54 M. Humboldt's Account, fyc. 



waters formerly watered the sugar-cane plantation of Don 

 Andre Pimentel. These streams disappeared in the night of 

 the 29th September 1759 ; but, at a distance of 2000 metres 

 (6561 feet) farther west, in the tract which was the theatre 

 of the convulsion, two rivers are now seen bursting through 

 the argillaceous vault of the hornitos, of the appearance of 

 mineral waters, in which the thermometer rises to 52°,7 

 (126°,8 of Fahrenheit.) The Indians continue to give them 

 the names of San Pedro and Cuitamba, because, in several 

 parts of the Malpays, great masses of water are heard to run 

 in the direction from east to west, from the mountains of San- 

 ta Ines towards r Hacienda de la Presentation. Near this ha- 

 bitation there is a brook, which disengages itself from the sul- 

 phureous hydrogen. It is more than nine yards in breadth, 

 and is the most abundant hydro-sulphureous spring which I 

 have ever seen. 



The position of the new Volcana de Jorullo gives rise to a 

 very curious geological observation. In New Spain there is 

 a parallel of great elevations, or a narrow zone contain- 

 ed between 18°, 59' and 19°, 12' of latitude, in which all the 

 summits of Anahuac which rise above the region of perpetual 

 snow are situated. These summits are either volcanoes which 

 still continue to burn, or mountains which, from their form, 

 as well as the nature of their rocks, have, in all probability, 

 formerly contained subterraneous fire. As we recede from 

 the coast of the Atlantic, we find, in a direction from east to 

 west, the Pic d'Orizaba, the two volcanoes of la Puebla, the 

 Nevada de Toluca, the Pic de Tancitaro, and the Volcan de 

 Colima. These great elevations, in place of forming the 

 crest of the Cordillera of Anahuac, and following its direc- 

 tion, which is from the south-east to the north-west, are, on 

 the contrary, placed on a line perpendicular to the axis of the 

 great chain of mountains. It is undoubtedly worthy of ob- 

 servation, that, in 1759, the new volcano of Jorullo was form- 

 ed in the prolongation of that line, on the same parallel with 

 the ancient Mexican volcanoes ! 



A single glance bestowed on my plan of the environs of 

 Jorullo will prove that the six large masses rose out of the 

 earth, in a line which runs through the plain from the Cerro 



4 



