254 REACTION OF THE INTERIOR OF THE EARTH 



the margin of the crater ; but sometimes, by a sudden 

 vehement boiling up, it almost reaches the upper rim." 

 The perpetual light seen from a distance is remarked by 

 Oviedo (who expresses himself on the subject with 

 great distinctness and sagacity) to have been caused, not 

 by any real flame, ( 377 ) but by vapours illuminated from 

 beneath. The light is said to have been so strong, 

 that at a distance of more than three leagues, on the 

 route from the volcano to Granada, the illumination of 

 the country around almost equalled that of the full 

 moon. 



Eight years after Oviedo's visit, the volcano was 

 ascended by the Dominican monk Fray Bias del Castillo, 

 who entertained the foolish notion that the fluid lava in 

 the crater was liquid gold, and associated himself with 

 an equally covetous Franciscan monk of Flanders, Fray 

 Juan de Grandavo, for obtaining it. These two men, 

 availing themselves of the credulity of the Spanish 

 settlers, set on foot a " company " who were to furnish 

 the necessary funds, " they themselves, however," as 

 Oviedo sarcastically remarks, " claiming exemption," as 

 ecclesiastics, " from any pecuniary contribution." The 

 account of the execution of this bold undertaking, given 

 by Fray Bias himself in a report to the Bishop of Cas- 

 tilla del Oro, Thomas de Verlenga, has been only re- 

 cently made known (1840) by the discovery of Oviedo's 

 memoir on Nicaragua. Fray Bias del Castillo is the 

 same person that is spoken of in the writings of Gromara, 

 Benzoni, and Herrara, as Fray Bias del Inesta. He had 

 once served on board a vessel as a sailor, and wished to 

 imitate the method he had seen used by the inhabitants 

 of the Canary Islands for gathering the Lichen Roccella 



