TUT) CANARY ISLANDS. 
45 
Chapter II. 
Stay at Teneriffe. — Journey from Santa Cruz to Orotava. — Excursion to 
the summit of the Peak of Teyile. 
From the time of our departure from Graciosa, the 
horizon continued so hazy, that, notwithstanding tho con- 
siderable height of the mountains of Canary,* we did not 
discover that island till the evening of the 18th of June. 
It is the granary of the archipelago of the Fortunate Islands ; 
and, what is very remarkable in a region situated beyond the 
limits of the tropics, we were assured, that in some districts, 
there are two wheat harvests in the year; one in February, 
and the other in June. Canary has never been visited by' a 
learned mineralogist ; yet this island is so much the more 
worthy of observation, as the physiognomy of its mountains, 
disposed in parallel chains, appeared to me to differ entirely 
from that of the summits of Laneerota and Teneriffe. 
Nothing is more interesting to the geologist, than to ob- 
serve the relations, on the same point of the globe, between 
volcanic countries, and those which are primitive or secon- 
dary. When the Canary Islands shall have been examined, 
in all the parts which compose the system of these moun- 
tains, we shall find that we have been too precipitate in con- 
sidering the whole group as raised by the action of submarine 
lircs. 
Ou tho morning of the 10th, we discovered the point of 
Naga, but the peak of Teneriffe was still invisible : the land, 
obscured by a thick mist, presented forms that were vague 
and confused. As we approached the road of Santa Cruz 
we observed that the mist, driven by the winds, drew nearer 
to us. The sea was strongly agitated, as it most commonly 
is in those latitudes. We anchored after several soundings, 
for the mist was so thick, that we could scarcely distinguish 
objects at a few cables’ distance ; but at the moment we 
began to salute tho place, the fog was instantly dispelled. 
The peak of Teyde appeared in a break above tho clouds, 
and the first rays of the sun, which had not yet risen on us, 
illumined the summit of the volcano. 
We hastened to the prow of the vessel to behold the rung- 
* Isla de lu Gran Canaria. 
