Beyond this both ridges stretch considerably to the south, but none of the mountains have acquired so much celebrity as to deserve particular notice. It may be proper to remark, however, that the Paramo of Assuay, being interposed between the ridges, gives them the appearance of uniting to the north of Cuenza; but after passing this Paramo, the mountains again separate, and the double chain continues, as we formerly observed, several miles to the south of Cuenza. A similar tem porary union of the ridges occurs on the north of the province of Quito, by the interposition of the Paramo of Pasto. Owing to the regular advancing and receding of the mountains on both sides, and the intervention of these Paramos, this great valley seems divided into at least four smaller valleys, each of which contains a re markable city or town ; as Quito, Lataeunga, Riobam ba, and Cuenza.
It is remarkable, that almost all the mountains which we have now sketched, have at one time or other given decided proofs of a volcanic tendency, and many of them are to this day in a state of inflammation. Some au thors have even ventured to assert, that the whole of this double chain constitutes but one great volcano, and that the craters of the different mountains all terminate in the same hollow. This hypothesis, however extrava gant it may appear, seems to receive considerable sup port from the catastrophe of 1797, when the whole val ley was affected by a dreadful earthquake, and the earth seemed every where to open at once, discharging sul phur and water, and other materials of a volcanic nature.
It deserves to be noticed, however, that in none of these eruptions has any thing like lava ever been found : mud and water constitute the principal materials ejected. In this respect the volcanoes of the western world differ widely from those of Europe.
Repeated attempts have been made by different tra vellers to reach the summits of these mountains, and their efforts with regard to some of them have happily succeeded. Both Condamine and Humboldt obtained a view of the crater of Pinchincha; the latter ascended in 1802, and from him we have obtained the following particulars respecting its appearance. From the cir cumference of the crater there arise three peaks or rocks, which project over the abyss. On one of these rocks, Humboldt stationed himself, in order to obtain a more complete view of the awful gulf below. The mouth of the volcano forms a circular hole, of nearly a league in circumference, the edges of which, cut per pendicularly, are covered with snow. The inside is very black, but the gulf is so immense, that the sum mits of several smaller mountains within it can easily be distinguished. Condamine found this crater extinct, and even covered with snow; but in 1802, it gave evi dent signs of being still in a state of inflammation. The height of this mountain, according to Humboldt, is 2477 toises above the level of the sea. The same travellers
both attempted to ascend Antesana, one of the volcanic mountains of the eastern chain, but neither of them could reach the summit. Condamine found it impossi ble to ascend higher than 2470 toises ; and Humboldt, though more successful, experienced great difficulty in the attempt. The latter reached the height of 2773 toises, where, in consequence of the rarity of the air, the blood streamed from different parts of his face; one of the persons who accompanied him fainted, and all of them experienced extreme weakness. The barometer fell to 14 inches 7 lines.
But of all these volcanoes, none has excited greater alarm, or produced more desolating effects by its erup tions, than Catopaxi, the most prominent of the eastern range. The first eruption of this mountain recorded in history, happened about the time of the Spanish inva sion; an event which, if we credit the annalists of that period, contributed in no small degree to the easy sub jugation of the country ; for the Peruvians, regarding it as a signal of the wrath of their offended deities, and the completion of that period foretold by their prophets, when their lands should pass into the hands of stran gers, immediately abandoned the hope of saving their empire. Of this eruption none of the particulars have reached us. After an interval of more than 200 years, Catopaxi again discovered symptoms of an approaching eruption, and, in the year 1743, flames burst out from several apertures near its summit. The appearance of the flames was instantly followed by an immense tor rent of water, which descending from so great a height, in a moment inundated the whole plain, swept before it the cottages of the Indians and poor Spaniards, and spread desolation on all sides. Turning to the south, it entered the channel of the river that passes by Lata cunga, which instantly overflowed its banks. The inha habitants of the town escaped to the neighbouring heights, where they beheld the ruins of their houses. During three days, the mountain continued to emit flames, and the torrent to flow ; after which the latter gradually diminished, but the flames continued several days longer, and were accompanied with a loud noise, which was supposed to arise from the wind rushing violently through the new aperture in the mountain. At last the lire also ceased, and all remained quiet till May of tie following year, when the fire having recruit ed its strength again, opened to itself new passages in the sides of the mountain. The light of the flames which issued through those lateral apertures, being re flected by the surrounding ice and hardened snow, pro duced during the night the most beautiful illuminations. All this, however, was merely the prelude to a great eruption, which happened in November following, and again threw the inhabitants of Latacunga into new con sternation.