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paintings； especially in Pompeii； are found upon the walls still fresh；
preserved from the air by the ashes which have covered them in。 When
you are older you perhaps will go to Naples； and see in its famous
museum the curiosities which have been dug out of the ruined cities； and
you will walk； I suppose； along the streets of Pompeii and see the wheel…
tracks in the pavement； along which carts and chariots rumbled 2000 years
ago。 Meanwhile； if you go nearer home； to the Crystal Palace and to the
Pompeian Court； as it is called； you will see an exact model of one of
these old buried houses； copied even to the very paintings on the wells；
and judge for yourself； as far as a little boy can judge； what sort of life
these thoughtless； luckless people lived 2000 years ago。
And what had become of Vesuvius； the treacherous mountain？ Half
or more than half of the side of the old crater had been blown away； and
what was left； which is now called the Monte Somma； stands in a half
circle round the new cone and new crater which is burning at this very day。
True； after that eruption which killed Pliny； Vesuvius fell asleep again； and
did not awake for 134 years； and then again for 269 years but it has been
growing more and more restless as the ages have passed on； and now
hardly a year passes without its sending out smoke and stones from its
crater； and streams of lava from its sides。
And now； I suppose； you will want to know what a volcano is like； and
what a cone； and a crater； and lava are？
What a volcano is like； it is easy enough to show you； for they are the
most simply and beautifully shaped of all mountains； and they are alike all
over the world； whether they be large or small。 Almost every volcano in
the world； I believe； is； or has been once； of the shape which you see in the
drawing opposite； even those volcanos in the Sandwich Islands； of which
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you have often heard； which are now great lakes of boiling fire upon flat
downs； without any cone to them at all。 They； I believe； are volcanos
which have fallen in ages ago： just as in Java a whole burning mountain
fell in on the night of the 11th of August； in the year 1772。 Then； after a
short and terrible earthquake； a bright cloud suddenly covered the whole
mountain。 The people who dwelt around it tried to escape； but before the
poor souls could get away the earth sunk beneath their feet； and the whole
mountain fell in and was swallowed up with a noise as if great cannon
were being fired。 Forty villages and nearly 3000 people were destroyed；
and where the mountain had been was only a plain of red…hot stones。 In
the same way； in the year 1698； the top of a mountain in Quito fell in in a
single night； leaving only two immense peaks of rock behind； and pouring
out great floods of mud mixed with dead fish； for there are underground
lakes among those volcanos which swarm with little fish which never see
the light。
But most volcanos as I say； are； or have been； the shape of the one
which you see here。 This is Cotopaxi； in Quito； more than 19；000 feet in
height。 All those sloping sides are made of cinders and ashes； braced
together； I suppose； by bars of solid lava…stone inside； which prevent the
whole from crumbling down。 The upper part； you see； is white with snow；
as far down as a line which is 15；000 feet above the sea； for the mountain
is in the tropics； close to the equator； and the snow will not lie in that hot
climate any lower down。 But now and then the snow melts off and
rushes down the mountain side in floods of water and of mud； and the
cindery cone of Cotopaxi stands out black and dreadful against the clear
blue sky； and then the people of that country know what is coming。 The
mountain is growing so hot inside that it melts off its snowy covering； and
soon it will burst forth with smoke and steam； and red…hot stones and
earthquakes； which will shake the ground； and roars that will be heard； it
may be； hundreds of miles away。
And now for the words cone； crater； lava。 If I can make you
understand those words； you will see why volcanos must be in general of
the shape of Cotopaxi。
Cone； crater； lava： those words make up the alphabet of volcano
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
learning。 The cone is the outside of a huge chimney； the crater is the
mouth of it。 The lava is the ore which is being melted in the furnace
below； that it may flow out over the surface of the old land； and make new
land instead。
And where is the furnace itself？ Who can tell that？ Under the roots
of the mountains； under the depths of the sea； down 〃the path which no
fowl knoweth； and which the vulture's eye hath not seen： the lion's
whelp hath not trodden it； nor the fierce lion passed by it。 There He
putteth forth His hand upon the rock； He overturneth the mountain by the
roots； He cutteth out rivers among the rocks； and His eye seeth every
precious thing〃while we； like little ants； run up and down outside the
earth； scratching； like ants； a few feet down； and calling that a deep ravine；
or peeping a few feet down into the crater of a volcano； unable to guess
what precious things may lie belowbelow even the fire which blazes and
roars up through the thin crust of the earth。 For of the inside of this earth
we know nothing whatsoever： we only know that it is； on an average；
several times as heavy as solid rock； but how that can be； we know not。
So let us look at the chimney； and what comes out of it； for we can see
very little more。
Why is a volcano like a cone？
For the same cause for which a molehill is like a cone； though a very
rough one； and that the little heaps which the burrowing beetles make on
the moor； or which the ant…lions in France make in the sand； are all
something in the shape of a cone； with a hole like a crater in the middle。
What the beetle and the ant…lion do on a very little scale； the steam inside
the