THE EARTH. 43 



errib\e as we approached. I observed a mixture of colours in the 

 cloud, above the crater, green, yellow, red, and blue. There was like- 

 wise a ruddy dismal light in the air, over that tract where the burn- 

 ing river flowed. These circumstances, set off and augmented by thu 

 horror of the night, made a scene the most uncommon and astonish- 

 ing I ever sa^v ; which still increased as we approached the burning 

 river. Imagine a vast torrent of liquid fire, rolling from the top, 

 down the side of the mountain, and with irresistible fury bearing down 

 and consuming vines, olives, and houses ; and divided into different 

 channels, according to the inequalities of the mountain. The largest 

 stream seemed half a mile broad at least, and five miles long. I walked 

 so far before my companions up the mountain, along the side of the 

 river of fire, that I was obliged to retire in great haste, the sulphure- 

 ous steam having surprised me, and almost taken away my breath. 

 During our return, which was about three o'clock in the morning, the 

 roaring of the mountain was heard all the way, while we observed it 

 throwing up huge spouts of fire and burning stones, which falling, re- 

 sembled the stars in a rocket. Sometimes I observed two or three 

 distinct columns of flame, and sometimes one only that was large 

 enough to fill the whole crater. These burning columns, and fiery 

 stones, seemed to be shot a thousand feet perpendicular above the 

 summit of the volcano ; and in this manner the mountain continued 

 raging for six or eight days after. On the 18th of the same month, 

 the whole appearance ended, and the mountain remained perfectly 

 quiet, without any visible smoke or flame." 



The matter which is found to roll down from the mouth of all vol- 

 canoes in general, resembles the dross that is thrown from a smith's 

 forge. But it is different, perhaps, in various parts of the globe ; for, 

 as we have already said, there is not a quarter of the world that has 

 not its volcanoes. In Asia, particularly in the islands of the Indian 

 Ocean, there are many. One of the most famous is that of Albouras, 

 near Mount Taurus, the summit of which is continually on fire, and 

 covers the whole adjacent country with ashes. In the island of Ter- 

 nate there is a volcano, which, some travellers assert, burns most furi- 

 ously in the times of the equinoxes, because of the winds which then 

 contribute to increase the flames. In the Molucca islands, there are 

 many burning mountains ; they are also seen in Japan, and the islands 

 adjacent; and in Java and Sumatra, as well as in other of the Philip- 

 pine islands. In Africa there is a cavern, near Fez, which contimi 

 ally sends forth either smoke or flames. In the Cape de Verde islands, 

 one of them, called the Island del Fuego, continually burns ; and the 

 Portuguese, who frequently attempted a settlement there, have as 

 often been obliged to desist. The Peak of Teneriffe is, as every bodv 

 knows, a volcano, that seldom desists from eruptions. But of all parts 

 of the earth, America is the place where those dreadful irregularities- 

 of nature are the most conspicuous. Vesuvius, and ./Etna itself, are 

 but mere fire-works in comparison to the burning mountains of the 

 Andes ; which, as they are the highest mountains of the world, so 

 also are they the most formidable for their eruptions. The moun- 

 tain of Arequipa in Peru, is one of the most celebrated ; Tarassa. 

 nd Malahallo, are very considerable ; but that of Co*opaxi, in ft*** 



