This, no doubt, applies in the
majority of cases, but the volcanic forces do not confine themselves to
these magnificent displays of energy, nor are their products limited to
those above specified. We have seen that mud is a not uncommon product,
due to the mingling of water with volcanic dust, while water alone is
occasionally emitted, of which we have a marked instance in the Volcan
de Agua, of Guatemala, already mentioned. As regards mud flows, we may
specially instance the first outflow from Mont Pelee, that by which the
Guerin sugar works were overwhelmed.
The imprisoned forces of the earth have still other modes of
manifestation. A very frequent one of these, and the most destructive to
human life of them all, is the earthquake.
Minor manifestations of volcanic action may be seen in the geyser and
the hot spring, the latter the most widely disseminated of all the
resultant effects of the heated condition of the earth's interior. It
is these displays of subterranean energy, differing from those usually
termed volcanic, yet due to the same general causes, that we have next
to consider. And it may be premised that their manifestations, while,
except in the case of the earthquake, less violent, are no less
interesting, especially as the minor displays are free from that peril
to human life which renders the major ones so terrible.
While the largest volcanoes at times pour out rivers of liquid mud,
there are volcanoes from which nothing is ever ejected but mud and
water, the latter being generally salt.
Pages:
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457