About half-way
up on the south side, and in a very pretty, romantic situation, there is a
natural spring of remarkably cool water. On the north side, at about the
same height, there is a waterfall, which, though small and insignificant in
itself, has a pleasing appearance, as it rushes over the rocks, and through
the trees and shrubs. This mountain is thickly clothed with wood, which in
many places not only excludes the rays of the sun, but produces a sombre,
gloomy appearance; this, with the occasional plaintive coo of the mountain
dove, (the only sound heard at this height,) creates in the mind sensations
of pleasing melancholy. In some parts an open space suddenly appears, from
whence the whole country below bursts unexpectedly upon the view, which
has, as may be supposed, an extremely fine effect. The thermometer, on the
top of the mountain when the writer visited it, stood at 65, being a
difference of 15 degrees from the low lands, where it stood at 80 degrees.
The descent into the crater on the north and east sides is perfectly
perpendicular; on the south and west sides, it slopes at an average angle
of not more than 18 or 20 degrees from the perpendicular; consequently,
persons descending are often obliged to let themselves down by clinging to
projecting corners of rocks, or the branches and roots of shrubs, which
grow all the way down; nor is this mode of travelling particularly safe,
for should any of these give way, the consequence would probably be highly
dangerous.
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