zed as an active volcano, but it is situated in a very volcanic
country. The outburst had probably some connection with the earthquake
at St. Thomas, which took place on the 18th of November following. The
mountain continued in a state of activity for about sixteen days. There
was thrown out an immense quantity of black sand, which was carried as
far as to the coast of the Pacific, fifty miles distant. Glowing stones
were projected from the crater to an estimated height of three thousand
feet.

Central America is more prolific of volcanoes than Mexico, and the
State of Guatemala in particular. One authority credits this State with
fifteen or sixteen and another with more than thirty volcanic cones.
Of these at least five are decidedly active. Tajumalco, which was in
eruption at the time of the great earthquake of 1863, yields great
quantities of sulphur, as also does Quesaltenango. The most famous is
the Volcan de Agua (Water Volcano), so called from its overwhelming the
old city of Guatemala with a torrent of water in 1541.

Nicaragua is also rich in volcanoes, being traversed its entire length
by a remarkable chain of isolated volcanic cones, several of which are
to some extent active. We have already told the story of the tremendous
eruption of Coseguina in 1835, one of the most violent of modern times.
The latest important eruption here was that of Ometepec, a volcanic
mount on an island of the same name in Lake Nicaragua. This broke a long
period of repose on June 19, 1883, with a severe eruption, in which
the lava, pouring from a new crater, in seven days overflowed the whole
island and drove off its population. Incessant rumblings and earthquake
shocks accompanied the eruption, and mud, ashes, stones and lava covered
the mountain slopes, which had been cultivated for many centuries.
These were the most recent strong displays of volcanic energy in Central
America, though former great outflows of lava are indicated by great
fields of barren rock, which extend for miles.

CHAPTER XXVII.

The Terrible Eruption of Krakatoa.

The most destructive volcanic explosion of recent times, one perhaps
unequalled in violence in all times, was that of the small mountain
island of Krakatoa, in the East Indian Archipelago, in 1883. This made
its effects felt round the entire globe, and excited such wide attention
that we feel called upon to give it a chapter of its own.

The island of Krakatoa lies in the Straits of Su