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Alexander von Humboldt: „The works of god displayed“, in: ders., Sämtliche Schriften digital, herausgegeben von Oliver Lubrich und Thomas Nehrlich, Universität Bern 2021. URL: <https://humboldt.unibe.ch/text/1810-Pittoreske_Ansichten_in-10-neu> [abgerufen am 24.04.2024].
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| Titel | The works of god displayed | ||||
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| Jahr | 1820 | ||||
| Ort | London | ||||
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Nachweis in: Methodist Magazine 43 (Januar 1820), S. 42–44
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| Sprache | Englisch | ||||
| Typografischer Befund | Antiqua; Auszeichnung: Kursivierung; Fußnoten mit Asterisken und Kreuzen; Schmuck: Trennzeichen. | ||||
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|42|
“Cotopaxi is the loftiest of those volcanos of the Andes,which at recent epochs have undergone eruptions. Its absoluteheight is five thousand seven hundred and fifty-four metres;*
(about eighteen thousand seven hundred and thirty-six Englishfeet.) It is double that of Canigou; and consequently eighthundred metres higher than Vesuvius would be, were it placedon the top of the peak of Teneriffe.† Cotopaxi is also the mostdreadful volcano of the kingdom of Quito, and its explosions themost frequent and disastrous. The mass of scoria, and thehuge pieces of rock thrown out of this volcano, which are spreadover the neighbouring valleys, covering a surface of severalsquare leagues, would form, were they heaped together a colossalmountain. In 1738, the flames of Cotopaxi rose nine hundredmetres above the brink of the crater. In 1744, the roarings of the
* The French metre is equal to 3,987100 English inches.† Vesuvius is 3900 feet above the level of the sea; the peak of Teneriffe12,236 feet.|43| volcano were heard as far as Henda, a town on the borders of theMagdalena, and at a distance of two hundred common leagues.On the 4th of April, 1768, the quantity of ashes ejected by themouth of Cotopaxi was so great, that in the towns of Hambatoand Tacunga day broke only at three in the afternoon, and theinhabitants were obliged to use lanterns in walking the streets.The explosion which took place in the month of January, 1803,was preceded by a most dreadful phenomenon, the sudden meltingof the snows that covered the mountain. For twenty yearsbefore, no smoke or vapour, that could be perceived, had issuedfrom the crater; and in a single night the subterraneous firebecame so active, that at sun-rise the external walls of the cone,heated, no doubt, to a very considerable temperature, appearednaked, and of a dark colour, which is peculiar to vitrified scoræ.At the port of Guayaquil, fifty-two leagues distant in a straightline from the crater, we heard, day and night, the constant noisesof the volcano, like continual discharges of a battery; we distin-guished these tremendous sounds even on the Pacific Ocean, tothe south-west of the island of Puna. “Cotopaxi is situated to the south-east of the city of Quito,at the distance of twelve leagues, between the mountain of Rumin-navi, the summit of which, rugged with small separate rocks,extends itself like a wall of enormous height; and Quelendanna,which enters the boundary of the eternal snows. It is in this partof the Andes, that a longitudinal valley separates the Cordillerasinto two parallel chains. The bottom of the valley is threethousand metres above the level of the ocean, so that Chimborazoand Cotopaxi, seen from the elevated plains of Lican and Mulalo,appear no higher than the Col de Geant and du Cramont, mea-sured by Saussure. As there is reason to suppose, that the prox-imity of the ocean contributes to feed the volcanic fire, the geo-logist is astonished to find, that the most active volcanoes in thekingdom of Quito, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, and Sangay, belongto the eastern chain of the Andes, and consequently that whichis the farthest from the coasts. The whole of the peaks, exceptRuca-Pichincha, which crown the western Cordilleras, seem tobe volcanos extinguished for a long series of ages; but this moun-tain, which is 2° 2′ distant from the nearest coasts, those of Esme-ralda, and the bay of San-Mateo, spouts out at different periodscataracts of fire, and spreads destruction over the surroundingplains. “The form of Cotopaxi is the most beautiful and regular ofthe colossal summits of the high Andes. It is a perfect cone,which, covered with an enormous layer of snow, shines with daz-zling splendor at the setting of the sun, and detaches itself in themost picturesque manner from the azure vault of heaven. Thiscovering of snow conceals from the eye of the observer, even the |44| smallest inequalities of the soil; no point of rock, no stony mass,penetrates the coating of ice, or breaks the regularity of thefigure of the cone. The summit of Cotopaxi resembles thesugar-loaf, (Pan de azucar) which terminates the peak of Teyde;but the height of the cone is six times the height of that greatvolcano in the island of Teneriffe. “It is only at the brink of the crater we see ledges of rocks,that are never covered with snow, and that look at a distancelike stripes of the darkest hue; the greatest steepness of this partof the cone, and the crevices from which issue currents of heatedair, are probably the causes of this phenomenon. The crater,like that of the peak of Teneriffe, is surrounded by a small circu-lar wall, which, examined with a good telescope, looks like aparapet. This is more distinctly seen on the southern declivity,when the beholder is placed either on the Lion mountain, (PuonaUrcu) or on the banks of the small lake of Yuracoche. “The conic point of the peak of Teneriffe is of easy access,rising from the midst of a plain, covered with pumice stones, andon which a few tufts of spartium supranubium vegetate. In scal-ing the volcano of Cotopaxi, it is extremely difficult to attain theinferior boundary of the perpetual snows, as we experienced inan excursion we made in the month of May, in the year 1802.The cone is surrounded by deep crevices, which at the momentof the eruptions bear down scoriæ, pumice stone, water, andblocks of ice, to Rio Napo, and Rio de les Alaques. After anearer examination of the summit of Cotopaxi, we may ventureto assert, that it would be impossible to reach the brink of thecrater. ************** I sketched Cotopaxi,and the head of the Inca, to the west of the volcano, at the farmSienega, ************. The colossal volcano, thepyramidal peaks of Ilinisa, and the Nevado de Quelendana, openhere at once on the spectator, and in dreadful proximity. Thisis one of the most majestic and awful views I ever beheld in eitherhemisphere.’” Researches in South America by Alexander de Humboldt.
THE WORKS OF GOD DISPLAYED.
To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine.
Rev. Sir,
At a period when philosophical research is pressed into theservice of scepticism and infidelity, it must be highly gratifying toreal Christians of every creed, to peruse that valuable departmentof your excellent Magazine, where you have recorded so manyimportant facts, in which the works of God are displayed. Thefollowing description of the Volcano of Cotopaxi, is extractedfrom M. de Humboldt’s Researches in South America. That ma-jestic monument of Omnipotence, is on one of those huge moun-tains, of that extended chain called the Andes, or the Cordilleras,which stretches from the isthmus of Darien, to the straits ofMagellan, a distance of near four thousand miles. While thesceptical philosopher views the stupendous mountain, and is con-founded in every attempt to account for its formation, the humblebeliever in God, in Christ, in the Bible, on the wings of devoutcontemplation, soars to its towering height; and on its loftysummit finds an altar, where he offers to the Maker of the uni-verse the incense of his astonishment and praise. Whether thescientific and indefatigable traveller will approve or blame myeffort, to throw his sublime description of Cotopaxi into the trea-sury of the church of God, I cannot determine; but I sincerelyhope, that its insertion in your useful Miscellany will contributeto the pleasure and profit of many of your pious readers.I am, your’s, &c. G*****. Margate, Feb. 10, 1819.
* The French metre is equal to 3,987100 English inches.† Vesuvius is 3900 feet above the level of the sea; the peak of Teneriffe12,236 feet.|43| volcano were heard as far as Henda, a town on the borders of theMagdalena, and at a distance of two hundred common leagues.On the 4th of April, 1768, the quantity of ashes ejected by themouth of Cotopaxi was so great, that in the towns of Hambatoand Tacunga day broke only at three in the afternoon, and theinhabitants were obliged to use lanterns in walking the streets.The explosion which took place in the month of January, 1803,was preceded by a most dreadful phenomenon, the sudden meltingof the snows that covered the mountain. For twenty yearsbefore, no smoke or vapour, that could be perceived, had issuedfrom the crater; and in a single night the subterraneous firebecame so active, that at sun-rise the external walls of the cone,heated, no doubt, to a very considerable temperature, appearednaked, and of a dark colour, which is peculiar to vitrified scoræ.At the port of Guayaquil, fifty-two leagues distant in a straightline from the crater, we heard, day and night, the constant noisesof the volcano, like continual discharges of a battery; we distin-guished these tremendous sounds even on the Pacific Ocean, tothe south-west of the island of Puna. “Cotopaxi is situated to the south-east of the city of Quito,at the distance of twelve leagues, between the mountain of Rumin-navi, the summit of which, rugged with small separate rocks,extends itself like a wall of enormous height; and Quelendanna,which enters the boundary of the eternal snows. It is in this partof the Andes, that a longitudinal valley separates the Cordillerasinto two parallel chains. The bottom of the valley is threethousand metres above the level of the ocean, so that Chimborazoand Cotopaxi, seen from the elevated plains of Lican and Mulalo,appear no higher than the Col de Geant and du Cramont, mea-sured by Saussure. As there is reason to suppose, that the prox-imity of the ocean contributes to feed the volcanic fire, the geo-logist is astonished to find, that the most active volcanoes in thekingdom of Quito, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, and Sangay, belongto the eastern chain of the Andes, and consequently that whichis the farthest from the coasts. The whole of the peaks, exceptRuca-Pichincha, which crown the western Cordilleras, seem tobe volcanos extinguished for a long series of ages; but this moun-tain, which is 2° 2′ distant from the nearest coasts, those of Esme-ralda, and the bay of San-Mateo, spouts out at different periodscataracts of fire, and spreads destruction over the surroundingplains. “The form of Cotopaxi is the most beautiful and regular ofthe colossal summits of the high Andes. It is a perfect cone,which, covered with an enormous layer of snow, shines with daz-zling splendor at the setting of the sun, and detaches itself in themost picturesque manner from the azure vault of heaven. Thiscovering of snow conceals from the eye of the observer, even the |44| smallest inequalities of the soil; no point of rock, no stony mass,penetrates the coating of ice, or breaks the regularity of thefigure of the cone. The summit of Cotopaxi resembles thesugar-loaf, (Pan de azucar) which terminates the peak of Teyde;but the height of the cone is six times the height of that greatvolcano in the island of Teneriffe. “It is only at the brink of the crater we see ledges of rocks,that are never covered with snow, and that look at a distancelike stripes of the darkest hue; the greatest steepness of this partof the cone, and the crevices from which issue currents of heatedair, are probably the causes of this phenomenon. The crater,like that of the peak of Teneriffe, is surrounded by a small circu-lar wall, which, examined with a good telescope, looks like aparapet. This is more distinctly seen on the southern declivity,when the beholder is placed either on the Lion mountain, (PuonaUrcu) or on the banks of the small lake of Yuracoche. “The conic point of the peak of Teneriffe is of easy access,rising from the midst of a plain, covered with pumice stones, andon which a few tufts of spartium supranubium vegetate. In scal-ing the volcano of Cotopaxi, it is extremely difficult to attain theinferior boundary of the perpetual snows, as we experienced inan excursion we made in the month of May, in the year 1802.The cone is surrounded by deep crevices, which at the momentof the eruptions bear down scoriæ, pumice stone, water, andblocks of ice, to Rio Napo, and Rio de les Alaques. After anearer examination of the summit of Cotopaxi, we may ventureto assert, that it would be impossible to reach the brink of thecrater. ************** I sketched Cotopaxi,and the head of the Inca, to the west of the volcano, at the farmSienega, ************. The colossal volcano, thepyramidal peaks of Ilinisa, and the Nevado de Quelendana, openhere at once on the spectator, and in dreadful proximity. Thisis one of the most majestic and awful views I ever beheld in eitherhemisphere.’” Researches in South America by Alexander de Humboldt.