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 off, have
found themselves unable to escape and have here perished miserably;
looking out of the cavern to the last for that assistance they were never
doomed to receive? If they had managed to enter these caves by a narrow
pathway running along the face of the cliffs, which the Spaniards
afterwards destroyed, such an occurrence might readily have taken place.

Having completed my examination I dismissed the boat and walked back to
Santa Cruz, from whence we sailed at five o'clock this evening.


CHAPTER 2. TO BAHIA AND THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

ATMOSPHERICAL PHENOMENON AT SEA.

Nothing important occurred during the voyage from Tenerife to Bahia; but
one atmospherical phenomenon I think is worthy at a future day of further
enquiry.

I remarked constantly, just at sunset, in these latitudes, that the
eastern horizon was brilliantly illuminated with a kind of mock sunset.
This in a short time disappeared, to be soon succeeded by another similar
in character, but more faint. I observed at the same time, in the western
horizon, the regular sunset, and then two appearances, like those seen in
the east; perhaps this may be fully accounted for by a triple reflection,
as in the common theory of the rainbow.

LAND AT BAHIA.