610 C. Darwin, Esq., on Volcanic 



On periods of increased Volcanic Action affecting large Areas. 

 Humboldt, when describing certain volcanic phenomena in that part of South 

 America which borders the West-Indian sea, seems to consider, that periods 

 of increased activity affect large portions of the surface of the earth. He has 

 drawn up the two following tables*, to which I have added a third, containing 

 the remarkable events that happened during the years 1834 and 1835 : 



1st. TABLE OF VOLCANIC PHENOMENA. 



1796. November The volcano of Pasto began to emit smoke. 



1797. February 4th Destruction of Riobamba. 



September 27th. . .Eruption in the West-Indian Islands. Volcano of Guadaloupe. 



December 14th. . .Destruction of Cumana. 



2nd TABLE. 



1811. May Beginningof the earthquakes in the Island of St. Vincent, which lasted 



till May 12th. 



December 16th. . . Beginning of the commotions in the Valley of the Mississippi and the 



Ohio, which lasted till 1813. 



December Earthquake of Caraccas. 



1812. March 26th Destruction of Caraccas, earthquakes, which continued till 1813. 



April 30th Eruption of the volcano in St. Vincent's, and on the same day, subter- 



ranean noises at Caraccas and on the bank of the Apure. 



3rd TABLE. 



1834. January 20th. . . . . Sabiondoy, lat. P 15' N. (near Pasto), dreadful earthquake; eighty 



persons perished ; town of Santiago swallowed up. 



May 22nd Santa Martha, lat. 11° 30' N. ; two-thirds of the town thrown down ; 



in course of a few days, sixty bad shocks. 



September 7th. . .Jamaica, — violent earthquake, town not much damaged. 



1835. January 20th Osorno, lat. 40° 31' S. in eruption. 



Before day-light Aconcagua, lat. 32° 30' S. in eruption. 



in the morning. Coseguina, lat. 13° N. in terrific eruption, continuing in activity du- 

 ring the two ensuing months. 



February 12th. . .Earthquake at sea, very strong off the coast of Guyana. 



February 20th. . .Juan Fernandez, lat. 33° 30' S., submarine eruption. 



11 J A.M. Concepcion, (lat. 36° 40' S.), and all the neighbouring towns destroyed 



by an earthquake ; the coast permanently elevated. Volcanos 

 along the whole length of the Cordillera of Chile in eruption. 

 N.B. These volcanos remained in activity for some months subse- 

 quently, and many earthquakes were felt. 



November 11th. . .Concepcion, severe earthquake; Osorno and Corcovado in violent 



action. 

 . December 5th, . .Osorno fell in with a grand explosion. 



* Personal Narrative, Vol. iv. p. 36. I have altered some of the dates in these tables, as they did 

 not agree with the text or with the well-known period of the events. 



