The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-27

the 10th 0it TO height Of 1900 feet The difference
accounted for by the difference IN our relative ati-
tudeE and as this eruption aiiords new iitd Tor tue
scisNs.ne observer. am more particular iu no.anS
by me has this feature OF volcanic emissions re-
ceiyed any comment which, no DOUBT IL owing alto.
gether 10 the TACT that not elsewhere on earth Is
there presented IN the neishborhooa or an active
volcano. such opportunities VI observation as here.
II Is perfectly plain W ME, rs 10 ali the gentlemen
who are here on this excursion, that If another
mountain OF Ats same height situated, say ten 70
Sixty miles irom Monnt Colipia irom It's summit the
iaine now seen TO ISSUE from its crater would ap-
pear 1000 10 10000 feet higher, which olers the
deduction that our vision Oh volcanic flames from
the craters OF high mountains, seen from low
ground, Is no criterion for any exact or approx
mate measure OF the height TO which u crater sends
It's streams OF lava, flame, cinders, steam and
smoke.
Ciudad Gnzman-lapotlaD, as laid down in oil
State OF Jai'seo southwest on the road from Guada
laara 10 Coina, aud contains b. 800 inhabitants IL
Is one OF The oldest cities In all Northwestern Mex
leo, and fun two-,hds OF the original walled IN city
is ia desoae runs. There are not more than half u
dozen twostoried buildings IN the CITY, nor have Jus
churches, which are numerous any towers, on ac-
count OF the frequent terrible earthquakes WHICH
have visited the city since its foundation in 1868.
We lett the city at two r. NJ. on the Goth ultllnO,
having determined to pause on the road and MAKE
observations from Iii possible situations and stand
points. Our parry was joined by Don Jose Barrera,
Alcalde in Ciudad Guzman, and Padre Pugaro. We
had four moz0s, each having the care OF an extra
mule loaded with provisions. Four leagues south
west OF Cludad Gulman we reached the
celebrated Pedral Colorado section OF country
which is the most difficult OF passage OF
any level road IN all Mexico. For six leagues OF our
route we had to walk our horses carefully over the
Pedra, and then, when crossed. all Of them mad
made py the rough Jagged stones which make the
Pedra These stones, rs we found. extended TO a
depth Of leo feet, and are the same IN chemical COM
position rs those which form the slopes OF Mount
Coina-pulnce-like, and yet almost as resisting to
blow as IRON ore. Upon this Pedral field are
smooth spots indicating deposits OF lava which had
lowed there while IN molten state Nor upon the
whole Pedral some six leagues in length by three
leagues IN width IL there any sign OF vegetation;
tervenes tract OF fertile country, with quite depth
OF Clay and sandy soil, extremely productive. Nor
the existence Of volcanic action IN this region,
which leads us to believe that at some date or
sent the material which cOmposes the pedrai field
from Its vast crater, winch, accompanied by great
CONFUSION OF oscillation OF the Continent, has caused
this strange phenomenon OF deposits. If not from
the depths OF Mount Coiima whence comes this field
OF volcanic deposits?
Across the Pedral and we camped the night OF the
Goth at The Barranca Iltal the first Of seven which
Intervene between Ciudad Guzman ami Colinia aad
which Is in the state OF Coma and at the very edge
OF the slope OF Mount COlima, yet distant at least
forty miles from the peak or crater OF the mountain.
From Barranca Zitai we had fair view Of three
opened suddenly on the night Of the 25th OF June.
These smaller ones are about 2,0OO feet from the
one.lfth the extent OF the crater at the summit,
seem ~ our vision to throw q flame much
higher. The small crater, the one nearer US,
exhibited sight ut nighttime which delei the de-
scrpton OF any pen. From three sides IL poured
forth one molten, lurid, crimson stream OF Kissing
lava which flowed downwards In three different
streams while UPWARDS till vision tired in watch
ing, lame as steady as shOne the stars grew paler
and mere pale, while throughout Its upward course
huge stones Or cintier5 were lung from out the gar
lug current Our view OF the crater the ZapOtlan
side was somewhat dlmmed by the smoke or steam,
or Doth which, cooling as sent iOrtn from the Old
crater anu smaller one near US, formed quite dense
clouds.
The following morning we started for C0lima and
made the ascent and descent Of the SIX other bar
rancas each succeeding greater, wider and
deeper than the preceding one The last barranca
on the COllma side Is OF the great wOnderments
OF the republic OF Mexico, and unless 1t becomes filed
by the current Ofava now flowing from the volcano
OF Collma must become one OF the prominent Won
leo to travel This barranca has depth OF 3 500
feet. It's sides are nearly perpendicular, and 1t
miles. Its beginning Is at the Immediate base OF
Mount Colima anu IL Is thirteen miles In length.
What viii excite the study OF the geoogist most is
the evidences on all sides that this fearful gorge at
the base or this gigantic mountain bears ali the
dences OF having oeen washed out by current OF
lava from the mountain at whose feet 1t commences
But more Of the barranca at another date
MOUNT COLIMA.
After crossing the last named b0rranca (I3eltran)
we fastened forward into Colima. We fOunu that q
number OF Mexican scientific gent.eu,en were al
leo; others from M0relia and Zamora. IL was pro-
posed that should all JOIN IN invest CATION and
endeavor to obtain more particular facts concerning
the recent eruption OF the volcano and the wonder
lu phenomenon or the opening Oh four crater5 In the
sides OF the mountain, from which angry and terri
bic currents OF volcanic matter had lowed con-
stantly since the 25th or June.
The mountain is l2,054 feet above sea level ac-
cording to HumbOldfs measurement. 1t Is insulated
IN this PLAIN bearing the same name, anu Is on tue
western decllvity OF an extended plateau, which
from The volcanoes base slopes gradually to the Pa
cllc ocean, which Is eighty miles distant. The vol
cano is seventy miles from Jorulo. which rose sud
denly rom tue plain on the night OF setem6er 20
1859. Colma Is por2hyritic mountain, ana It's
eraters OF volcanoes, inasmuch as IL IL at
the exact centre OF the peak and instead
OF an ellphcal shape Is quite circular, with dame
ter Of 400 feet, which had been determined by
many who had assembled 1t before the recent erup.
ton. 10 is perfectly barren mountain, and looks
The roughness OF Jagged and Irregular deposits OF
redisn pumice stone, OF lava cooled while lowing
IRON above.
any study OF Mexican volcanic mountains Is the
mutual connection existing between Colima and
Jorullo, Neyada-ie-Toluca, POpOcatepetI, Iztaccl-
huatl, Orzava and Iuxta, chain OF volcanic noun
tain5 which begin with TuXta on the Gulf coast aud
pass in transverse line across the CONT
nent, completing the chain at this point In
Mount Collina. Jorulo aud Colima mtersect the
Cordllleras, winnie Nevada de Toiuca, Popocatepeti
and Iztacchuatl are on tae exact range and 0rzava
and Tuxtla on the eastern side Of the COrderas
Whenever during The past century any unusual dis
1rbauce has taken place at one OF these great vents
OF tue narrow Continent a centan sympathy has
been developed at some or all the others The most
percepube OF these mutual actions was that or ten
l.. NJ. oil March io 1884, WHICH was motion az nrss
violent That one could scarcely maintain an erect
position. 1t began gradually and with slow regu-
larity moved IRON east TO wes crossing the entire
Continent. Persons were affected by II With nausea
and dizziness us though at sea for the first time IL
continued from three anu one-haf to four minutes
and shook The whole country across the Continent,
but more perceptloly In tue direction OF this same
transverse line OF the volcanoes the country. The
shock which was felt RON Vera Cruz TO COlima
again on the I'd Of February, 1855, experienced
myself being then on a visit 10 the city OF Mexico.
| nave mentioned these points to snow now I'M
portant sphere, SO to call IT, these new craters and
the old one of Mount Coiima may hold. The more
intelligent OF the inhabitants here have long since
learned that when they near the low rambling
sounds which shake beneath them and roll out from
Mount Col.ma that there Is trouble all the way across
the Continent, and not few, | nnd, are impressed
with the belief that at some day or other there VIII
be such combined action OF these great vents OF
the inner world IA shall open great gap across the
Continent through wnich snail nInRle and low the
waters OF the Pacific with the waters OF the Gulf.
INSPECTING MOUNT CoLtMA.
On July 81 ourselves, with fully hundred
gentlemen from the city, including the Next
can Swans from the capital and other cities,
started Tor the mountain, with preparations made 10