on the mountain. A kind o f rude pavilion,, therefore, was fbnneddiy
a fail, .which, being lined with cloaks', and great coats,: foon produced
a femfortabie apartment, A fire-was then kindled hear die.tent; and.
after takingan-hafiy fupper, every one laid himfelf down to repofe. igjj
A t fix o’cloGk. in the morriing, the ardubus-jaurneywas renewed j
the thermometer being at that time confiderably below the freezing
point— which, after infinite fatigue and confider-able - hazard, proved-
fruitlefMas- to its piancipal objedfcj and about three o’clock in the
afternoon, h^ different, gentlemen o f thgd)2rty, wh:o had taken dif-
ifeient ways to; afeend the peak, were* at length;. happily reraflembded
at the place where the mttles had -been* flattened. It was,. however,
pecefiary, aS: the„diflrance .from Santa Cruz wSs at k aft.eleyen.de,
twelve milps, to pafs the night o f this day, asvWe had paflgd the preceding
onei and, on the following moming, -the party returned-to.
SantaCryzLafter a mofl fatiguingexpeditibn o f -tlyoy-dayS-and ty/o
:in, w h k h curipfity, at; leaft*. hadj receivedconfiderable gjatifi-,
cation. -
The peakvof TenerifEe is one o f the Higheft mountains’ in the world,
and, maybe feen at. the diAahtCeoS an hundred imfesV" It aifesyin thd
center o f .the ill and; and takes, its. afeent .from Santa -Cruz,and Ora^
tavia^janother piincipaLtown df thisiMand, intan^obliquefdireftioH,
fior neartwesnty miles^Ihemgfurroinided b y a great-number of: inferior,
mountains. The lower pares towards Santa Cruw, are covered,
with Woods:- and vineyards ƒ its middle is clad in dhow, andf-fhe. bop*
difembogues flamesfrom a volcano, which the natives-call the.Devil’s
Cauidsom In travelling to die peak, the bell way- is on the fidj^ofi
Oratavia, both as to the convenience o f afeent, and the.confeqnent;
diminution b f danger;I In fome parts o f the mounfain there* afe.hot^.
burning fands-i-dn other places there -is ihow; and to, that, fuceeeds*
a ftrong fulphurous vapour. Though the top of the peak, from it%
great height, appears to finifh in a pointj i t contains a- flat furfaee ofi
at leaf! an acr# o f ground. We experienced three diftin§; changes o f
climate in the courfe o f our j ourney. In the firib ftage o f i t the air. is
( r2 )
warm, - to' that fkceeeds mtenfo^dd, which, is; Ipfld wed by a volcanic
Jieat. The bottom is continual fertility, the middle is dhow ap^,||oft, * Oaober/
and the, top is -. fmoke and flames; giving 'the fycceffive: effects,of a
garden, an ice-houfe, and.'a furnace.
Soon after our return to Santa Cruz, a fignaf was given for our Friday *&.
going on board, which was obeyed with-ali poffible expedition.. On
our return.,to jhe.fhipj. we found feveral young ladies, inhabitants o f
the ifland, who, having been, educated in England, were naturally
induced to vifit a fhip belonging to a eouplry to which they
apparently owed, • the flncerefb ackpowlegemeats^ They were
received with the greateft politenefs, by - Lord Macartney; and
the band o f mufic was ordered to play during the whole o f their
very,agreeable-viflfi.,; |S
The French frigate, which we have; already mentioned as detained,
here, was, this day, releafed from, its embargo, and £bt fail, from the
jfland.
About eleven o’clock at night the wine! blewtt very frefh gale, andi
the Ipdoftan drifted fo faft towards the fhpre, i^iat it was thought
prudent to let go her fheet anchor, hut this precaution was not
Sufficient to prevent, the danger from becoming fo imminent, that
Captain Mackintofh fired a gun for affiftanse from the Lion ; when
Sir Erafmus .Gower immediately ordered o ff three boats, by whofe
exertions, the Indoftan. was difengaged from her unpleasant flotation,,
when fhe put to fea j, after havingdoft her anchors, from the rubbing
o f the- cables'againfl: the roc,ky bottom..;'; f
At one in the morning w e weighed anchor, and took pur leave p f Sahirday «^.
Santa Cruz. i v-\? ! §g|
At three in the afternoon we fLw Mayo,, one ofi the Cape de Verd Novembers
iflands,' bearing W; S. W. at;the diftance of .fouLor. five leagues.
Hove too,- and hoiked, out the, launch. ALfeyen, we fpoke to a.fhip
, ^ from