The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-31 00:00:00

VOLCANO IN THE /!!MALAYA!! MOUNTAINS.

There seems to be no doubt that a volcano has been discovered
io the thinaliyan mountains. The following account of it in Dr.
Brciorter's Joao Hal of Sciexce. newly published, has been cont.
uniniested to him 0003 India :
• I now send you an interesting account of the volcanic appear.
en ze of the Purneah district, that you may have seen alluded to in
the newspapers. The mountain is one of the highest In the whole
range, and is visible occasionally from the eastern side Of the Sur.
Lamps:ever, south of the Gartner Hills, and also, 1 believe, from
Dbougilree, but too indistinctly to admit of our seeing the column
01 essoke observed eby Mr. Barnes. Several years ago, when eas-
t!' .ing this peak ham Deenhutta, with a pod telescope I observed
a singular looking fissure in die side of it, so remarkable, that I
I. ask a sketch of it at the time. I think it highly probable that this
an extinguished crater ; and if the smoke actually process's from
a ielleano. It may even be the otie in action, as it is on the east aide
ache peak, and the peak might prevent this appearance being
OM from the southward.
• In Steady put of February, 1825,,, my brother and myself
wee on cur return from the hill north of hungapannee. when,
early In the morning, just as the sun rose above the horizon, I
,grimed a thick cloud, apparently smoke, rising perpendicularly
froth the highest point of the mountain, which, after ascending to
a considerable height, in a We* dense coliftnn, took an easterly
direction from the upper part of it, as if it lied been carried away
by the wind, detached pans of It being separated like small white
clouds. The column of smoke continued to exhibit the same aspect
as when it was first seen, and exactly resembled the smoke of a
fierce fire, after ascending far above the Influence of the propelling
power. At this time the atmosphere was beautifully clear for
many etworseive days ; and the appearance above described con.
tinned precisely the same, only at times the column of smoke
seemed to be larger and more dense titan at others, but always
Rising straight up, as if rushing from a crater, and the top always
diverslng in the air on reaching* certain height.
" Flom having been long in the habit of observing the snowy
mountains whenever they were visible, and accustomed to view
rhsOn for many years put, I may say that I am perfectly fatniliar
with their appeerance : and I was so forcibly struck with the diffe-
rent aspects they assumed onthe day above-mentioned, that I
thought it possible that a volcano was in action, This ophion,
and the desire which every man tumid feel to witness so grand and
*Wiens a spectacle, has led me to observe it very closely ever since,
whenever I could discern the puk ; and although no eruption of
desp_e Leta been seen front this place, which is three miles due west
of Rungapannee, yet the smoke has continued in the same form'
and the same direction as above stated. It was once carried wes'erly
the wind, and only once that I remember; but at all other times II
U. head of it was wafted to the east.
" The very same appearance contirued to present Itself until the
warm weather began ; but the atmosphere was then so hazy as to
lib.cure the moun.ain shopther during its continuance, nor have
the rains, which are only just setting in, brought them yet within
• •
I am not in the habit of observing, and still lees of describing,
the ph-moments of nature, and I fear you may not fully comprehend
the unpression which I wish to convey; but if you blare to your-
self a yard column of smoke rushing violently from the flue cf a
among furnace, black at the bottom, rAI burning clearer as it as.
wads, end the wind dispersing the top of the shaft when it rises
above the ialltit..ce of the lire, you will lave its appearance in
a tow words.
" The peak on which this phenomenon is seen, is that remark.
able rocky one due north of Rungatiannee. and the most elevated
of the whole range seen front thence. But I am of opinion that. if
it really be a volcano, the crater is situated on the north side of the
bigliest point, because, when the smoke was seen, the peak on our
U& was distinctly visible, and the smoke seemed to me behind .1.

It is probable that some lower eminence, concealed from us by the
highest point, may be the seat of it.
•• It is hardly possible to believe that the appearane- now de-
scribed can arise from a cloud, as it is not usual for clor'a to retain
the very same torn and shape for months together, nor to appear in
the same identical spot. The summits of all the other peaks re-
mained clear and bright as usual, during the whole time that the
smoke was observed."
• The letter, of which this is an extract, is dated Thoon ke Pur-
neah, June 13, 1024.