Another very active South American volcano is Rancagua in Chili. It
is, however, of moderate height, and thus in its general character
resembles Stromboli, which it rivals in restlessness. Another of
the volcanoes of Chili, named Chillan, which had long been in a
state of repose, renewed its activity in November 1864. Its usually
snow-clad summit became covered in a short time with a thick layer
of volcanic ashes, which greatly altered its appearance. Streams of
lava were also thrown out by the mountain on this occasion.

There are several volcanoes in Central America. One of them, named
Masaya, was very active during the sixteenth century. It is
situated near the lake of Nicaragua, in the territory of that name.
It was visited in 1529 by the Spanish historian Gonzales Fernando
de Oviedo, from whose description it seems to have presented
phenomena resembling those seen in the crater of Stromboli. "In its
ordinary state," he says, "the surface of the lava, in the midst of
which black scoriae are continually floating, remains several
hundred feet below the edges of the water. But sometimes there is
suddenly produced an ebullition so violent, that the lava rises
almost to the very brim."




CHAPTER VII.

Jorullo--Great Monument--Jorullo's Estate--Interruption to his
Quiet--His Estate Swells--Swallows Two Rivers--Throws up Ovens--
Becomes a Burning Mountain--Popocatepetl--Spanish Ascents--Orizaba
--Muller's Ascent--Morne-Garou--Pelee---La Soufriere