The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-09-04

| WONDERFUL PHENOMENA AT SEA.-A VOL
| cANIc ERUPTION EIGHT HOURS N LENGTH
| [From the San Francisco (Cal.l Bulletin, Au-
gust 2d.]-The ship Lebu arrived at this
port from Liverpool yesterday, after pas
| sage of one hundred and thirty days. The
! following narrative of some very remarkable
phenomena which were observed while the
snip was on the equator, in the Atlantic, is
| obtained from the lips Of her captain.
Captain Mckenzie states that while the
vessel was crossing the equator, on the 18th
| of May, she was seized by a strong easterly
current, which continued until she reached
| latitude degrees south. In three days the
vessel was carried 240 miles due east. Du-
| ring this time there were very light north
| west winds and Gains. Such current is
very rare in that Latitude, and Captain
| Mckenzie says that he has never before eX-
| perlenced it in the whole course of his sea-
life. On the 18th of May, about 10 o'clock
IN the forenoon, and while the current was
still running, heavy and confused sea began
to strike the ship on all sides. The rain was
| pouring in torrents at the time, and con-
tlnued to do so at intervals during the day.
The water from the pumps was found on
examination to be very warm, and test of
the surface-water showed its temperature to
| be 81 degrees. Water ten feet below the
surface had temperature Of Sc degrees.
| The captain at once surmised the cause OF
| the phenomena to be volcanic eruption
and subsequent occurrences proved that his
surmise was correct. The air was at first
very close and sultry, and not breath oil
wind was stirring. 1t was noticed that the
current had suddenly ceased running. Soor
the wind began to blow in strong gusts al
around the compass, and what between the
running sea and the heavy wind the vessel
was kept spinning round and round. The
barometer stood very steady at 80 degree:
minutes. Everybody was on deck Won
deEjng what would come next; but affair;
remained in about the same condition unit
6 O'Clock in the evening, when 4 loud rush
ing noise was heard in the air right above
their heads, instantly followed by i very
heavy sqllall. The noise was not over half
minute in duration, but is described rs bcins
terrific while it lasted. The captain canno
say from what quarter the squall came; i
seemed 10 him to strike the ship on boil
sides at once. Everything was in confusion
but the captain had the presence of mind t
order the sails lowered, and the ship wa
soon all snug under the three lower topsailS
The squall did not last long, but settled into
Il strong gale from the west southwest. Ii
a few minutes the terrible noise was agail
heard, but this time it did not excite TIT
fright that it did at first. The heavens wer,
partially obscured by light rain-clouds. Pre-
senty the confused running of the sc;
ceased, and the ship scudded before the gale
At II o'clock in the evening the gale hat
subsidized and all was quiet. During th'
heaviest Of the wind and rain large number!
of small fish were showercd upon the deck
The rushing noise, which was the most no
ticeabe feature Of the phenomena, Captain
| Mckenzie describes as not ut all resembling
thunder, but seeming rather to be caused b!
a commoton under the waters.