278 Scientific Intelligence. 
the bases of some of these volcanos,.and which are called ‘ Infernil- 
los,” literally ‘little hells.” There are, also, numerous other volcanic 
phenomena and results, of exceeding scientific as well as popular 
interest, but which it would exceed the scope of this article to describe 
adequately. In a word, it may be said with truth, that San Salvador 
comprehends more volcanos, and has within its limits more marked 
results of volcanic action, than probably any other equal extent of the 
earth. For days the traveller within its borders journeys over unbroken 
beds of lava, scoriz and volcanic sand, constituting, contrary 10 what 
ost people would suppose, a soil of unbounded fertility, and densely 
covered with vegetation. 
S alvador stands, or rather stood—for its destruction has been 
which had flowed from the volcano before their ejection. Those who 
have seen the scoriaceous beds, which buried Pompeii, can form an 
accurate idea of the soil on which San Salvador was built. 
customary, when mounted, to shout loudly on entering, so as to avoid 
encountering horsemen in the passages, which are frequently so narrow 
which confounded the enemy with their intricacies and difficulties, 
abitants. 
The facility with which the soil above described washes away has 
been the cause of considerable disasters to San Salvador. During a 
curred in 1852, not only were the bridges which crossed a small 
tream, flowing through one edge of the town, undermined and rui 
considerable part of the street became converted into uge ravine, 
into which the houses and gardens on either side were precipitated. 
e extension of the damage was gua gai n AP 
Correspondence of the N. Y. Herald. 
The attention of the dwellers and sojourners upon the south-western 
part of that elevated plain which lies above the city of San Salvador, 
upon the 12th and 13th of April last, was forcibly called to a hollow, 
rolling, subterranean sound, which was repeated at intervals, and at 
