Produced by Curtis A. Weyant, Juliet Sutherland, Charles
Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
[Illustration: Mount Vesuvius]
[Illustration: Marvels of Creation]
"The mountains quake at Him and the hills melt and the earth is burned at His presence"—NAHUM 1:5
1872
Being intended for the Young, this work treats of Volcanoes only ina popular way. Scientific details and philosophical speculationsare accordingly avoided. Nevertheless, a perusal of the followingpages may so stimulate the curiosity of youthful minds, that some,on attaining to riper years and more mature understanding, may beinspired with a longing to inquire more deeply into thisinteresting subject. They may be stimulated to investigate, in aphilosophical spirit, all the marvellous facts and phenomenaconnected with volcanic agency, and to speculate on their causesand modes of operation. Some also, on reaching their manhood, maybe induced to ascend one or more of the nearer active volcanoes,and examine their phenomena for themselves. The facilities oftravel are now so great, that a visit to Vesuvius or Etna is nolonger beyond the limits of a holiday trip. Even the more remoteHecla with the playful Geysers may be reached within a reasonabletime. Perhaps a very few, who are now scientific travellers inembryo, may call to remembrance what they may have read in thesepages, when, many years hence, they may be climbing the cone ofCotopaxi, or peering into the crater of Kilauea.
Apart from these considerations, a perusal of this work may enablethe young mind to form a more lively idea of the tremendous energyof the forces which are imprisoned in the bowels of the earth. Sucha vivid conception will naturally lead to a higher appreciation ofthe wisdom and power of Him who guides the operation of thoseforces by his laws, and has set bounds to their activity which theycannot overpass.
Volcanoes in general—Origin of the Name—General
Aspect—Crater—Cone—Subordinate Cones and Craters—Peak of
Teneriffe—Lava-Streams—Cascades and Jets of Lava—Variations
in its Consistency—Pumice—Different Sorts of
Lava—Obsidian—Olivine—Sulphur—Dust, Ashes, &c.—Volcanic
Silk—Volcanic Islands—Volcanic Fishes—Hot Water, Mud,
Vapours, &c.—Volcanic Storm—Explosions—Number of
Volcanoes—King of the Volcanoes—Artificial Volcano
Volcanoes of Iceland—Mount Hecla—Earliest Eruption—Great
Eruption in 1845—Skaptàr Yökul—Terrible Eruption in 1783—Rise
and Disappearance of Nyoë—Katlugaia—The Geysers—A very hot
Bath—Californian Geysers—Iceland-spar—Jan Mayen
Mount Vesuvius—Origin of Name—Former Condition—Eruption of A.D.79—Death of Pliny—Destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum—Appearanceof the Mountain before and after Eruption—Formation ofMonte Nuovo—Eruption of Boiling Water—Coloured Vapours—Cascadeof Lava—Discovery of Remains of Herculaneum and Pompeii—TheBuildings of Pompeii—Street of Tombs—Skeletons—SundryShops—Ascents of Ve