VOLCANO OF JORULLO. 339 
extraordinary phenomena which have been observ- 
ed on our globe. The plain of Malpais, covered 
with small cones from six to ten feet in height, is 
part of an elevated table-land bounded by hills of 
basalt, trachyte, and volcanic tufa. From the pe- 
riod of the discovery of America to the middle of the 
last century, this district had undergone no change 
of surface, and the seat of the crater was then co- 
vered with a plantation of indigo and sugar-cane ; 
when, in June 1759, hollow sounds were heard, and a 
succession of earthquakes continued for two months, 
to the great consternation of the inhabitants. From 
the beginning of September every thing seemed to 
announce the re-establishment of tranquillity ; but 
in the night of the 28th the frightful subterranean 
noises again commenced. The Indians fled to the 
neighbouring mountains. A tract not less than 
from three to four square miles in extent rose up in 
the shape of a dome; and those who witnessed the 
phenomenon asserted, that flames were seen issuing 
from a space of more than six square miles, while 
fragments of burning rocks were projected to an im- 
mense height, and the surface of the ground undu- 
lated like an agitated sea. Two brooks which wa- 
tered the plantations precipitated themselves into 
the burning chasms. Thousands of the small cones 
described above, suddenly appeared, and in the 
midst of these eminences, called hornitos or ovens, 
six great masses, having an elevation of from 1312 
to 1640 feet above the original level of the plain, 
sprung up from a gulf running from N.N.E. to 
S.S.W. The most elevated of these mounds is the 
great volcano of Jorullo, which is continually burn- 
ing. The eruptions of this central voleano conti- 
nued till February 1760, when they became less fre- 
