52 



for many centuries must have been at rest. Great 

 part of Italy and Sicily are clearly volcanic. 

 Near Coblentz, in Germany, are the remains of 

 several craters, and large masses of lava are seen 

 strewed overthe surrounding country. Along 

 the Rhine entire chains of volcanic hills are 

 found ; and near Spa there are traces of some 

 very large volcanoes, with deep craters half full 

 of water. Great part of Languedoc and Pro- 

 vence in France are volcanic ; and Auvergne 

 presents an astonishing example of the activity 

 of its ancient volcanoes, for the whole country 

 consists of lava. In the East Indian islands 

 there are great numbers ; Sumatra, Java, and the 

 Molucca islands, possess some of the finest vol- 

 canoes now existing. You know, from Hum- 

 boldt, how numerous they are on the western 

 side of South America and Mexico ; and Nootka 

 Sound, in the 50th degree of north latitude, was 

 observed by Captain Cook to be entirely vol- 

 canic. In the Pacific Ocean, Easter Island is a 

 mere mass of lava and basalt ; and I need scarcely 

 mention the Sandwich Islands, as you have been 

 lately so much interested by Mr. Ellis'* s account 

 of the great volcano in Owhyhee, with its sublime 

 gulf of boiling lava, seven or eight miles in cir- 

 cumference." 



23rd 9 Sunday. My uncle continued the sub- 

 ject of the prophecies of Moses, this morning. 



