EECEEATIVE SCIENCE. 



265 



than two hundred, a hundred aud forty being 

 found in the islands of Asia and Oceania 

 alone. In the local sites of these, the first 

 fact which strikes us is their constant proxi- 

 mity to water; those on islands being of 

 course surrounded by the sea, while those on 

 continents are invariably situated on the 

 coasts. Referring to those most generally 

 known, we find Vesuvius adorning the Bay 

 of Naples, Etna presenting its symmetrical 

 cone to the bright waters of Syracuse, Hecla 

 frowning down on rocky bays and regions of 

 "thick-ribbed ice," Stromboli throwing its 

 bright flame day and night over the waves of 

 the Mediterranean, while Cotopaxi and the 

 other Andean craters are on an extensive 

 sea-board. 



But volcanoes, though sprinkled difiusely 

 about the world, are nevertheless easily 

 arranged into groups of connection, and of 

 these groups there are three of special note. 

 The first of these is an extensive belt of 

 active and extinct craters stretching from 

 Terra del Fuego, the land of fire, along the 

 western coast of South America as far north- 

 ward as the tropic of Cancer. This belt com- 

 prehends the granitic cones of the Chilian 

 ranges, with the ever-burning Villarica in the 

 midst, the three volcanoes of Pasto, the three 

 of Papayan, and the twenty active craters of 

 G-uatemala and Nicaragua. Then, turning 

 aside, it embraces Mexico, California, and 

 the West Indies, having here a visible 

 breadth of at least 60°; while, in all pro- 

 bability, it stretches away under the waters 

 of the Pacific as far as 150" of east longi- 

 tude. Here is an immense series of volcanic 

 vents, extending over a space, from north to 

 south, of more than six thousand miles, and 

 which, running along the western coast of 

 America, turns aside in a serpentine line, and 

 dips under the Pacific westward, and mea- 

 aures again, from east to west, nearly nine 

 thousand miles. This is also a region noted 

 for earthquake violence, for submarine com- 

 motions, and for the most tremendous evi- 



dences of a great upheaving force. Here, in 

 the chain of the Andes, we find the great 

 Cotopaxi, a perfect cone capped with snow, 

 and of enormous altitude. Etna has a height 

 of 10,873 feet, and Vesuvius 3,932, yet if 

 Vesuvius were piled on Etna there would be 

 wanting 4,073 feet to equal the enormous 

 measurement of this magnificent volcano. 



Another definite line of volcanic craters 

 may be traced from Alaska, on the western 



'KO'W 



The American Group of Volcanic Craters and Eegions 

 of Earthquake. 



coastof North America, in lat. 55% across the 

 opening of KingWilliam Sound to the coastof 

 Kamtschatka, a distance of ten hundred geo- 

 graphical miles. Along this line earthquakes 

 are frequent, and both sea and land are 

 continually agitated by violent commotions. 



