The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1880-10-20
Balraiia1 0azette.
WEDNESDAY,, oCToBER 20. 1850,
A G-~aa Geological PAenouaeaoa.

A very singular geological event IS reported
frcm America by NJ. Ferdinand De Lesseps.
In the Republic of San Salvador there is = lake
called uopango, and recently, after q few pre-
inouitory shocks Of earthquake, three eraters
suddenly opened in the middle Of the lake,
anil belehesi forth Immense volumes Of steam,
dust. aud fiery einders. By-and-hy the three
vents merged into one. and an islet Of "tuF
ard lava uproSe above the surface Of the
waters. Attempts were made 10 approach this
youns volcanic island, but the feat was found
ir.,possibie. owing 20 the boiling Of the waters
ara the showers Of dust and clouds Of vapor
enveloping it. According to latest accounts,
the new volcano continues 10 WON'T forth great
quantities Of steam and virulent gases. All
The fishes Of the lake are parboiled, aud float
upon the surface Of the water amid the bodies
Of innuuserable dead shell-hsh and aquatic
animals. II is a significant fact that the
outburst was preceded by an exceptional rise
in the level Of the lake, owing to the rains,
This appears 10 be the first Instance on record
OF volcano bursting up through tbe waters
Of an inland lakes but submarine volcanoes
breaking cut in the ocean bed are not very
rare phenomena. Occasionally the mariner
sailing over seas in the great volcanic zones of
The earth beholds distant turmoil and up
heavel Of the waters such as no leyiathan Of
the deep, be il whale CT sea serpent, could
give rise 70. On approaching the spot he dis
covers the ocean TO be stained with volcanic
ashes, and burdened with floating masses of
puniice stUne SO he enters in his log-book
that he has seen a submarine volcanic outbgrst.
Indeed, although not generally known, it is no
scores that the work Of lay ing the telegraph
cable TO the Cape Of Good Hope was DELAYED
by the unexpected Interference Of submarine
volcano somewhere of the South African Coast.
Nor is this the FIRST cable which has been inter-
rupted. II not by the actual discharge Of a vol
cano. at any rate by the accompanying earth
qaakes: for Of the West Coast Of South
America cables have suffered FROM this cause
Of injury The water Of the lake was doubtless
the agent which stimulated the slumbering
volcanic fires within the earth. and caused the
explosion Of llopango, but It is not easy to see
the precise process, unless it be that the extra
pressure Of the water forced some OF the liquid
through rift in the bed, communicated with
the heated rpcks underneath, and thereby
generated iustautaneously great quantity Of
steam, which escaped with terrific violence to
the upper air. Yolcan, es are always found in
the neighbvrhood Of water; they stud the
shores Of the Pacific Ocean in a great chain
running from New Zealand by the Friendly
Islands, New Guinea, the Sunds and Philippine
Isles to Japan; thence by the kuriIe Islands
TO Kawschatka, and acruss through the Aleu-
tian Islands TO North America: then south
along the western border Of that Continent te
the extremity Of the Andes Moreover. ia tbs
Atlantic ard Indian Oceans they are scat
tered IN Islands here aud there over the wholC
area. Water is unquestiouably the prime
mover Of these explosions, but whether It pro-
duces them by oxidising certain chemicals il
the bowels Of the earth, as was suggested b,
Sir Humphrey Davy, or simply by coming in.
to Contact with red-hot or molten rueks, i.
not so easily determined