按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
destroyed Iceland； in the far north； one in the Azores； one in the Canaries；
and one in the Cape de Verds。 And there is one dot in those Canaries
which we must not overlook； for it is no other than the famous Peak of
Teneriffe； a volcano which is hardly burnt out yet； and may burn up again
any day； standing up out of the sea more than 12；000 feet high still； and
once it must have been double that height。 Some think that it is perhaps
the true Mount Atlas； which the old Greeks named when first they
ventured out of the Straits of Gibraltar down the coast of Africa； and saw
the great peak far to the westward； with the clouds cutting off its top； and
said that it was a mighty giant； the brother of the Evening Star； who held
up the sky upon his shoulders； in the midst of the Fortunate Islands； the
gardens of the daughter of the Evening Star； full of strange golden fruits；
and that Perseus had turned him into stone； when he passed him with the
Gorgon's Head。
But you will see； too； that most of these red and black dots run in
crooked lines； and that many of the clusters run in lines likewise。
Look at one line： by far the largest on the earth。 You will learn a
good deal of geography from it。
The red dots begin at a place called the Terribles； on the east side of
32
… Page 33…
MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
the Bay of Bengal。 They run on； here and there； along the islands of
Sumatra and Java； and through the Spice Islands； and at New Guinea the
line of red dots forks。 One branch runs south… east； through islands
whose names you never heard； to the Friendly Islands； and to New
Zealand。 The other runs north； through the Philippines； through Japan；
through Kamschatka； and then there is a little break of sea； between Asia
and America： but beyond it； the red dots begin again in the Aleutian
Islands； and then turn down the whole west coast of America； down from
Mount Elias （in what was； till lately； Russian America） towards British
Columbia。 Then； after a long gap； there are one or two in Lower California
（and we must not forget the terrible earthquake which has just shaken San
Francisco； between those two last places）； and when we come down to
Mexico we find the red dots again plentiful； and only too plentiful； for
they mark the great volcanic line of Mexico； of which you will read； I
hope； some day； in Humboldt's works。 But the line does not stop there。
After the little gap of the Isthmus of Panama； it begins again in Quito； the
very country which has just been shaken； and in which stand the huge
volcanos Chimborazo； Pasto； Antisana； Cotopaxi； Pichincha； Tunguragua；…
…smooth cones from 15；000 to 20；000 feet high； shining white with snow；
till the heat inside melts it off； and leaves the cinders of which the peaks
are made all black and ugly among the clouds； ready to burst in smoke and
fire。 South of them again； there is a long gap； and then another line of
red dotsArequiba； Chipicani； Gualatieri； Atacama；as high as； or higher
than those in Quito； and this； remember； is the other country which has
just been shaken。 On the sea…shore below those volcanos stood the
hapless city of Arica； whose ruins we saw in the picture。 Then comes
another gap； and then a line of more volcanos in Chili； at the foot of which
happened that fearful earthquake of 1835 （besides many more） of which
you will read some day in that noble book The Voyage of the Beagle； and
so the line of dots runs down to the southernmost point of America。
What a line we have traced！ Long enough to go round the world if it
were straight。 A line of holes out of which steam； and heat； and cinders；
and melted stones are rushing up； perpetually； in one place and another。
Now the holes in this line which are near each other have certainly
33
… Page 34…
MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
something to do with each other。 For instance； when the earth shook the
other day round the volcanos of Quito； it shook also round the volcanos of
Peru； though they were 600 miles away。 And there are many stories of
earthquakes being felt； or awful underground thunder heard； while
volcanos were breaking out hundreds of miles away。 I will give you a
very curious instance of that。
If you look at the West Indies on the map； you will see a line of red
dots runs through the Windward Islands： there are two volcanos in them；
one in Guadaloupe； and one in St。 Vincent （I will tell you a curious story；
presently； about that last）； and little volcanos （if they have ever been real
volcanos at all）； which now only send out mud； in Trinidad。 There the
red dots stop： but then begins along the north coast of South America a
line of mountain country called Cumana； and Caraccas； which has often
been horribly shaken by earthquakes。 Now once； when the volcano in St。
Vincent began to pour out a vast stream of melted lava； a noise like
thunder was heard underground； over thousands of square miles beyond
those mountains； in the plains of Calabozo； and on the banks of the Apure；
more than 600 miles away from the volcano；a plain sign that there was
something underground which joined them together； perhaps a long crack
in the earth。 Look for yourselves at the places； and you will see that （as
Humboldt says） it is as strange as if an eruption of Mount Vesuvius was
heard in the north of France。
So it seems as if these lines of volcanos stood along cracks in the rind
of the earth； through which the melted stuff inside was for ever trying to
force its way； and that； as the crack got stopped up in one place by the
melted stuff cooling and hardening again into stone； it was burst in another
place； and a fresh volcano made； or an old one re…opened。
Now we can understand why earthquakes should be most common
round volcanos； and we can understand； too； why they would be worst
before a volcano breaks out； because then the steam is trying to escape；
and we can understand； too； why people who live near volcanos are glad
to see them blazing and spoutin