The morning call., 1890-09-26

broken neck IS most 10 De avoided. A SIN
gle incautlouS step might now be fatal
a high angular peak, which appears to be
the highest part of the mountain, is reached
after prodSiouS toll, only to find that it is
but one Of the broken lips of the crater.
The true bulk of the mountain lies far to the
left, and can only be reached by descending
the mountain about q thousand feet in order
to pass deep cleft. By crawling cautiously
to the very edge q this lip of rock, one
looks down into an ancient crater that
yawns like he'll beneath. At the bottom
can be seen little lake of water, which
CLEANS brightly in its rough setting.
And now to quote the language of the
chrOnicler: l had abstained from looking
around me while ascending, anxious to wit
ness the glorious prospect which | knew
must open upon my vision there in all of its
vastness and its beauty.
WORN, WEARY, BRUISED, AND BLEEDING,
Yet that one sublime view COM ensated for
all Language can family picture it. The
great Pacific, all golden under the setting
sun, spread away boundlesSlY in the west
and Lake Nicaragua, its glowing waters
studded with islands. lay motionless at our
feet. Beyond it rose the amber-tinted hills
of Chontales, and still beyond these, rank
veined Cordilleras of Honduras. turned
to the southwark, and there, piercing
the clear air with their lofty cones,
lowered the graceful peaks OF Ometepee
and Madeira. And yet beyond these rose
the volcano Of Orisi, With its dark banner of
smoke trailing away. league upon league,
along the horizon, and tracing an ebon belt
across the gigantic bulk of ciOud-cr0wned
Cartago, proudly dominating over both
great oceans. To the northward the view
was equally varied and extensive. There
cradled among hills of eternal green, spread
out the large and beautiful lake of Mana
qua. At its further extremity loomed the
high volcano Of MomotOmbO, watching, like
some gigantic warden, over the slumOering
waters. And more distant still, terminating
the dim perspective, were the recedIng
peaks which brlstle around the plain OF
Leon. and, apparently at our feet, although
ten miles distant from the base of the noun
tain, stood the broad, low volcano Of
Masaya, in the midst of wide expanSe of
lava fields, which, rugged and black,
strongly contrasted with the adjisscent for
ests and cultivated grounds. The white
churches OF Granada and OF the surrounding
villages appeared like points of silver in the
slant rays of the sun. Rarely, indeed has
the eye of mortal looked upon fairer
scene.
The statement leading to the supposition
that the extinct crater of the ancient vol
cano of Mombacho is about TO become
active is, to say the least, purely specula-
tive. There are other volcanoes in the i'm
mediate neighboihood of Granada where the
fires have been smodering at a very re-
IcCcuL ptIlOu
EEL INFERNO"
There is yet another in the same vicinity,
so terrible III It's appearance and results as
to be known as lei Inferno de Masaya'-
The He'll Of MaSaya," that was active as
late as 1853. 1t is the volcano of Masaya, or
Nindiri, standing on the northwestern bor-
der of the Lake If Masaya, a body Of water
Of clearly volcanic origin and having no ap-
parent outlet From the lake the Cliffs are
hidden, and an inclined plane has been
formed, coincident with the slope of the
mountain by the lava which has run down
and intn The lake during some ancient erup-
lion. The road from Masaya to the volcano
Is through Nlndiri, one Of the lovelirst spo,s
on earth and not inap:ly styled Arcadia.
From Nndiri the traveller begins to ascent
one of the slopes or spurs of the volcano Of
Maraya, passing over disintegrated lava and
pumlce, through luxurious growth of trees
Tor about three miles and then en.ering the
'mal pals," or bad country" all immense
field OF lava, which flowed down the sides
of the mountain during the last eruption,
for many miles. 1t resembles a vast field OF
cast iron, just cooled, or an ocean of ink,
suddenly c0ngealed during storm. In
places
THE LAVA
Is rolled up in black, frowning masses
elsewhere IT is piled up. fake on flake. like
ice ia springt me on the banks Of northern
rivers. Bread, ragged sheets have been
turned up aud completely over as the fiery
fluid cooled on the surface, while the molten
current flowed below, exposing a regularly
striated face, resembling the curling fbers
OF the maple tree. The eruption which
formed this vast lava-field took place in 1870.
During the eruption which took place July
%, l529, traveller who had visited Vesu-
vius, Etna and many other volcanoes said
''no3e Of these volcanoes are to be conf
palei to that Of Masaya." There is a legion
extant that the old caziques of Nindiri for
merly went to the edge of the crater and
held ''monexico" or secret counciP' with an
cid woman who came out of the crater nearly
naked, and whom they consulted to know il
they should make war or grant or decline Il
truce to their enemies. She would tell them
if they would conquer or be conquered; il
they should have rain; if the harvest Of
maize wJnld be abundant; and, in fine, pre-
dicted I'll future events. On such occasions
il was the custom for man ct two and
some women aid children to offer themselves
voluntary sacrifices to her.