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her voyage home from China, Her Majesty’s ship Fury touched at Teneriffe, and the captain with some of the officers determined to celebrate the Queen’s birthday on the summit of the famous Peak, while at the same time the usual honours were being paid on board the ship. Accordingly a party, consisting of Captain Bedford Pim, Lieutenant Perceval, Lieutenant Godfrey, Royal Marines, Lieutenant Gordon Stuart, St. Helena Regiment, and T. E. Boileau, Esq., started from Santa Cruz at 11 on Wednesday, May 22nd, 1861, en route for Orotava, from whence the ascent of the Peak must be made.

Laguna, the capital of the island, was reached at 12.30, after which the aspect of the country gradually improved, until at Suazal, which is about half way, the valley of Orotava opened upon the view, displaying scenery the beauty of which it would be difficult to exaggerate. At Suazal it is the custom to rest the horses and take dinner, which is served in the old Spanish fashion; the party, however, by a great effort persuaded the cook to forego the usual bountiful allowance of garlic. From Santa Cruz to Suazal there is an excellent, broad, macadamised road, but from the latter place to Orotava it is nothing but up hill and down dale, with very sharp curves at the bottom, round which the coach is driven at fulfull [sic] gallop. The team, generally mules, require more attention than the coachman alone can give, and therefore a boy is employed to run alongside the animals, thrash them, clear them, and make himself generally useful. When the speed is considerable he seizes a trace, and contrives to keep pace with his charge until going slowly again. On the present occasion the lad unfortunately tripped, fell under the mules, was kicked by the near wheeler, and then the fore wheel passed over him. The coach was, of course, stopped as quickly as possible and the boy picked up; the poor fellow was severely injured; he was carried to the nearest house, where his wounds were bound up, after which the carriage pushed on, some of the party walking, so as to give him plenty of room. Finally he was lodged in the hospital, and a handsome subscription collected, the doctor asserting that the cure would be rapid and complete.

LaEl [sic] Puerto de Orotava was reached at 7.30, and very good accommodation obtained at the fonda or inn situated in the Plaza.

The town of Orotava, or “La Villa,” is built some distance up the valley, while the port, or “El Puerto,” is of course on the coast; from either place the ascent can be made, but the Puerto is generally chosen because an English gentleman (Mr. Goodall) residing there takes pleasure, in the kindest and most disinterested manner, in making all the arrangements necessary to insure the comfort and success of his countrymen.

At 10 in the evening the party were gratified by a full view of the magnificent Peak. The clouds had dispersed, leaving a brilliantly clear sky overhead, while the full moon illumined a scene scarcely to be surpassed.

The forenoon of the following day (23rd) was spent in necessary preparation, and at 3.45 the travellers left the Puerto, and almost immediately commenced ascending. The cavalcade had quite an imposing appearance, each horseman having a native in attendance, as also a man for each baggage mule, while a guide in his picturesque mantle headed the procession.

The baggage consisted of two barrels of water, corn for the horses, food, wine, fireworks, and warm clothing. Hard boiled eggs, fowls, and bread formed the staple of the eatables; coffee, wine, brandy, with champagne for the Queen’s health, the drinkables; the fireworks were from China; the warm clothing consisted of coats, blankets, and wrappers to keep out the cuttingly cold wind.

The afternoon was warm, thermometer 84°; but very soon after leaving El Puerto the temperature cooled, and by 5.15 it was 68°, at which time the last village was passed. Nothing could be more rugged and toilsome than the road; in many places, after winding about for an hour, not more than a mile was gained. At 6.30 the ultima thule of cultivation was reached, and the party found themselves fairly enshrouded in the clouds, when a halt was called, and additional clothing put on, the temperature 58°, and heavy drizzle falling. A Spanish scarecrow loomed gigantically through the mist from the last patch of cultivation, and proved to be the last vestige of civilisation.

It was still light at 7.30 when the moon rose, the horses therefore were enabled to pick their way; but how they managed to keep their footing was a marvel, the track being of the very worst. At length, soon after 8, the glad tidings that half the journey had been accomplished was announced, temperature 42°. Hardly had this good news been imparted when the clouds and mist assumed a gauze-like fineness, through which the party soon penetrated, and a scene lay before them which called forth the involuntary admiration of every one, and caused the toil of the ascent to be forgotten in a moment. Below, to the northward, the clouds rolled along like hummocky ice-fields, while a magnificent lunar rainbow spanned that part of the heavens; above, the sky was cloudless, brilliant with stars and full moon; right in front was “the Peak” rearing upwards, its gigantic form so clear and well defined, that it