26 



A HISTORY OF 



CHAPTER IX. 



OF VOLCANOES AND EARTHQUAKES. 



MINES and caverns, as we have said, 

 reach but a very little way under the surface 

 of the earth, and we have hitherto had no 

 opportunities of exploring further. Without 

 all doubt, the wonders that are still unknown 

 surpass those that have been represented, as 

 there are depths of thousands of miles which 

 are hidden from our inquiry. The only 

 tidings we have from those unfathomable re- 

 gions are by means of volcanoes, those burn- 

 ing mountains that seem to discharge their 

 materials from the lowest abysses of the 

 earth. a A volcano may be considered as a 

 cannon of immense size, the mouth of which 

 is often near two miles in circumference. From 

 this dreadful aperture are discharged torrents 

 of dame and sulphur, and rivers of melted 

 metal. Whole clouds of smoke and ashes, 

 with rocks of enormous size, are discharged 

 to many miles distance; so that the force of 

 the most powerful artillery, is but as a breeze 

 agitating a feather in comparison. In the 

 deluge of fire and melted matter which runs 

 down the sides of the mountain, whole cities 

 are sometimes swallowed up and consumed. 

 Those rivers of liquid fire are sometimes two 

 hundred feet deep ; and, when they harden, 

 frequently form considerable hills. Nor is 

 the danger of these confined to the eruption 

 only : but the force of the internal fire strug- 

 gling for vent, frequently produces earth- 

 quakes through the whole region where the 

 volcano is situated. So dreadful have been 

 these appearances, that men's terrors have 

 added new horrors to the scene, and they 

 have regarded as prodigies, what we know 

 to be the result of natural causes. Some 

 philosophers have considered them as vents 

 communicating with the fires of the centre; 

 and the ignorant, as the mouths of hell itself. 

 Astonishment produces fear, and fear super- 

 stition : the inhabitants of Iceland believe the 

 bellowings of Hecla are nothing else but the 



Buffon, vol. i. p. 291. 



cries of the damned, and that its eruptions 

 are contrived to increase their tortures. 



But if we regard this astonishing scene of 

 terror with a more tranquil and inquisitive 

 eye, we shall find that these conflagrations 

 are produced by very obvious and natural 

 causes. We have already been apprised of 

 the various mineral substances in the bosom 

 of the earth, and their aptness to burst out 

 into flames. Marcasites and pyrites, in par- 

 ticular, by being humified with water or air, 

 contract this heat, and often endeavour to 

 expand with irresistible explosion. These, 

 therefore, being lodged in the depths of the 

 earth, or in the bosom of mountains, and 

 being either washed by the accidental influx 

 of waters below, or fanned by air, insinuating 

 itself through perpendicular fissures from 

 above, take fire at first by only heaving in 

 earthquakes, but at length by bursting through 

 every obstacle, and making their dreadful 

 discharge in a volcano. 



These volcanoes are found in all parts of 

 the earth: In Europe there are three that are 

 very remarkable; 2Etna in Sicily, Vesuvius in 

 Italy, and Hecla in Iceland. jEtna has been 

 a volcano for ages immemorial. Its eruptions 

 are very violent, and its discharge has been 

 known to cover the earth eighty-six feet deep. 

 In the year 1 537, an eruption of this mountain 

 produced an earthquake through the whole 

 island for twelve days, overturned many 

 houses, and at last formed a new aperture, 

 which overwhelmed all within five leagues 

 round. The cinders thrown up were driven 

 even into Italy, and its burnings were seen at 

 Malta, at the distance of sixty leagues. " There 

 is nothing more awful," says Kircher, " than 

 the eruptions of this mountain, nor nothing 

 more dangerous than attempting to examine 

 its appearances, even long after the eruption 

 has ceased. As we attempt to clamber up 

 its steepy sides, every step we take upward, 

 the feet sink back half way. Upon arriving 

 near the summit, ashes and snow, with an ill- 



