280 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



York Courier and Enquirer says, " A new crater has been formed, 

 and the emission of lava was so immense, that it has extended a dis- 

 tance of seven miles, by one and a half to three miles wide, and about 

 thirty feet deep. After descending the mountain, it has gone forward 

 one and a half miles wide, and thirty feet deep, for a distance of five 

 miles at least, and forms an embankment like that of a railroad raised 

 over a plain." 



VOLCANIC PHENOMENA OF CENTRAL AMERICA. 



MR. E. G. SQUIER, late Charge to Nicaragua, delivered a lecture 

 before the American Association, at New Haven, on the " volcanic 

 phenomena of Central America, and the geographical and topographi- 

 cal features of Nicaragua." After noticing some of the volcanoes of 

 that region, he says, "It seems to me that most of the volcanoes 

 of Central America have been formed by long continued deposits. In 

 fact, I have been a personal witness of the origin of a new volcano, 

 which, if it does not meet a premature extinguishment, bids fair to add 

 another high cone to those which now strew the great plain of Leon. 

 This plain, the finest I have ever seen, lies between Lake Monagua 

 (which has its outlet through Lake Nicaragua and the River San Juan 

 into the Atlantic) and the Pacific. It is traversed by a succession of 

 volcanic cones, from the gigantic Momotombo, standing boldly out 

 into the lake, to the memorable Cosequina, projecting its base not less 

 boldly into the ocean. Fourteen distinct volcanoes occur within one 

 hundred miles, on this line. They do not form a continuous range, 

 but stand singly, the plain between them generally pursuing its origi- 

 nal level. They have not been ' thrust up,' as the volcano of Jorullo 

 seems to have been, elevating the strata around them ; although it is 

 not certain but the original volcanic force, being general in its action, 

 raised up the whole plain to its present level. All these are sur- 

 mounted by beds of lava, extending in some cases for leagues in every 

 direction. The lava-current in places seems to have spread out in 

 sheets, flowing elsewhere, however, in high and serpentine ridges re- 

 sembling cyclopean walls, often capriciously inclosing spaces of arable 

 ground in which vegetation is luxuriant. Hot springs and openings 

 in the ground emitting hot air, smoke, and steam, called infernales, 

 are common around the bases of these volcanoes. For large spaces 

 the whole ground seems resting upon a boiling caldron, and is incrust- 

 ed with mineral deposits. Around some of these volcanoes, that is to 

 say, those having visible craters, are many smaller cones, of great 

 regularity, composed of ashes, volcanic sand, and triturated stones 

 resembling septaria. They seldom support any thing but a few 

 dwarf trees, and are covered with coarse grass. On the llth and 

 12th days of April last, rumbling sounds, resembling thunder, were 

 heard in the city of Leon, situated in the centre of the plain I have 

 described. They seemed to proceed from the direction of the vol- 

 canoes, and were supposed to come from the great one of Momotombo, 

 which often emits noises, and shows other symptoms of activity, be- 

 side sending out smoke. This volcano, however, on this occasion, 



