266 VOLCANOS. [Lesson xxxvf. 



so terrible, and the quantity of burnt, fused, 

 calcined, and vitrified materials which is thrown 

 out at the orifice, is so plentiful, that they enter 

 towns and forests, cover the fields to more than an 

 hundred feet in thickness, and sometimes form 

 hills and mountains. The action of this fire is 

 so great, and the force of explosion so violent, that 

 its reaction has been known to shake the earth, 

 agitate the sea, overthrow mountains, and raise 

 the most solid edifices and towns, even to very 

 considerable distances. 



A mixture of sulphur, filings of iron, and of 

 water, buried at a certain depth below the earth's 

 surface, will exhibit in miniature, all the appear- 

 ances of a Volcan'o : hence some are induced to 

 conclude, that in the bowels of burning moun- 

 tains, there are different kinds of inflammable 

 substances, which ferment when acted upon by 

 peculiar means (probably by moisture), and pro- 

 duce eruptions and explosions, of different de- 

 grees of strength, according to the quantity of in- 

 flammable matters accumulated. 



The number of Volcanos now known is very 

 considerable; not less, I believe, than 400. In 

 Europe there are Jitna, Vesuvius, Hecla, Strmn- 

 boli, Volcano ; in Asia, one in Mount Taurus, 

 three in Kamschatka, -five in Japan, two in the 

 Philippines, and a great number more in the 

 different South Sea Islands; in Africa, one in 

 Fez, one in the island Bourbon, one in Fut-go, 

 one of the Cape Verd Islands: and in America, 

 several in the Andes, Morne Garou, in St. Vin- 

 cent, 



