46 THE PE,Ut OF TENERIJFE. 
At the distance of Uiirty-four leagues from the isiai^ 
Mr. Bennet had a very distinct view of the Peak, risif^ 
like a cone from the bed of the ocean. The rocks a'**, 
strata of Tenerifte, he observes, are wholly volcanic, o’*! 
long chain of mountains, which may be termed the centra, 
chain, traversing the island from tlie foot of the seed' 
region of the Peak, and sloping down on tlie easted' 
western, and northern sides, to the sea. Towards the soud' 
os- more properly the S.S.W. the mountaiivs are nean) 
perpendicular, and though broken into ridges, and occj' 
.fionally separated by deep ravines, that are cut transverse', 
as well as longitudinally, there are none of those plains, dj 
that gradual declination of strata, which the south-eastfd 
and north-western sides of the island exhibit. 
Mr. Bennet a.scended the Peak in the monih of Sep 
tember, 1810. We give the abridged details of this 
dition in his own words. i 
The road to the city of Orotava, is a gmdual a"^ 
easy slope for three or four miles, through a highly ci'dj 
vated country. Leaving tlie town, after a steep ascent 
about an liour, tlirough a deep ravine, we quitted the ci'I", 
vated jiart, and entered into forests of chesuuts, tlie trdp 
ot' which are of a large size. The form of this torcst 
oblong ; the soil is deep, and formed of decomposed la''*^ 
small ash, and pumice. I examined several channels in tl 
strata, or navines worn by the rains, and tliere was d 
appearance of any other rock. Leaving this forest, tlie 3'-’ 
passes over a series of green hills, which we traversed 
about two hours, and at last halted to water our mules a' 
spot where there is a small spring of bad and brack'^ 
water issuing from a lava rock. The ravine is ot consids 
able depth. I'he range of green hills extends a mil*' . 
two further, the soil shallowing by degrees, until at 
the trees and shrubs gradually dwindling in .size, the 
nish broom alone covers the ground. Leaving behind 
tills range of green hills, the track, still ascending, leads 
several hour.s across a steep and difficuk mass of lava 
broken here and there into strange and fantastic forms, 
into deep i-avines, and scantily covered in places by a 
layer of yellow pumice. As we proceeded on our 
the hills on our left gradiiallr rose in height till the suni^ 
were lost in those of the central chain j wliile, on opr I'S 
