240 THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE CHAP, 
slowly as long as it is supplied from the 
source, here and there breaking through the 
crust which, as continually, re-forms in front. 
Thus the terrible, inexorable river of fire 
slowly descends, destroying everything in 
its course. 
The stream of lava which burst from 
Mouna Loa in 1885 had a length of 70 miles; 
that of Skaptar-Jokul in Iceland in 1783 had 
a length of 50 miles, and a maximum depth 
of nearly 500 feet. It has been calculated that 
the mass of lava equalled that of Mont Blane. 
The stones, ashes, and mud ejected during 
eruptions are even more destructive than the 
rivers of lava. In 1851 Tomboro, a voleano 
on the Island of Sumbava, cost more lives 
than fell in the battle of Waterloo. The 
earthquake of Lisbon in 1755 destroyed 
60,000 persons. During the earthquake of 
Riobamba and the mud eruption of Tungu- 
ragua, and again in that of Krakatoa, it is 
estimated that the number who perished was - 
between 30,000 and 40,000. At the earth- 
quake of Antioch in 526 no less than 200,000 
persons are said to have lost their lives. 
1 Sy tS Gy ieee ee 
a PS ene” 
