o,
with vertical cliffs to the north. To the west loomed two huge twin
plateaux separated by an immense crack, also with vertical walls to the
north and a slight dip south in the strata forming the various terraces.

CHAPTER XIX

The Paredao Grande--A Canon--A Weird Phenomenon--Troublesome
Insects

WE had reached a spot of most amazing scenery--the Paredao Grande--a
giant hill mass displaying a great crater in its north side. Two high
cones stood above the immense red-baked wall at its eastern end, where it
was in huge blocks stratified in thicknesses varying from 15 to 20 ft.
each. In that eastern section the strata were perfectly horizontal. On
the western side of the crater was a colossal quadrangular mountain of
red-baked rock--a solid mass of granite with a narrow band, slightly
discoloured, all along its summit. There--above--we also perceived a
slight grassy slope, and above it again a great natural wall in layers 6
ft. thick. From the bottom of the mountain this upper natural wall
resembled the defences of a great castle built on the summit of the giant
rock. In approaching this strange sight we had gone over extensive
deposits of ashes and yellow lava pellets and balls.

[Illustration: A Vertical Mass of Solid Rock of a Brilliant Red Colour.]

The elevation at the foot of this immense block was 1,970 ft., the summit
of the rock 660 ft. higher--so that the reader can easily imagine how
impressive this quadrangular block of bright red rock was, several
hundred yards in length on each side and 201 metres high.

As we reached camp rather early I went to examine the block from all
sides. On the southern side Alcides and I climbed up to within 30 ft. of
the summit, and from that high point obtained a stupendous panoramic view
of the great expanse of undulating country to the south and south-east,
while it was almost absolutely flat to the west as far as the horizon
line.

To the south-west were distinguishable some extraordinary-looking
cylindrical table-lands--like immense sections of columns--rising well
above the horizon line. To the south in the distance a peculiar formation
of mountains could be seen--first a separate prismatic mountain like a
gabled roof with a well-defined vertical high wall standing all along its
longitudinal apex line. Parallel to this and to one another were three
sets of mountains, with such steep sides that they seemed like gigantic
walls standing up on the flat