Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1867-08-28
The Volcano of SantOrin.

Ine volcano OF SanfOrtn.
A correspondent of the Boston Ad-
vestiser, writing from Greece, thus
speaks of visit to the volcanic island
of Santorin:
Before US is now seen vast column
of vapor and smoke rising as it seemed
out of the sea, and soaring high aloft
over the isle Santorin 1t is the new
volcano now in full blast.
Santorin itself is evidently sea born
and was known as such by the an.
clients 1t is about twelve miles long
and three to four broad in the broadest
part. 1t is shaped like a crescent, the
horns pointed westward, and tapering
towards the points like a new moon.
Between the horns are two other vol
canic islets, so there is vast basin
enclosed which is the crater of an old
volcano, but now the great harbor of
Santorin.
The volcano sleeps for an uncertain
number of centuries, and men thinking
1T dead go to work and build houses
and plant vineyards upon the old crum-
bling lava. But all of sudden the
submerged mountain seems to be taken
with great pain, and bclches up smoke
and vapor, and finally throws off vast
heaps Of stone, which seem to relieve
it, and it goes to sleep again
1t had fit of this kind nearly three
centuries ago, but was quiet until last
year, and men began to think of it as a
thing lost in past ages, never to be
heard of more. But suddenly there
began to be seen signs of uneasiness
under earth and sea-
The vanqushed Titan hiccoughs in his den'
At last it began to heave and to
belch up such vast volumes of smoke,
and such nOxious vapors, that the af-
trightcd islanders fled away, thinking
that they might all be swallowed up
in some general 'caving in ofthe island.
A small vessel ventured too near and
the captain and one of the crew were
killed by falling stones.
The eruption continued through the
last year, but being confined to one
locality, the inhabitants returned, and
not only got over their fear of the
monster, but even turned him to some
account. Their harbor was actually
improved by the new heap of rocks
thrown up, tor it narrows the too wide
mouth of the harbor, and without
making the entrance any more diff.
cult, it forms valuable breakwater.
The monster has done in a few months
more than 10000 men could have done
in forty years.
Moreover they continue to make the
monster scrub and clean the bottoms
of their vessels. There is part of the
harbor hard by the new chimney where
the water is so impregnated that it
kills barnacles, and animalcula and
weeds; and ship going in there with
foul bottom, and lying day or two
comes out as bright and clean as if
she bad been careened and scraped.
Into this vast crater our steamer
entered by the southwestern pass, and
sailed hard by the new chimney-a
vast heap of black stones which is
continually increasing, and which al
ready forms q respectable islet consid-
ering its undergrowth.
AS we approached there was hiss
ing sound, drowning the noise of our
engine, and soon growing louder and
louder, until it was like to an engine
of million horsepower blowing off
steam.
Vapors burst out hither and thither
among the stones, and at the waters
edge the stones seemed to be kissing
hot.
The eruption had ceased for some
minutes, but suddenly from the chin
ney Of the crater there shot up vast
compact ball of smoke which seemed
to be under immense pressure, for as
it rose it rapidly untolded flake after
fake, and rolled out cloud after cloud
rising to a vast height and spreading
wider and wider without growing less
Opaque. This beautiful column was
not only of vast size but of regular
shape, well defined, and of singular
tenacity. | have never seen smoke
hang together in the air SO compactly.
Seemingly not larger than wine eask
when it rushed from the chimney, the
trunk rose up swiftly and straight, in
creasing little in diameter as it grew
in length, until at a great height it
spread more rapidly into a sort of cap
ital which still seemed to support q
considerable circuit of the heavens
but resting still on the bottom, solid
column of smoke.
1t continued to gush out copiousIy