REAPPEARANCE OF THE RIVERS 291 



frequent. The Indians, frightened at the horrible noises 

 of the new volcano, abandoned at first all the villages 

 situated within seven or eight leagues of the plain of Jo- 

 rullo. They became by degrees, however, accustomed to 

 this terrific spectacle ; and having returned to their cot- 

 tages, they advanced towards the mountains of Augua- 

 sarco and Santa Ines, to admire the streams of fire dis- 

 charged from an infinity of great and small volcanic 

 apertures. The roofs of the houses of Queretaro were 

 then covered with ashes at a distance of more than forty- 

 eight leagues in a straight line from the scene of the ex- 

 plosion. Although the subterraneous fire appeared to 

 Humboldt far from violent, and the Mai pays and the 

 great volcano began to be covered with vegetables, he 

 found the ambient air heated to such a degree by the ac- 

 tions of the small ovens, that the thermometer, at a great 

 distance from the surface, and in the shade, rose as high 

 as 109°. This fact appeared to prove, that there was no 

 exaggeration in the accounts of several old Indians, who 

 affirmed, that for many years after the first eruption, the 

 plains of Jorullo, even at a great distance from the scene 

 of the explosion, were uninhabitable, from the excessive 

 heat which prevailed in them. 



Humboldt was shown, near the Cerro de Santa Ines, 

 the rivers of Cuitamba and San Pedro. These streams 

 disappeared in the night of the 29th September, 1759 ; 

 but, at a distance of six thousand five hundred feet far- 

 ther west, in the tract which was the theatre of the con- 

 vulsion, he saw two rivers bursting- throuoh the are;illa- 

 ceous vault of the ovens, of the appearance of mineral 

 waters, in which the thermometer rose to 126°. The In- 

 dians continued to give them the names of San Pedro and 



