GEOLOGY. 281 



exhibited no unusual indications. The sounds increased in loudness 

 and frequency on the night of the 12th, and occasional tremors of the 

 earth were felt as far as Leon, which near the mountains were quite 

 violent, terrifying the inhabitants. Early on the morning of Sunday, 

 the 13th, an orifice opened near the base of the long-extinguished vol- 

 canoes of Las Pilas, about twenty miles distant from Leon. The 

 throes of the earth at the time of the outburst were very severe in the 

 vicinity, resembling, from the accounts of the natives, a series of con- 

 cussions. The precise point where the opening was made might be 

 said to be in the plain ; it was, however, somewhat elevated by the 

 lava which had ages before flowed down from the volcano, and it was 

 through this bed of lava that the eruption took place. No people re- 

 side within some miles of the spot, consequently I am not well in- 

 formed concerning the earlier phenomena exhibited by the new vol- 

 cano. It seems, however, that the outburst was attended by much 

 flame, and that at first quantities of melted matter were ejected ir- 

 regularly in every direction. Indeed, this was clearly the case, as 

 was shown upon my visit to the spot some days thereafter. For a 

 wide distance around were scattered large flakes resembling freshly 

 cast iron. This regular discharge continued only for a few hours, and 

 was followed by a current of lava, which flowed down the slope of the 

 land toward the west, in the form of a high ridge, rising above the 

 tops of the trees and bearing down every thing which opposed its 

 progress. While this flow continued, which it did for the remainder 

 of the day, the earth was quiet, excepting only a very slight tremor, 

 which was not felt beyond a few miles. Upon the 14th, however, the 

 lava stopped flowing, and an entirely new mode of action followed. A 

 series of eruptions commenced, each lasting about three minutes, suc- 

 ceeded by a pause of equal duration. Each eruption was accompanied 

 by concussions of the earth, too slight, however, to be felt at Leon, 

 attended also by an outburst of flame a hundred feet or more in height ; 

 showers of red-hot stones were also ejected with each eruption to the 

 height of several hundred feet. Most of these fell back into the mouth 

 or crater, the rest falling outward and gradually building up a cone 

 around it. These explosions continued uninterruptedly for seven 

 days, and could be accurately observed from Leon in the night. Upon 

 the morning of the 22d, accompanied by Dr. Livingston, I set out to 

 visit the spot. We rode with difficulty over beds of lava, until within 

 about a mile and a half of the place, proceeding thence on foot. In 

 order to obtain a full view of the youthful volcano, \ve ascended a high 

 naked ridge entirely overlooking it. From this point it presented the 

 appearance of an immense kettle, upturned, with a hole knocked in 

 the bottom, forming the crater. From this, upon one side ran off the 

 lava-stream, yet fervent with heat, and sending off its tremendous 

 radiations. The eruptions had ceased that morning, but a volume of 

 smoke was still emitted, which the strong northeast wind sw y ept down 

 in a trailing current along the tree-tops. The cone was patched over 

 with yellow, the crystallized sulphur from the hot vapor passing up 

 among the loose stones. The trees all around were stripped of their 

 limbs, leaves, and bark." They attempted to ascend the cone, but 



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