommon, particularly a 
very beautiful fpecies of widow bird *, that 
concealed itfelf in the long grafs with which 
thefe high mountains were almolT: every 
where covered. 
^ The Emberlza Paradifea of Linnaeus ; the PaJJer 
Indkus of Ray, Willoughby, and Johnfton \ and the long^. 
tailed red throat of Edwards. T. 
% la 
