CO 
ASCEXT or THE TEAK. 
without recalling to the remembrance of the friends of 
science the name of Don Bernardo Cologan, whose house at 
all times was open to travellers of every nation. 
Wo could have wished to have sojourned for some time 
in Don Bernardo’s house, and to have visited with him the 
charming scenery of St. Juan de la ilambla and of Rialexo de 
Abaxo.* But on a voyage such as wo had undertaken, the 
present is hut little enjoyed. Continually haunted by the 
fear of not executing the designs of the morrow, we live in 
perpetual uneasiness. Persons who are passionately fond of 
nature and the arts feel the same sensations, when they 
travel through Switzerland and Italy. Enabled to see but a 
small portion of the objects which allure them, they are dis- 
turbed in their enjoyments by the restraints they impose on 
themselves at every step. 
On the morning of the 21st of June, we were on our 
way to the summit of the volcano. M. le Gros, whose 
attentions were unwearied, M. Lalande, secretary to the 
French Consulate at Santa Cruz, and the English gardener 
at Durasno, joined us on this excursion. The day was not 
very fine, and the summit of the peak, which is generally 
visible at Orotava from sunrise till ton o’clock, was covered 
with thick clouds. 
We were agreeably surprised by the contrast between the 
vegetation of this part of Teneriffe, and that of the environs of 
Santa Cruz. Under the influence of a cool and humid climate, 
the ground was covered with beautiful verdure; while on the 
road from Santa Cruz to Laguna the plants exhibited nothing 
hut capsules cmpl iod of their seeds. A'car the port of Santa 
Cruz, the strength of the vegetation is an obstacle to geolo- 
gical research. We passed along the base of two small hills, 
which rise in the form of hells. Observations made at Vesu- 
vius and in Auvergne lead us to think that these hills owe 
their origin to lateral eruptions of the great volcano. The hill 
called Montanita de la Villa seems indeed to have emitted 
lavas ; and according to the tradition of the Guanches, an 
eruption took place in 1430. Colonel Franqui assured Borda, 
that the place is still to bo seen whence the melted matter 
* This last-named village stands at the foot of the lofty mountain of 
Tygayga. 
