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In 1698 another lofty volcano fell, with a tremendous crash. Proceeding farther north, we find three active volcanoes in the province of Pasto, and three likewise in that of Popayan. Passing on, across the isthmus of Darien into Guatemala, and Nicaragua, no less than twenty-one active volcanoes are found between the tenth and fifteenth degrees of no: th latitude. Among these is an enormous mountain called the volcano of water (de Agua), at the base of which in 1527, the old city of Guatemala was built. A few years afterward, a most formidable aqueous eruption burst forth, which overwhelmed the whole city, and buried in the ruins most of the inhabitants. Appalled by this disaster, the Spaniards built another city, New Guatemala, in another situation, farther from the mountain. Among other splendid buildings it contained a Cathedral more than 300 feet long, and one of its nunneries had more than 1000 persons in it. After a series of dreadful shocks, and volcanic eruptions, this beautiful city shared the fate of the former, and was reduced to a heap of ruins in 1775. We have now traced this volcanic chain for a distance of nearly 5000 miles from south to north, arriving at the high table land of Mexico, which is the middle part of the great chain of mountains called the Andes or Cordilleras in the south, and the Rocky Mountains in the north. This table land is from 6000 to 8000 feet in height,thus rivalling Mount St. Bernard and other remarkable summits in the eastern continent. This table land is not an interval between opposite ridges, but is the highest part of the ridge itself. In the course of it, isolated peaks occur, the summits of which reach the elevation of perpetual snow. It is somewhat remarkable, that a chain of volcanic mountains traverses this table land at right angles, which, with few interruptions, seems almost as smooth as the ocean, to a distance of 1500 miles north. Hence while communication with the City of Mexico is very difficult from either sea coast, there is nothing to prevent wheel carriages from running along the top of this mountain chain to Santa Fe. The volcanic mountains, are five in number, and run at right angles; commencing with the most eastern, we have Tuxtla, a few miles west of Vera Cruz; Orizava, the height of which is 17,370 feet; Popocatepetl 500 feet higher, and shown in the engraving below.

This is the highest mountain in Mexico, and is continually burning. The two others lie on the western side of Mexico, and are

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called Jorullo and Colima, the latter being 9000 feet in height. We shall have occasion to speak of Jorullo and its eruptions hereafter. It is somewhat remarkable that these five volcanoes now active, are connected by a chain of intermediate ones, which undoubtedly have been so at some remote period, and that if the line of volcanic vents be prolonged in a westerly direction, it will -pass through a group of volcanic islands, called the isles of Revillagigedo. Proceeding north of Mexico, another chain of mountains running parallel with the Rocky Mountain chain, commencing in the peninsula of California, runs as far north as the 50th deg. of north latitude, where it ends near the Rocky Mountains. In the peninsula of California there are three, or according to some accounts, five active volcanoes. In the Rocky

Mountain chain from Mexico north, no active volcano occurs, but the whole country, says Mr. Parker, "from the Rocky Mountains on the east and Pacific Ocean on the west, and from Queen Charlotte's Island on the north to California on the south, presents one vast scene of igneous or volcanic action. Internal fires ap

pear to have reduced almost all the regular rock formations to a state of fusion, and then, through fissures and chasms of the earth, to have forced the substances which constitute the present volcanic form. Such has been the intensity aud extent of this

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agency, that mountains of amygdaloid and basalt have been thrown up; and the same substance is spread over the neighboring plains, to what depth is not known; but from observations made upon channels of rivers and the precipices of ravines, it is evidently very deep. The tops of some mountains are spread out into horizontal plains, some are rounded like domes, and others terminate in conical peaks and abrupt eminences of various magnitudes, which are numerous, presenting themselves in forms resembling pillars, pyramids, and castles. There are several

regularly formed craters; but these, presenting themselves in depressions or in cones, are rendered obscure by the lapse of time." Mr. Parker also states that nearly all the rocks of this region are amygdaloid, i. e. a trap rock in which agates and mineral substances are scattered about like almonds in a cake; basalt, lava, and volcanic glass, or obsidian. The Rocky Mountain chain extends north to the Arctic ocean, skirts along its coast, and is probably connected subterraneously, with the volcanic band which we shall presently describe, extending from the Aleutian Isles, or extremity of the peninsula of Alaska, in Russian America, to the Molucca Isles. The whole shore of western America, from the peninsula just mentioned to Vancouver's Islands, presents a bold and awful aspect, being bordered with mountainous steeps, covered with primeval forests, and containing two of the most elevated peaks in the northern part of America, Mount St. Elias, 18,000 feet, and Mount Fairweather, 14,913 feet above the ocean. Passing from the peninsula of Alaska, we find the volcanic chain extending through the Aleutian or Fox Islands, which are a long and numerous group extending nearly to Kamschatka. From almost every island, steep and lofty peaks arise, and from many, volcanic fire is discharged. In 1795 an island was thrown up and added to this group, by an eruption from beneath the sea, and continued to increase, till in 1807 it measured twenty miles in circuit. Throughout this whole tract, earthquakes of the most terrific description occur. The line of volcanic craters continues through the southern extremity of Kamschatka, where are seven active volcanoes, which in some eruptions have scattered ashes to immense distances. The chain is prolonged through the Kurile

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islands, where a train of volcanic mountains exists, nine of which are known to have been in eruption; and elevations of the bed of the sea from earthquakes have occurred several times since the middle of the last century. The line is next continued through the Japanese group, which contains a number of active volcanoes and is continually liable to earthquakes. Proceeding southward, the chain is continued through the islands of the East Indian Archipelago. Mountain ranges of a volcanic character traverse almost all these, some rising upwards of 12,000 feet in height. In Sumatra, four volcanoes occur, and also several in Java. The largest of the Mollucca group, Celebes, contains a number of volcanoes in a state of activity, and one of the most terrible eruptions ever recorded happened on the island of Sumbawa another of this group. Here the chain branches off eastward and westward, passing to the west through New Guinea, New Britain the Solomon group, and the New Hebrides, thence through the Friendly and Society Islands nearly east. Indeed the Pacific Ocean in the equatorial regions seems to have been one vast theatre of igneous action, its innumerable archipelagos being composed of volcanic rocks, or coralline limestones with active vents here and there. To the westward, the chain passes through Borneo, and Sumatra, to Barren Island in the Bay of Bengal. From Java southward, the chain may be traced along the coast of New Holland and Van Diemens land, and thence probably is a submarine connection with Freeman's Peak, in the Ballerny Isles, on the Antarctic continent. Still farther south we have the chain extending along Victoria land, between 80° and 70° of south latitude, connecting with Mounts Erebus and Terror before mentioned. Another great chain of mountains runs nearly east and west from the shores of the Caspian sea to the Atlantic, passing through Turkey, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, and Spain. The whole region along this chain, which sends off many lateral branches, is subject to earthquakes and other volcanic phenomena; the well known volcanoes Etna, and Vesuvius, are a part of this chain. In addition to the volcanic chains we have named, there are some cases of isolated volcanic action, such as Mount Hecla in Iceland, and the volcanoes of Madagascar.

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Heaved 'neath their tread

the giant turrets rocked,
And fell and instantly black night rushed down,
And from its bosom burst a thunderous crash
Stunning and terrible."

Wm. Howitt.

THE number of active volcanoes, and solfatares or vents, from which sulphureous and acid vapors and gases are given off, is about 305; of these, 196 are in islands, and the other 109, are on continents. It is however, a remarkable fact that a majority of them are located near the ocean, or large bodies of water; and even submarino volcanoes are not of unfrequent occurrence. Besides the volcanoes now in action, there are many undisputable extinct volcanoes, i. e., volcanoes which at some period of the earth's existence, but before the historic era, have been in the state of active eruption. In no country is there better evidence of this than in France. There are in the districts of Auvergne, Vivarais, and Cervennes, more than a hundred conical mountains, composed of lava, scoriæ, and volcanic ashes heaped up, many of them still retaining their ancient craters, and in some cases currents of lava may be traced to great distances. The evidences of volcanic action in the Rocky Mountains we have already alluded to.

How long a period of repose may be necessary to constitute an extinct volcano, is of course undetermined. We include as such, those which show indubitable evidence of former activity, but which have not had eruptions within the historic era. It is by no means necessary that volcanoes, to be considered active, should incessantly emit flames, they may remain for ages choked up,

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