362 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



A "BLISTER CONE" AT THE BASE OF CAPULIN MOUNTAIN. 



It is probable that in its early stages 

 Capulin was a much broader volcano 

 than its present cone would lead one 

 to believe. The quantity of material 

 outpoured would seem to require a 

 very large vent. Lava that would flow 

 27 miles before it congealed, as in the 

 case of the flow down the Dry Cimar- 

 ron, would seem to require a larger 

 crater than the one now in evidence in 

 Capulin Mountain. Furthermore, there 

 are remnants of what may have been 

 an old crater rim outside of the pres- 

 ent cone. The crater cone is composed 

 in part of flow lava, in part of ce- 

 mented breccia, and in part of uncon- 

 solidated cinders. The cinders are 

 rather fine and make climbing difficult, 

 inasmuch as one's feet sink ankle deep 

 into them at every step. The occur- 

 rence of these loose cinders in the sides 

 of the mountain where the conditions 

 for rapid erosion are most favorable 

 speaks rather eloquently of the recency 

 of the eruptions that extruded them. 

 The formation of the cinder cone was 

 the last and relatively feeble efifort of 

 the dying forces, but although it is 

 surrounded by several small craters, no 

 solfataras, hot springs or other evi- 

 dences of slumbering fires have been 

 found. 



"mal pais" 



Near Capulin, as in many other 

 places in the volcanic region, there are 

 extensive sheets of fresh lava, which 

 in New Mexico are ordinarily called 

 mal pais, a name meaning "bad coun- 

 try." The appropriateness of this 

 name becomes forcefully evident when 

 one attempts to cross a field of fresh 

 lava. It is said by some that the name 

 was applied years ago by soldiers who 

 had been sent to fight the Indians. No 

 hoofed animal can make its way for 

 any considerable distance over fresh 

 mal pais, for the knife-like edges of 

 the lava cut its hoofs to pieces in a 

 short time. Knowing this fact, the In- 

 dians, when chased by cavalrymen, 

 took refuge in the lava fields where 

 they were acquainted with the tortuous 

 trails that led through the mal pais. 

 The cavalrymen could not follow these, 

 and once ofl: the trail their horses were 

 soon disabled. 



There were probably reasons other 

 than safety why the Indians frequented 

 the mal pais fields. Small caves are 

 numerous, formed by the still fluid lava 

 flowing from beneath a hardening 

 crust. These caves aflforded shelter 

 for the savages. Smaller cavities offer 

 shelter for rabbits that inhabit the mal 

 pais fields in countless myriads. These 



