TOWN 01? SANTA CIUTZ. 
40 
nifieent spectacle, and at the same instant we saw four Eng- 
lish vessels lying to, and very near our stem. We had 
passed without being perceived, and the same mist which 
had concealed the peak from our view, had saved us from 
the risk of being earned back to Europe. The Pizarro stood 
iu as close as possible to the fort, to be under its protection. 
It was on this shore, that, in the landing attempted by the 
English two years before our arrival, in July 1797, admiral 
Nelson had his arm carried off by a cannon-ball. 
The situation of the town of Santa Cruz is very similar to 
that of La Guayra, the most frequented port of the province 
of Caraceas. The heat is excessive in both places, and from 
the same causes; but the aspect of Santa Cruz is more 
gloomy. On a narrow and sandy beach, houses of dazzling 
whiteness, with flat roofs, and windows without glass, are 
built close against a wall of black perpendicular rock, devoid 
of vegetation. A flue mole, built of freestone, and the public 
walk planted with poplars, are the only objects which break 
the sameness of the landscape. The view' of the peak, as it 
presents itself above Santa Cruz, is much less picturesque 
than that we enjoy from the port of Orotava. There, a highly 
cultured and smiling plain presents a pleasing contrast to 
the wild aspect of the volcano. Prom the groups of palm 
trees and bananas which line the coast, to the region of the 
arbutus, the laurel, and the pine, the volcanic rock is crowned 
with luxuriant vegetation. Wo easily conceive how the in- 
habitants, even of the beautiful climates of Greece and Italy, 
might fancy they recognised oue of the Fortunate Isles in 
the western part of Teneriffc. The eastern side, that of 
Santa Cruz, on the contrary, is every where stamped with 
sterility. The summit of the peak is iiot more arid than the 
promontory of basaltic lava, which stretches towards the 
point of Naga, and on which succulent plants, springing up 
in the clefts of the rocks, scarcely indicate a preparation of 
soil. At the port of Orotava, the top of the Piton subtends 
an angle in height of more than eleven degrees and a half; 
while at the mole of Santa Cruz* the angle scarcely exceeds 
4° 30'. 
Notwithstanding this difference, and though in the latter 
* The oblique distances from the top of the volcano to Orotava and ce 
Santa Cruz are nearly S,GOO toises and 22,500 toises. 
