26 
MOUNTAIWS. 
TMC step, bj tlie yielding of these, a space which had beeP 
gained by several. 
Having passed a number of fissures, by leaping acros’ 
some, and stepping along masses of slags winch lay oyer 
Olliers, they at length reached the summit of the firs' 
peak. The clouds now became so thick, that they began 
to despair of being able to proceed any further : it was. 
indeed, dangerous even to move ; for tJie jieak consists ot 
a very narrow ridge of slags, not more than two fetk 
broad, having a precipice on each side, several hundre 
feet in depth. One of tlie.se precipices forms the side ot 
vast hollow, which seems to have been one of the craters. A' 
length the sky cleared a little, and enabled them to di.scovcT 
a ridge below, which seemed to connect the peak they ba‘ 
asceiHed with the middle or principal one. They lost 
time in availing themselves of this opixirtunity, and, bf 
balancing tliemseircs like rope-dancers, succeeded in pass- 
ing along a ridge of slags, so narrow, that there 
scarcely room for their feet. After a short, but very .steep| 
ascent, they gained the highest part of this celebrate 
mountain. _ , 
Its earliest eruption Ls said to have happened in 
since which time upwards of twenty have occurred. Th- 
of 1693 was the most dreadfial, and occasioned teyrib^ 
devastations, the ashes having been thrown over the islau^ 
in every direction, to the distance of more than one hi«'' 
dred miles. In 172S, a fire broke out among the siif' 
rounding lava ; and also in that to the west of the volcano j 
in 1 754 , which lasted for three days. There has not bc^ 
any eruption of lava since 1766 ; but for some jeivrs 
flames issued from tlie volcano. 
THE GEYSERS. 
Kor stops tlie restless fliiiil, monntins still, 
Tlio’ oft amid tli’ iri ijsious vale of springs ; 
But to the mountain courted by the sand. 
That leads it darkling on in faithful niiuse. 
Far from the parent-main, it boils again 
Fic.sh into day; and all the glittering hill 
la bright with spoiitiiijr rill». 
