MEXICO. 



239 



atmosphere of that lofty region. Seyeral are active volcanoes ; 

 the most curious being that of _Jorullo, surrounded by minia- 

 ture mountains emitting smoke and fire, and presenting the 

 wildest scene of utter desolation. They form pinnacles of the 

 great range of the Andes and the Rocky Mountains. From 

 the midst of the great table-land of Anahuac, flows to- 

 wards the north the river of Santiago, its course exceeding 



VOLCANO OF JORULLO, MEXICO. 



four hundred miles, passing in its way through the large lake 

 of Chapala. Some of these table-lands are even eight thou- 

 sand feet above the sea. The most lofty is so cold, that 

 during the greater part of the day the thermometer varies 

 between 42 and 46. The great table-land to the east of 

 the Sierra Madre has an elevation which varies from three 

 thousand to six thousand feet. To the west of that sierra, 



