Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/226

 of Air, and very little Wind; but being at the top, it was so impetuous, that we had much ado to stand against it, whilst we drank the King's Health, and fir'd each of us a Piece. Here we also brake Fast, but found our Strong-water had quite lost its Force, and was become almost insipid, whilst our Wine was rather more spirituous and brisk than it was before.

"The Top on which we stood, being not above a Yard broad, is the Brink of a Pit called the Caldera, which we judged to be about a Musket-shot over, and near fourscore Yards deep, in Shape like a Cone, within hollow like a Kettle or Cauldron, and all over cover'd with small loose Stones mixt with Sulphur and Sand; from amongst which issue diverse Spiracles of Smoak and Heat, when stirred with any thing puffs and makes a noise, and so offensive, that we were almost stifled with the sudden Emanation of Vapours upon the removing of one of these Stones, which are so hot as they are not easily to be handled. We descended not above four or five Yards into the Caldera, in regard of its sliding from our Feet and the Difficulty. But some have adventured to the Bottom. Other observable Materials we discover'd none, besides a clear sort of Sulphur, which looks like Salt upon the Stones.

"From this famous Pico, we could ken the Grand Canaria, fourteen Leagues distant, Palma eighteen, and Gomera seven Leagues, which Interval of Sea seem'd to us not much larger than the River of Thames about London: We discerned also the Herro, being distant above twenty Leagues, and so to the utmost Limits of the Sea much farther.

"So soon as the Sun appeared, the Shadow of the Rh