THE CENTEAL COEDILLEEA OF COLOMBIA. 



147 



Towards the south of Colombia the volcanic cones of the Central Cordillera 

 become more numerous and more active. In 1849 Purace, at that time terminat- 

 ing in a regular dome, suddenly exploded, ejecting ashes and melting its snows, 

 which rushed down in a deluge of slush, sweeping away the neighbouring villages 



Fig. 55. — Colombia Mountains. 

 Scale 1 : 485,000. 



Cf" 



b-. 



'/!» 



V. ^ 



West oh breenwich 76°30' 



76'20 



12 Miles. 



and even threatening the town of Popayan 17 miles off. Since then the summit 

 presents the aspect of a truncated cone, which may be ascended on horseback to a 

 height of 14,440 feet, or within about 1,610 feet of the top, though the estimates 

 of its present height vary considerably. 



