of ascending smoke. I landed to
ascertain the cause of this, and found it arose from one of those hollow
rocks which are sometimes seen on our own coast and are known by various
names, such as blowing stones, boiling kettles, etc. etc. I had however
never seen one at all to be compared to this in size. It was formed by a
hole in the rocks through which the water is first poured as the waves
rush in; and then is partly driven out with a loud noise through a hole
far up, and partly returns, in the form of spray, by the opening through
which it was at first impelled. By assuming a proper position with regard
to the sun a most beautiful rainbow is seen in this spray as it is dashed
high into the air, and the whole is well worthy of a visit. Having
collected some shells and geological specimens we again embarked for the
cave.

On reaching the spot we distinctly observed, from the shore, the mouths
of two caves full of bones. As the Guanches were in the habit of
embalming their dead I entertained hopes of obtaining from them a mummy,
of which there are several preserved in the Canary Islands. Upon landing
however I found that they were utterly inaccessible, being situated in a
perpendicular rock about 150 feet above the level of high water mark, and
a considerable distance beneath the summit of the cliff. I had indulged a
hope of being able to swing into one of the caves by means of a rope
suspended from the top, but, owing to a large rock which projects from
above quite over their mouths, this would be very difficult. Several
bones had been blown out of the apertures, which I collected and found
them to have belonged to man, but otherwise displaying nothing
remarkable.

I can scarcely entertain a doubt but these caves really were the
burying-places of the ancient Guanches, yet how they were approached I
cannot conceive; probably there might have been an entrance to them from
the interior of the country. I searched but my time was short and I could
find no traces of such. An interesting question here remains to be solved
and I trust some future traveller may be induced to attempt it.

There is only one other supposition I could frame on this subject, and to
this I am led from the fact of the bones lying so immediately in the
caves' mouths. Could a party of the Guanches, when so oppressed and so
cruelly treated by the Spaniards, have taken refuge by some means in
these caverns, and afterwards, from their retreat being cut o