Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-10-24

for IL, ana continued TO DO 30 I'LL q 10, L. NJ, whom
having gone about 30 miles by the reckoning, saw
flashes OF brilliant light mingled with the smoke,
which was still distinctly visible by the light of the
moon.
"ln few minutes the whole column became |
black and larger; almost imn edatcly afterwards
several successive cruptons of lurid fire rose up
amidst the smoke; they subsidized, and the column
then became gradually white again. AS we seem
cd to near it fast, shortened sail and hove to till
day light, IT, at might ascertain its nature and cx
act position. During the right the changes from
white to black with flashes and TIE eruption of fire.
continued at irregular intervals, varying from half
AN hour to an hour. At day light, | again stocrod
towards it, and about n. NJ, when tho smoke had
for moment cleared away at the base, saw
small hiock of u dark colour few feet above the
sea- Ihis was soon hidden again, and was only
visible through the smoke, at the intervals between
the more violent eruptionS.
''Thc volcano was in Il constant state of activity
and appeared to he dIschargmg dust and stones with
vast volumes OF steam. At Z, 30, the rushing
noise of the cruptions was heard. At nine, being
distant from 1t about two miles, and the water bcinu
much discooured with dark objects at the surface
i'll various places, hove to and went in u boat to
sound round and examine it. / rowed towards il.
keeping on tho weather side and sounding, but got
no bottom, till within twenty yards of the western
side, where l had eighteen fathoms soft bottom:
this was the only sounding obtained, except from
the brig one mile true north from tho centre of tho
island, where the depth 100 fathoms soft dark
brown mud. The crater, (for it was now eyiJen,
that such was its form) seemed to be composed of
fine cindors and mud of u dark brown color; within
it was to bo seen in the intervals between the o
ruptions mixture OF muddy water, steam, and
cindcrs dashing up and down, and occasionally run
ming into the the edge of the crater which
L found on rowing round to be broken down to the
level of the sea, the w. S. W. side for the space
of ten or twelve yards Here 1 obtained better
view of the interior, which appeared to be filed
with muddy water violently agitated, from which,
Showers of hot stones cnders wore constantly
shooting up few yards, and falling into it again
but the great quantities of steam that constantly
rose from 1T prevented my seeing the whole crater
i "a considerable stream of muddy water flowed
outward through the opening, and min Cling with
that OF the sea, caused the discoloraton that had
been observed before. could not approach near
enough to observe its temperature hut that of tho
sea- within ten or twelve yards of it, was only one
degree higher than the average, and to leeward of
the island, in the direction of the current (Which
ran TO the eastward, difference could be per
colvcd, even where the water was most discoloretl;
however, as mirage played above it near its
source it was probably hot there The dark OBJ
Jects on the surface of the proved to be patch
es OF small floating cinders The island or crater
appeared to be seventy or eighty yards in its exter
nal diameter, and the lip thin it could be- con-
sstently with its height, which might be twenty
ieet above the sea in the highest, and six feet in
the lowest part, leaving the rost for the diameter
of the within. These details could only he
observed in the intervals between the great crup-
tions, some of which 1 witnessed from the boat
!, No words can describe their sublime grandeur:
their progress was generally as follows:-Aher the
volcano had emitted for some time its usual quanti
ties OF white steam, suddenly the whole aperture
f was filled with an enormous mass of hot cinde rs
and dust, rushing upwards to the height of some
hundred feet, with loud roaring noise then fall,
ing INTO the sea on all Sides with u still louder
NOISE, arising In part perhaps from the formation
OF prodigious quantities of steam, which instantly
took place. This steam at first of n brown CO
Tor, having embodied great deal of dust; as it rose
gradually recovered It's pure white color, deposi.
he DIN in no cI,, o,f, .l,o q
E rain. While this was being ACCOMPLISHED renew
cd erupons of hot cinders and dust we're constant
ly succeeding each other, while forked lightning
accompanied by rafting thunder darted about
IN all directions within the column, now darkened
with dust and greatly Increased in volume and
distorted by sudden gusts and whrlwinds The
latter were most frequent the lee side where
they often made imperfect water-spouts of curious
shapes On one occasion some ofthe steam rea CHI.
6 ed the boat; it smet little of sulphur and the
mud 1t left, became gritty sparkling dark powder
when dry. None of the stones cintlers thrown
out, appeared more than half foot in diameter
and most of them much smaller.
"trom the time when the volcano was Grst seen
I'LL alter LETT it, the barometer did not fall or rise
the sympesometer underwent frequent but moi
y important changes and the Temperatures of the so,
did not bespeak any unusual influence.
'Atter sunset on the 18th, soundings were tried
Tor every hour, to the average depth of eighty faith
, oms-no bottom. The wind was N. W.; the wea.
Their serene.
, "on the forenoon of the 10Th, with the centre
OF the volcano bearing by compass S. by w. w
one mile distant, good sights for the chronometcr
gave the long II deg. Al, E.; and at noon on the
same day, when it bore w. by N. N. by compass,
the meridian altitude of the gave the latitude
81 deg. min 30 sec. NJ; amplitude of the sun
the same morning gave the variation of ii point
west"ardly 1t is worthy of remark, that on the
2oth OF June last, at 9, 80 p. NJ, when passing
near the same spot, in company with the Britannia,
several shocks of an earthquake were felt in both
RI ships have the honor TO be, &C.
&C. IL. SWINBURNE, Commander"
THE POLAR BEAR
The following interesting account of the Polar