It is difficult to discover the connection between these different phenomena, but there seems to be a concurrence as to the facts here stated. It is certainly true, that the only shocks which I have felt were in the periods indicated, and it is also certain that nearly all occur in the night. Perhaps, amidst the occupations and distractions of the day, the lesser ones pass unobserved.

There are many striking features in the topography of Central America, which seem entirely due to volcanic agency. Those which have more particularly attracted my attention, are what are popularly denominated extinct craters, now partially filled with water, forming lakes without outlets or apparent sources of supply, save the rains. Some of these occur on the mountain and hill ranges, and are surrounded by evidences of having been volcanic vents. But this is not always the case. The Lake of Masaya, which I have already described, may be taken as an example. It is not less than eight or ten miles in circumference, and is not far from one thousand feet, perhaps more, below the general level of the country. The sides are sheer precipices of trachytic rocks, splintered and blistered, and exhibiting every indication of having been exposed to the intensest heat. Yet, if these were true craters, where are the lava, ashes, and other materials which they have ejected? There are certainly none in their vicinity, which have emanated from them, no traces of lava streams surrounding them, nor are their edges elevated above the general level. Upon one side of the particular one which I have mentioned, rises the extinct volcano of Masaya or Nindiri, with its proper crater, whence have flowed vast quantities of lava, part of which, falling over the precipitous walls of the lake, have quite filled it upon that side. Some of the lakes are more or less impregnated with saline materials, but others are perfectly fresh, and abound in fish. The burned and blistered walls indicate, it appears to me, that they have not been caused by the subsidence, or the falling in of the earth.

Oviedo makes special mention of the range of volcanoes to which I have so often alluded, which he calls by the aboriginal name, “Marabios.” At the time of his visit, some of them were active, or rather sent out large quantities of smoke. These were probably Santa Clara and Telica, which appear to have been most recently in a state of eruption. He says, “About the centre of this chain three peaks can be distinguished, rising one behind the other. They are very steep on the north side, and descend gradually to the plain on the southern. This country is very fertile; and as the east winds reign here continually, the western portion is always covered with smoke, proceeding from these three mountains, the most elevated of the chain, and five or six leagues in circumference. The volcano the nearest to the city of Leon (Telica) is four or five leagues off. It sometimes happens, when the north wind blows strong, that the smoke, instead of escaping on the western side, as usual, takes a southern course; then it scorches and withers the maize fields and other productions of the soil, and causes great mischief in the villages, which are numerous. The ground suffers to such a degree from the heat, that it remains arid for four or five years after.”

I have elsewhere introduced Oviedo’s account of his visit to the volcano of Masaya. In another part of his MS., the chronicler gives a summary of the relation of the Fray Blas de Castillo, who, in 1834, descended into the crater of this volcano. It seems that in his narrative the Fray referred to the Historian in such a manner as to excite his anger, and in consequence he indulges in several pungent little episodes in the resumé, of which the following is a very fair example: “It is a hard matter,” observes Oviedo, “to contradict all the falsehoods diffused through the world; and even if successful in so doing, it is a matter of greater difficulty to undeceive those who have heard them. Now if the Fray Blas de Castillo had thought that his account would one day fall into my hands, he would not have said that I, Gonzales Hernandez de Oviedo y Valdez, Chronicler General of the Indies, had asked permission of his Majesty to place the volcano of Masaya on my coat of arms, because I had happened to visit it. I have never made such a request; I have no desire to carry such arms; nor do I think any Christian would approve of it; the Fray has lied!”^[36]

The descent of the Fray Blas was conducted with great secrecy, and under the full belief that the molten matter seen at the bottom of the crater was gold or silver. “This matter,” he says, “resembles a red sea, and its commotions make as much noise as do the waves of the ocean when they dash against the rocks. This sea looks like the metal of which bells are made, or sulphur or gold, in a state of fusion, except that it is covered with a black scum, two or three fathoms thick. Were it not for this mass of scum, or scoriæ, the fire would throw out such an ardor and lustre that it would be impossible to remain near it, or look upon it. Sometimes it breaks apart in certain places, and then one can perceive the matter, red and brilliant as the light of heaven. In the midst constantly rise two large masses of melted metal, four or five fathoms across, which are constantly free from the scum, and from which the liquid metal leaps forth on every side. The sound of these melted streams, dashing amongst the rocks, is like that of artillery battering the walls of a city. The rocks around this sea of metal are black to the height of seven or eight fathoms, which proves that the liquid matter sometimes rises to that distance. Upon the north-eastern side of the crater is the opening of a cavern, very deep, and as wide as the range of an arquebus. A stream of burning fluid flows into this cavern, which seems to be the outlet of the crater. It runs for a few moments, stops, then commences again, and so on constantly. There comes forth from this cavern a thick smoke, greater than rises from the whole lake, which diffuses on all sides a very strong odor. There comes forth also, a heat and brilliancy which cannot be described. During the night the summit of the mountain is perfectly illuminated, as are also the clouds, which seem to form a kind of tiara above it, which may be seen eighteen or twenty leagues on the land, and upwards of thirty at sea. The darker the night the more brilliant the volcano. It is worthy of remark, that neither above nor below can the least flame be seen, except when a stone or arrow is thrown into the crater, which burns like a candle.

“During rains and tempests, the volcano is most active; for when the storm reaches its height, it makes so many movements that one might say it was a living thing. The heat is so great that the rain is turned into vapor before reaching the bottom of the crater, and entirely obscures it. Both Indians and Spaniards affirm, that since the Conquest, during a very rainy year, the burning metal rose to the top of the crater, and that the heat was then so great that everything was burnt for a league around. Such a quantity of burning vapor came from it, that the trees and plants were dried up for more than two leagues. Indeed, one cannot behold the volcano without fear, admiration, and repentance of his sins; for it can be surpassed only by the eternal fire. Some confessors have imposed no other penance than to visit this volcano.”

Oviedo adds, that, although no animals were to be found on the volcano or its slopes, paroquets abounded, both on the summit of the mountain and within the crater, at the time the volcano was still active. The Fray Blas made two descents into the crater, and by means of a chain lowered an iron bucket into the molten mass of lava. He was much disappointed in procuring only a mass of gray pumice, when he had expected to find pure silver or gold. The second descent was performed in the presence of the Governor, who afterwards forbade any similar enterprises. The fires are now cold in the crater, and the “Hell of Masaya” is extinguished.