H!ioris of the Indies, lib. 3, '193 



they did when they parted ; of neceffitie having made 

 the compaffe o f the worlde, they muft findc the want 

 of a whole day in their computation. 



Of the Volcws or rents of fire. CHAP. 24. 



ALthough we findc vents of fire in other places, as 

 mount &ttu and WefmriOj which now they call 

 mountS^/r, yet is that notable which is found at the 

 Indies . Ordinarily thcfe Volcans be rockes or pikes oi 

 mofthighmountaines, which raifc themfelves above 

 the toppes of all other mountaines ; vpon their toppcs 

 theyhaveaplaine, and in the midft thereof a pitte or 

 great mouth^which difcends even vnto the foote there- 

 of 5 a thing verie terrible to beholde . Out of thefe 

 mouthes,thereifTues fiuoake,and ibmetimcsfire : fomc 

 caft little fmoake 5 and have in a maner no force ofyoL 

 cans, as that of Arequtpty which is of an vnmeafurable 

 height, and almoft all fand. It cannot be mounted vp 

 in leffe then two daies , yet they have not found any 

 fliewoffire, butonelythe reliques of fbme ftcrifices 

 which the Indians made while they vvereGentiIcs,and 

 fomctimes it doth caufe a little fmoake. The Vole An of 

 Mexico which is neere to the Village of Angels , is like- 

 wife of an admirable height, whereas they mount thir 

 ty leagues in turningjfrom tht*f9&wf iflueth not con 

 tinually, but foFnetimes,nlmoft every day^a great exha 

 lation or whirle-winde of fmoake, which afccnds di- 

 redly vp like to the fhot of a CroiTe-bow , and growes 

 after like to a great plume of feathers , vntill it ceafeth 

 quite, and is prefently converted intoanobfcure and 

 darke cloude. Moft commonly it rifeth in the morning 



O z after 



