d crater and several grottoes. In
its northern section the range was vertical, with red and yellow rocky
walls over 300 ft. high. On the summit of that rocky stratum were other
strata with a dip to the south. Half way up could be observed a red ledge
about 10 ft. thick (also with a dip to the south) all along the entire
length of the range. Colossal blocks and flows of lava were to be seen
300 yards east of this range. In one place was an immense natural
arch--like the work of a skilful mason. At the northern end of the range
stood a castle--the work of nature--with three square towers, and between
them numerous monoliths or pillars standing on walls of columnar
formation.

Evidently there was a crater in that northern part, the castle-like
structure being merely formed by many superposed layers of yellow lava.
Near the throat of the crater the lava was hard baked and of a bluish red
colour. In the lower section the strata were each 6 ft. thick, under a
smooth band, absolutely horizontal, 100 ft. in thickness. There were then
two top layers, each 20 ft. thick, and four more layers each 4 ft. thick,
and slightly wavy. The last ones were somewhat shattered, and displayed
large blocks moved out of position--apparently by a volcanic explosion.

In going round the northern corner of the range more similar buttresses,
like towers, were disclosed--I could count as many as eight--projecting
out of the immense vertical block of rock. Those buttresses were of brown
and bright yellow rock. The range had a general direction from south-east
to north-west.

Great deposits of white sand and ashes were noticeable on the surface. In
cuts and in the bed of a streamlet were strata of consolidated ashes in
distinct layers one inch thick. The foot of the gigantic rocky mass was
at an elevation of 1,700 ft. We were on a slanting plane forming a
conical basin in continuation of the crater. To the north, where the
basin opened, was a great stretch of cobalt blue in the distance, which
looked just like a glimpse of the ocean. But it was not; it was the
far-away plateau we had seen for some days.

We were now entering a region of the most impressive and weird scenery I
had ever seen, except, indeed, in the Himalaya Mountains. Directly in
front of us towered the Morro Plumao, a most striking giant block of rock
several hundred feet high, standing quite alone, and resembling a church
surmounting a mediaeval castle--not unlike St. Michael's Moun