madam how and lady why(豪夫人和怀女士)-第8章
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were raised； ages ago； out of the old icy sea） so slowly； probably； that no
man can tell whether they are rising or not。 Or again； the steam…power
may be even now dying out under our island； and letting parts of it sink
slowly into the sea； as some wise friends of mine think that the fens in
Norfolk and Cambridgeshire are sinking now。 I have shown you where
that kind of work has gone on in Norfolk； how the brow of Sandringham
Hill was once a sea…cliff； and Dersingham Bog at its foot a shallow sea；
and therefore that the land has risen there。 How； again； at Hunstanton
Station there is a beach of sea…shells twenty feet above high…water mark；
showing that the land has risen there likewise。 And how； farther north
again； at Brancaster； there are forests of oak； and fir； and alder； with their
roots still in the soil； far below high…water mark； and only uncovered at
low tide； which is a plain sign that there the land has sunk。 You surely
recollect the sunken forest at Brancaster； and the beautiful shells we
picked up in its gullies； and the millions of live Pholases boring into the
clay and peat which once was firm dry land； fed over by giant oxen； and
giant stags likewise； and perhaps by the mammoth himself； the great
woolly elephant whose teeth the fishermen dredge up in the sea outside？
You recollect that？ Then remember that as that Norfolk shore has
changed； so slowly but surely is the whole world changing around us。
Hartford Bridge Flat here； for instance； how has it changed！ Ages ago it
was the gravelly bottom of a sea。 Then the steam…power underground
raised it up slowly； through long ages； till it became dry land。 And ages
hence； perhaps； it will have become a sea… bottom once more。 Washed
slowly by the rain； or sunk by the dying out of the steam…power
underground； it will go down again to the place from whence it came。
Seas will roll where we stand now； and new lands will rise where seas now
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
roll。 For all things on this earth； from the tiniest flower to the tallest
mountain； change and change all day long。 Every atom of matter moves
perpetually； and nothing 〃continues in one stay。〃 The solid…seeming
earth on which you stand is but a heaving bubble； bursting ever and anon
in this place and in that。 Only above all； and through all； and with all； is
One who does not move nor change； but is the same yesterday； to…day； and
for ever。 And on Him； my child； and not on this bubble of an earth； do
you and I； and all mankind； depend。
But I have not yet told you why the Peruvians ought to have expected
an earthquake。 True。 I will tell you another time。
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MADAM HOW AND LADY WHY
CHAPTER III
VOLCANOS
You want to know why the Spaniards in Peru and Ecuador should have
expected an earthquake。
Because they had had so many already。 The shaking of the ground in
their country had gone on perpetually； till they had almost ceased to care
about it； always hoping that no very heavy shock would come； and being；
now and then； terribly mistaken。
For instance； in the province of Quito； in the year 1797； from thirty to
forty thousand people were killed at once by an earthquake。 One would
have thought that warning enough： but the warning was not taken： and
now； this very year； thousands more have been killed in the very same
country； in the very same way。
They might have expected as much。 For their towns are built； most
of them； close to volcanossome of the highest and most terrible in the
world。 And wherever there are volcanos there will be earthquakes。 You
may have earthquakes without volcanos； now and then； but volcanos
without earthquakes； seldom or never。
How does that come to pass？ Does a volcano make earthquakes？
No； we may rather say that earthquakes are trying to make volcanos。 For
volcanos are the holes which the steam underground has burst open that it
may escape into the air above。 They are the chimneys of the great blast…
furnaces underground； in which Madam How pounds and melts up the old
rocks； to make them into new ones； and spread them out over the land
above。
And are there many volcanos in the world？ You have heard of
Vesuvius； of course； in Italy； and Etna； in Sicily； and Hecla； in Iceland。
And you have heard； too； of Kilauea； in the Sandwich Islands； and of
Pele's Hairthe yellow threads of lava； like fine spun glass； which are
blown from off its pools of fire； and which the Sandwich Islanders
believed to be the hair of a goddess who lived in the crater；and you have
read； too； I hope； in Miss Yonge's Book of Golden Deeds； the noble story
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of the Christian chieftainess who； in order to persuade her subjects to
become Christians also； went down into the crater and defied the goddess
of the volcano； and came back unhurt and triumphant。
But if you look at the map； you will see that there are many； many
more。 Get Keith Johnston's Physical Atlas from the schoolroomof
course it is there （for a schoolroom without a physical atlas is like a needle
without an eye）and look at the map which is called 〃Phenomena of
Volcanic Action。〃
You will see in it many red dots； which mark the volcanos which are
still burning： and black dots； which mark those which have been burning
at some time or other； not very long ago； scattered about the world。
Sometimes they are single； like the red dot at Otaheite； or at Easter Island
in the Pacific。 Sometimes the are in groups； or clusters； like the cluster at
the Sandwich Islands； or in the Friendly Islands； or in New Zealand。 And
if we look in the Atlantic； we shall see four clusters： one in poor half…
destroyed Iceland； in the far north； one in the Azores； one in the Canaries；
and one in the Cape de Verds。 And there is one dot in those Canaries
which we must not overlook； for it is no other than the famous Peak of
Teneriffe； a volcano which is hardly burnt out yet； and may burn up again
any day； standing up out of the sea more than 12；000 feet high still； and
once it must have been double that height。 Some think that it is perhaps
the true Mount Atlas； which the old Greeks named when first they
ventured out of the Straits of Gibraltar down the coast of Africa； and saw
the great peak far to the westward； with the clouds cutting off its top； and
said that it was a mighty giant； the brother of the Evening Star； who held
up the sky upon his shoulders； in the midst of the Fortunate Islands； the
gardens of the daughter of the Evening Star； full of strange golden fruits；
and that Perseus had turned him into stone； when he passed him with the
Gorgon's Head。
But you will see； too； that most of these red and black dots run in
crooked lines； and that many of the clusters run in lines likewise。
Look at one line： by far the largest on the earth。 You will learn a
good deal of geography from it。
The red dots begin at a place called the Terribles； on the east side of
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the Bay of Bengal。 They run on； here and there； along the islands of
Sumatra and Java； and through the Spice Islands； and at New Guinea the
line of red dots forks。 One branch runs south… east； through islands
whose names you never heard； to the Friendly Islands； and to New
Zealand。 The other runs north； through the Philippines； through Japan；
through Kamschatka； and then there is a little break of sea； between Asia
and America： but beyond it； the red dots begin again in the Aleutian
Islands； and then turn down the whole west coast of America； down from
Mount Elias （in what was； till lately； Russian America） towards British
Columbia。 Then； after a long gap； there are one or two in Lower California
（and we must not forget the terrible earthquake which has just shaken San
Francisco； between those two last places）； and when we come down to
Mexico we find the red dots again plentiful； and only too plentiful； for
they mark the great volcanic line of Mexico； of which you will read； I
hope； some day； in Humboldt's works。 But the line does not stop there。
After the little gap of the Isthmus of Panama； it begins again in Quito； the
very country which has just been shaken； and in which stand the huge
volcanos Chimborazo； Pasto； Antisana； Cotopaxi； Pichincha； Tunguragua；…
…smooth cones from 15；000 to 20；000 feet high； shining white with snow；
till the heat inside melts it off； and leaves the cinders of which the peaks
are made all black and ugly among the clouds； ready to burst in smoke and
fire。 South of them again； there is a long gap； and then another line of
red dotsArequiba； Chipicani； Gualatieri； Atacama；as high as； or higher
than those in Quito； and this； remember； is the other country which has
just been shaken。 On the sea…shore below those volcanos stood the
hapless city of Arica； whose ruins we saw in the picture。 Then comes
another gap； and then a line of more volcanos in Chili； at the foot of which
happened that fearful earthquake of 1835 （besides many more） of which
you will read some day in that noble book The Voyage of
