On arriving at the summit, our traveller was sur prised to find Scarcely- room to sit down. The crater was•nclosed with a small circular wall of por phyritic lava, with basis of pitchstone. This wall, at a little distance, has the appearance of a 'small cylinder or a truncated cone. It would have entirely blocked up the approach to the crater, had there not been a breach on the east side, through which they descended into the funnel. They found it of an ellip tic form, 300 feet in length, and 200 in breadth. It is remarkable, that these dimensions are only a fifth part'of those of the crater of Vesuvius. In fact, very lofty volcanoes usually throw out the matter by lateral openings, so that some of the greatest among the Andes have very small apertures at the summit. The inside of the funnel indicated the appearance of a crater which had not thrown out fire for thousands of years. There were none of those layers of sco ria and ashes, which mark recent volcanic action ; the floor was strewed with fragments of stony lavas, which the action of time had detached from the sides. The strata along the edges were very, irregularly piled over each other, exhibiting various grotesque ramifications. The inclosing wall id snow white at its surface, owing to the action of sulphuric acid gas on pitchstone porphyry. The aspect of the whole ' is rather curious than awful. " The majesty of the site consists in its elevation above the level of the ocean, in the profound solitude of those lofty re ' gions, and the immense space over which the eye ranges." • The view from this point is described by Hum boldt as interesting in a very peculiar manner. He observes, " Travellers have learnt bt experience, that views from the summit of very lofty mountains are neither so beautiful, picturesque, or varied, as those from the summit of heights which do not ex ceed that of Vesuvius, Rigi, or Puy-de-Dome. Co lossal mountains, such as Chimlioraeo, Antisana, or Mount Rosa, compose so large a mass, that the plains, covered with rich vegetation, are seen only in the immensity of distance, where a blue va poury tint is uniformly spread over the landscape. The Peak of Teneriffe, from its slender form and local position, unites the advantages of less, lofty summits to those which arise from very great heights. We not only discover from its top a vast expanse of sea, but we see also the forests of Teneriffe, and the inhabited part of the coasts, in a proximity fitted to produce the most beautiful contrasts of form and colouring. The volcano-seems as if it crushed, with its mass, the little isle which serves for its basis, and shoots up from the bosom of the waters to a height three times loftier than the region where the clouds float in the summer." The remarkable transpa rency of the atmosphere increases greatly the ap parent proximity in which the hamlets, vineyards, and gardens on the coast are beheld.
The Peak appeared to Humboldt to be composed entirely of volcanic products, without any mixture of primitive rocks. It is peculiarly distinguished by the vast quantity of obsidian, a substance not found is immediate mmediate vicinity of almost any other volcano. It alternates with, and passes into pumice, in a man ner which convinced our traveller that pumice was merely tumefied obsidian. These two rocks, to gether with a porphyry consisting of vitreous lava in a basis of pitchstone, composed the whole upper part of the Peak. Although the crater was entirely
silent, yet, near the summit, vapour, which condeur sed into pure water, issued from different spiracles, called the Nostrils of the Peak.
The active volcanos of Teneriffe are considered by Humboldt to be merely lateral eruptions of great volcano. The only one recently in operation, is the volcano of Cahorra, situated on the west side of the Peak, After a long silence, it began its dis charge on the night of the 8th of June 1798. A hollow and stifled sound was first heard, like tbat.of distant- thunder; •then a louder 'noise, like that of matter in violent ebullition ; after which another sound, which resembled a great discharge of artil lery. A short interval still elapsed, till the liquified substances began to ascend. Four mouths were opened, of which the two highest threw up only red hot stones. The third poured out lava, but slowly ; and it is fortunately surrounded by a rampart of rocks, the interval between which and the volcano must be filled up, before the stream could reach the cultivated fields.
Humboldt observed the other islands merely by sailing along their coasts. Lancerota exhibited every mark of having been recently overwhelmed by vol canic agency. This appears to have taken place in 1730, when nine villages were entirely destroyed. The summit of its great volcano did not appear to exceed SOO toises. The coast of Gracious is distia guished by rocks of basalt 500 or 600 feet high, which frown in perpendicular walls over the ocean, the rains of vast edifices. One .of them SO ex actly resembled a castle, that the French captain saluted it, and sent a boat on where •to make some inquiries of the governor.
All the -rocks which Humboldt observed, were thus either volcanic, or of eery recent trap forma tion. M. Broussonnet, however, who spent a long . time upon th islands, slands, stated, that women was composed of the primitive rocks of granite and mica slate. The Grand Canary 'has never been explored ; but it struck Humboldt as. wearing a different aspect from the rest, its mountains being disposed in pa raid chains.
The eastern side of the Island of Teneriffe is en tirely naked and barren ; but the northern and west ern sides are beautiful and fertile. It does-not pro duce two-thirds of the corn necessary for its own consumption, but is supplied from the Other ishmdm Santa Cruz, the capital, is situated on the eastern side ; the convenience of the harbour and situation compensating for the barrenness of the surrounding country. It supports itself by -trade, foaming, as it were, a great caravansary between Spain and the Indies. English ships often mach *1 this port for fresh provisions, whieh are obtained of excellent. pity, though chiefly from the neighbouring island of Canary. The appearance of this city, which exhi bits houses of hag whiteness, with flat roofs, and windows without glass, stuck against a perpen dicular wall of basaltic rooks, appeared very pleasing to Humboldt. The streets, however, are -neat, with foot-walks on each side. The houses within are -remarkably spacious ; the halls and gal leries so extensive as, to M. Bory's opinion, to ex clude the comfortable feeling of a house, and rather to suggest that of on open •space. The read is ex cellent, and forms the chief recommendation of Santa Cruz. The harbour is well built, but the landing difficult and even dangerous. The popula tion is estimated at 43000 souls.