Notice of Active and Extinct Volcanos. 307 



rection is from N. N. E. to S. S. W. This is the phenomenon of 

 the Monte Nuovo of Naples, several times repeated in a range 

 of volcanic hills. The most elevated of these enormous masses, 

 which remind us of the Puys in Auvergne, is the great volcano 

 of Jorullo. It is continually burning, and has thrown up from its 

 north side an immense quantity of scorified and basaltic lavas, 

 containing fragments of primitive, rocks. These great eruptions 

 of the central volcano continued till the month of February, 

 1760. In the following years they became gradually less fre- 

 quent. 



" The Indians, frightened at the horrible noises of the new 

 volcano, abandoned at first all the villages situated within seven 

 or eight leagues distance of the Playas de Jorullo. They be- 

 came gradually however accustomed to this terrific spectacle ; 

 and having returned to their cottages, they advanced towards 

 the mountains of Aguasarco and Santa Ines, to admire the 

 streams of fire discharged from an infinity of small volcanic aper- 

 tures of various sizes. The roofs of the houses at Queretaro, at 

 a distance of more than forty-eight leagues, in a straight line from 

 the scene of explosion, were at that time covered w^th ashes. 



" Although the subterraneous fire now appears far from vio- 

 lent, and the Malpays and the great volcano begin to be covered 

 with vegetables, we nevertheless found the ambient air heated 

 to such a degree by the action of the small ovens (hornitos) that 

 the thermometer at a great distance above the ground, and in 

 the shade, rose as high as one hundred and nine degrees of Fah- 

 renheit. This fact proves, that there is no exaggeration in the 

 account of several Indians, who affirm that for many years after 

 the first eruption, the plains of Jorullo, even at a great distance 

 from the ground which had been thrown up, were uninhabitable, 

 from the excessive heat which prevailed in them. 



" The traveller is still shewn, near the Cerro de Santa Ines, 

 the rivers of Cuitimba and San Pedro, the limpid waters of 

 which formerly watered the sugar-cane plantations of Don An- 

 dre Pimental. These streams disappeared in the night of the 

 29th September, 1759; but at a distance of six thousand five 

 hundred feet farther west, in the tract which was the theatre of 

 the convulsions, two rivers are now seen bursting through the ar- 

 gillaceous vault of the Hornitos, which make their appearance 

 as warm springs, raising the thermometer to one hundred and 

 twenty six degress of Fahrenheit. 



" The Indians continue to give them the names of San Pedro 

 and Cuitimba, because in several parts of the Malpays, great 

 masses of water are heard to run in a direction from east to 

 west, from the mountains of Santa Ines towards V Hacienda de la 



