VOLOANOS. 175 



is the best of all the kingdome. And they holde it for 

 certaine that there is some correspondencie betwixt this 

 Vulcan and the Sierra of Tlascala, which is neere vnto it, 

 that causeth the great thunders and lightnings they doe 

 commonly heare and see in those parts. 



Some Spaniards have mounted vppe to this Volcano, and 

 given notice of the mine of sulphre to make powder thereof. 

 Cortes reportes the care hee had to discover what was in 

 this Volcano. The Volcans of Guatimala are more renowned, 

 as well for their greatnesse and height, which those that 

 saile in the South Sea discover a farre off, as for the violence 

 and terrour of the fire it casts. The three and twentieth 

 day of December, in the yeere of our Lord God one thousand 

 five hundred eighty and sixe, almost all the Cittie of Guati 

 mala fell with an earthquake, and some people slain. This 

 Volcano had then, sixe moneths together, day and night, cast 

 out from the toppe, and vomited as it were a floud of fire, 

 the substance falling vpon the sides of the Volcan was 

 turned into ashes, like vnto burnt earth a thing passing 

 man s iudgement to conceive how it could cast so much 

 matter from its centre during sixe moneths, being accus 

 tomed to caste smoke alone, and that sometimes with small 

 flashes. This was written vnto me, being at Mexico, by a 

 Secretarie of the Audienca of Guatimala, a man worthy of 

 credite, and at that time it had not ceased to cast out fire. 

 This yeere past, in Quito, I being in the Cittie of Kings, the 

 Volcano which is neere therevnto, cast such aboundance of 

 ashes, that in many leagues compasse thereabout it darkned 

 the light of the day, and there fell such store in Quito as 

 they were not able to goe in the streetes. There have beene 

 other Volcanos seene which cast neither smoake, flame, nor 

 yet ashes, but in the botome they are seene to burn with a 

 quicke fire without dying; such a one was that which in 

 our time a covetous and greedy Priest seeing, perswaded 

 himselfe that they were heapes of golde hee did see burn- 



