ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
remained bordering them must have split in a lateral 
movement east and west. 
Six kilometres from camp, through the forest, we came 
upon some singularly delicious, green, smooth, grassy 
slopes. In other places were perfectly circular or oval, 
concave basins of volcanic ashes, in the centre of which 
stood charming groups of burity palms and trees with 
most luxuriant foliage. These bosquets existed in the 
hollow of all the basins where profuse infiltrations of 
moisture caused the luxuriant vegetation. 
We were at an elevation of 2,350 feet. On going down 
to a stream (elevation 2,130 feet), we encountered great 
flows of lava. It had flowed in a westerly direction. We 
were proceeding through enchanting vegetation when we 
came to a second and a third cuvette or basin adorned with 
plentiful healthy palms in its central point. 
As I was admiring the curious sight of these clusters 
of high vegetation absolutely surrounded by a wide band 
of lawn, such as one would see in a well-kept English park, 
a heavy and sudden storm arrived, which in a few seconds 
drenched us to the marrow of our bones. I have seldom 
seen or felt drops of water of such weight and size as when 
the rain began, followed within a few seconds by a down¬ 
pour in bucketsful. 
Animals, baggage, and men, dripping all over, went 
along, rising to 2,400 feet above the sea level, by the side 
of a conical hill. A huge block of volcanic rock, shot and 
deposited there evidently from elsewhere, was to be seen 
near by. 
Eighteen kilometres from our last camp we descended 
to a streamlet, dividing a grassy basin like the preceding 
ones. Again I noticed here that all divisions between 
ranges, caused by volcanic or other violent action, and 
not by erosion, were in a direction from north to south. 
We had this in the Paredao Grande, and in the triple 
division of the top-dyked mountains on the south, and also 
262 
