Notebook No.193, 19 February 1854 - 15 March 1854

This red notebook contains a record of Charles Lyell’s geological travels around Madeira and the Canary Islands with Georg Hartung, in the company of Mary Lyell, and Charles and Frances Bunbury. and is one of the longest. It starts by completing his observations in Madeira, before he goes to Gran Canaria focusing on Las Palmas, Teror, Bandama Caldera, Tafira, Las Rehoyas, Barranco de Guiniguada, Castillo del Ray, Tosca Blanca, Agüimes, Tirajana, and Fataga. This notebook primarily focuses on the geological features and formations and includes a vast number of drawings and sketches of stratigraphical and geological features, primarily concerning volcanic activity, dikes, tuff, lava, dips, alluvium, crystals, and eruption. He references different specimens that illustrate what he is seeing. The beginning of this book contains Lyell’s observations whilst on the steamboat arriving in the Canary Islands. Lyell notes that he has consulted Philip Barker-Webb and Sabin Berthelot’s “Histoire naturelle des Iles Canaries” and refers to his geological guide Pedro Maffiotte.

This notebook is written in ink and pencil and does not include an index but includes a short, itemised list on the first page and an itinerary on p.25. This notebook has been indexed in the "Index to Note Books on Geology of Maderia” reference Coll-203/A5/14 [was 16] starting on p.53-65. That index is transcribed below. Reflecting this important fieldwork, there are many geological terms and references to place names; many of which have been difficult to decipher. Lyell’s own spellings have been left, with current names added where possible.

Index as recorded in Coll-203/A5/14 p.54-65:
p.2 Maderia Brazen Head- dip 45°.
p.4 Brazen Head
p.6 - [Brazen] Section of cliffs
p.8 - [Brazen] section of Do – near Brazen Head
p.10 Pa Oliverina & Pico do Caniço -
p.12 Trachtyte of Po de Cruz referred to by Webb & Berthollet [Philip Barker-Webb and Sabin Berthelot]
[p.12] Coast section arch section on [smudged pen]
p.14 Red band in the arch under basalt
[p.14] Age of upper beds over laterite on the arch-
p.16 View of coast E. of Funchal arch
p.20 Teneriffe [sic Tenerife] view of from the N.
p.22 - [Tenerife] slope of E. part 18 degrees & dip of beds to sea same
p.24 Tosca
p.26, 28} S. Jorge Madeira fern notes on by C. Bunbury [species names given].
p.29 Teneriffe [sic Tenerife] basalts (V[on] Buch?)
p.30 Pastors shells from Las Palmas G[ran]d Canary
p.32 Marine Shells at Anaga N. part of Teneriffe [sic Tenerife] Pastor
p.34 - [marine] shells at S[anta]. Cruz Pastor
[p.34] Margueilla P. to be from Pico del Viento near Palma
p.36 Pastor’s address
p.42 Barometer
p.44 Forte del Rey section – shells 2ft diam[eter] & 7 ft diam[eter] greenst[one] blocks
p.46 Las Reoyas [sic Rehoyas], 50 ft of conglom[erate]
[p.46] Saw form[ation]s lower on dipping angles of 25 & containing shells
p.49 DO [ditto] - & dike of lava
p.50 The 2 form[ation]s described & section
p.52 Barometer
[p.52] Shells Patilla etc 400ft ? high
p.54 Lamna [Page shows landscape line titled Grand Canary across both pages to Isleta, and drawing of a shark's tooth]
p.56 Barometer
[p.56] 10 ft diam[ete]r boulder of greenst
p.58 Do. & names of rivers Las Palmas
p.60 No marine fossils known in Canto Blanco – pumiceous tuff
p.62 Barometer
p.64 Modern curral of lava near Tafira
[p.64] Cuchara or Spoon outline of [Lyell also talks of wild olives and honey]
p.66 Valley in wh[ich] modern lava excavated after Almendrado
p.67 Vandama crater
p.68 - [Vandama] sketch of
[p.68] Barometer height 1384 ft -
p.70 Do -
p.70 Almendrado at Tafira 1006 ft not seen to exceed 200 ft more
p.73 marine forma[tio]n near Palmas & section from Tafira
p.74 12ft diameter blocks
p.74 Green coloured largest rock -
p.75 Pumiceous tuff with angular 3 or 4 inch diameter the Almendrado well rounded & several feet diam[ete]r blocks. 7 ft?
[p.75] In the Almendrado a laminated rock
p. 76 Igneous rock in situ near Las Palmas
[p.76] In pumiceous tuff no blocks above 1 ft diameter & then very rare therefore the almandrado derived not its materials from that tuff -
p.76 Conglom[erat]e section of & of tuff wh[ich] was old cliff.
[p.76] Pummice was 3 to 4 inch diameter is angular
p.78 Castello de Rey section of conglomerate & tuff & basalt
p.80 View of Valley in Guiniguada R[iver] Las Palmas
p.82 List of shells of Almandrado -
p.86 Barometer Las Palmas
p.89 Almendrado & marine form[atio]n its parts described
p.90 Almendrado implies subscience?
p.90 Qy [query] if base of cliff of Almendrado etc to 30 ft above the sea.
[p.90] Pecten Fossil 300 ft high
p.92 Marine form[atio]n Las Palmas section of
[p.92] Fort Elizabeth greenst[one]
p.94 Sea coast section showing position of Almendrado, basalt/ pumiceaous tuff
p.96 Tuff with overlying (or facing of) conglom[erate]– or Almendrado
p.97 Extent or ance of marine beds are about 1/4th of the Island Maffiotte.
p.98 Vandama, Caldera, View of (blown out, hole much formed by erupted matter Oct 25. 1855) 1/3rd only erupted matter
p.100 Ginaman or Ximanao modern “chains[?]” rough surface of lava – Cruz de Gallina more modern than Porto Moniz
p.102 Cruz de Gallina very modern lava not eru[pte]d with lichens only a few Euphorbia etc.
p.102 Lava sticking up
p.104 Telde
p.106 Do. Barometer (380 ft-)
[p.106] Calcareous covering of basalt above Telde
p.107 Absence of proofs of marine beds near Telde -
[p.107] Chief features in the ride from Las Palmas to Agüimes - county S[outh] of Telde stationary while Las Palmas upheaval-
p.108 No rounded pebbles on heights to Agüimes
[p.108] Calc[areou]s. [Suiter?] inter stratif[ied] with cinder & lapilli. Qy a slope
p.112, 117} Barometer – Agüimes 800 ft high
p.112 Calc[areou]s. Covering of vesi[cular] basalt at
p.120 Do -
p.122 Pebbles & greenst[one] in Barranco de Tiraxana [sic Tirajana]
p.124 Corvo’s Address La Palma
p.124 Gravel in plain of Juan Grande
p.125 Plant succulent Euphorbias
p.126 Do. [Euphorbias]
p.128 Do. [Euphorbias]
[p.128] Schistone greenst[one?]. Strike W. 20 N
p.130 Climate great coal in sunshine away Euphorbia
[p.130 Green slates
p.131 Vegetation wonderful
[p.131] Gravel hill not marine near Juan Grande
p.132 Barometer Maspalomas
p.134 G[ran]d Canary flatter dome than Maderia -
[p.136] Orange Trees [“Splendid orange trees 14 years old, loads of fruit – House Sparrows on them as on a London roof”].
p.138 Barranco de Fataga greenst[one]
p.140 Not the stones but hot wind which causes sterility (V. Buch) [actual text reads “it is not the stones as Von Buch supposed but the drought & NE wind which causes the sterility”]
p.140 Cochineal will destroy Euphorbia
[p.140] Sand hills s[ai]d. to be 100 ft high on coast near Maspalomas
[p.140] Greenst[one] in barrancos polished by water [not ice]
p.142 Ferruginous [covering?] of greenst[one] (Qy trachyte Bunsen says pyroxenic trachyte rock)
[p.142] very Felspather
[p.142] Calcareous incrustation in bed of river
[p.142] Guauchos habitation of
p.144 Cistus & Pine
[p.144] Crystalline schiston rocks
[p.144] Trachytic series
p.146 Dip to 40 N.
p.148 Plants in Barrancos
p.150 Horizontal beds higher up barranco
[p.150] Felspather rock 1200 ft high in barranco-(very high)
p.152 Rocks high in barranco, see specimen
p.154 Barom[eter] Fataga
p.156 Succession of beds shown in cliff bed not examined
p.158 Narrowing of gorge at Fataga
p.160 Specimen L. of rock at Fataga - Scotch Trap
[p.160] Screen of trachyte rock between Barr[anc]o & Caldera
p.162 Sinking dome & fault to where Caldera due
p.164 Two great valleys or ravines drain the Caldera – View of
[p.164] Tributary streams
p.166, 169} Barometer Tunte
[p.166, 169] Dikes in Barr[anc]o of Gallega or Fatiga [sic Fataga] very few – one only? As in alternation? -
[p.166, 169] View of Caldera of Tiraxana [sic Tirajana]
p.168 Scoria Tunte & ruins of trachyte -
[p.168] Subterranean drainage
[p.168] Temporary lakes
p.170 Tunte ruins of trachyte
[p.170] Palms at Tunte & Cistus
[p.170] Slight dip of beds in Calderia - Roads zigzagged well
p.172 Undermining by water in clayey trachyte?
p.172 Appearance of undermining
p.174 Saddle like that of Serra d’Agoa
[p.174] Stratifi[cal] trachytes of Cumbre
p.176 Basalt with olivine & trachyte etc see specimens
p.178 Barometer Cruz Grande
[p.178] Specimen of white breccia at top of wall of Calderia
p.178 Agglomerate
[p.178] No dikes in wall of 1500 ft
p.180 angulating of fragments & nature at the agglomerate – height 5400 ft
Plants – specimen of aggl[omerate] 5850 ft
Agglomerate described – Graniform fragments
No marine shells no stratif[ication]
p.182 View of Caldera of Tiraxana [sic Tirajana] from above
p.184 Barometer Pargona 5494.
[p.186] Nublo peaks, yet no sea here -
p.186 Nublo dikes rare
[p.186] Whether dike then conglom[erate] or agglom[erate] showing trachyte of Cumbre to the newer smoke grey trachyte
p.188 Dike 500ft high – basaltic modern see specimens
p.190 Red scoria 500 ft high near top of G[ran]d Canary
[p.190] Basalt slope 15° solid.
[p.190] Lava current 3900 ft high slope 6°
p.192 Trachyte & agglom[erate] angle of 5 & 10
Vandama Eiffel-like explosion.
p.194 Barometer Matheo - vis
p.196 Corbeau Rue de Cano
p.198 View from S. Matheo
p.200 Cones like Madeira & less solid
p.206 A trachytic centre of island with basalt & Almendrado [over its?]
p.208 View from N of Tafira down to Islete
p.210 Barom[eter]. W end of Tafira & height of marine 1200
p.212 Barom[eter] las Palmas
p.212 Slope of Almendrado original?
p.216 Barom[eter] - ride to Teror 1700ft
p.217 View of diver[sion] of Cumbre into two parts
p.219 Lava stream with mass sticking up on plateau - clinker-field?
p.220 Glacial action new in G. Canary
[p.220] Barom[eter] S. Lorenzo [sic São Lourenço]
p.223 Age of lavas relation basalt
p.226 View of Cumbre & newer basaltic cones of great height
[p.226] Vallo Seco crater
p.230 Vallo Seco & cater view of – Qy Erheburgs [sic Eckerberg?] crater outside?