PRESENT CHANGES IN THE EARTH. 



113 



Fig. 44. 



such an extent as to pour over it, and, after destroying 

 a part of it, ran on a distance of 15 miles, and then emp- 

 tied into the sea. Mantell says of one of Etna's erup- 

 tions, " If any person could accurately fancy the effect of 

 500,000 sky-rockets darting up at once to a height of 

 three or four thousand feet, and then falling back in the 

 shape of red hot-balls, shells, and large rocks of fire, he 

 might have an idea of a single explosion of this burning 

 mountain ; but it is doubtful whether any imagination 

 can conceive the eifect of one hundred of such explosions 

 in the space of five minutes, or of twelve hundred or more 

 in the course of an hour, as we saw them." 



197. Crater of Kilauea. This volcano, which is always 

 active, is on the island of Hawaii. It is the most remark- 

 able and singular volcano in the world. It is not a trun- 

 cated cone, but a crater situated on high land near the 



