Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-06-19
A VOLCANIC FREAK.
How Natures Powerful Forces
Made and Unmade an Island.
Interesting Description of the Strange
Formation of Graham Island and
OF Its Gradual Disap-
DearanCe.

The heaving up of volcanic matter
from the bottom of the sea to such a
height above the surface of the water
as to form an island, which may be
safely trodden, is a rare and interesting
occurrence. That such things fire.
quently happened at former and prob
| ably an early period of the earth's his
tory, is quite evident from the great
| number of islands which are found to
be of volcanic origin; but an event Of
this description, taking place in our
own times, is calculated to fix atten-
ton, as much from its novelty as from
its extraordinary nature.
In July, 1881, an island was thrown
up between Sicily and Panteilaria. in
the following remarkable manner:
About the 10Th of July, column of
water, like water-spout, sixty feet in
height, and afterward cloud of vapor,
were observed rising from the sea, at
the place where the island afterward
made it's appearance. No fire was seen
until the 18th, when the master of a
London brig was able to distinguish
flame; and it is probable that at this
period the land began to emerge from
flashes of brilliant light, mingled with
smoke. were distinctly visible, and SO
remarkable were the appearances as to
induce the commander of ship to steer
for the spot, for the purpose of examin-
ing them more closely.
A large column of smoke was seen
towering above the sea to considerable
height, and from the midst of it, pillars
of lurid fire shot up, and then subsidized,
the column which was formerly dark
gradually becoming white. This alter
nation of eruption and repose, of white
and black, continued during the whole
night.
On the following morning, a small
hillock of dark-green color was seen
rising few feet above the surface of
the ocean, but it continued visible at
intervals only, between the more vio-
lent eruptions. The volcano was in a
constant state of activity, and appeared
to be discharging dust and stones, to-
gether with vast quantities Of steam.
On soundings being taken, no bottom
was found till those who made the ex-
pertinent were within twenty yards of
the island. The form of crater was
now clearly discernible. 1t seemed to
be composed of fine cinders and mud of
| a dark-brown color; and within it was
deserted, during the pauses of the erup-
tions, mixture of muddy water, steam
| and cinders, dashing up and down, and
occasionally running over the sides into
the sea.
All this time showers of hot stones or
cinders shot upward a few yards, and
| then fell into the gulf whence they
were elected. No words can describe
their sublime grandeur; their progress
was generally as follows: After the
volcano had emitted for some time its
| usual quantities of white steam, sud-
denly the whole aperture was filled
| with an enormous mass of hot cinders
and dust rushing upward to the height
of some hundred feet with loud, roar
ing noise, then falling into the sea on all
sides with a still louder noise, arising
in part, perhaps. from the formation of
prodigious quantities of steam which
instantly took place. This steam was
at first of a brown color, having en-
bodied great deal of the dust; and as
it rose, it gradually recovered its pure
white color, depositing the dust in the
shape of shower of muddy rain.
While this was being accomplished,
renewed eruptions of hot einders and
dust were quickly succeeding each
other while forked lightning, ac-
companied by rafting thunder, darted
about in all directions within the
column, now darkened with dust, and
greatly increased in volume, and dis
torted by sudden gusts and whirlwinds.
The latter were most frequent on the
lee side, where they often made i'm
perfect water-spOuts of curious shapes.
On one occasion, some of the steam
reached the boat; it smelt little of
sulphur, and the mud it left became a
gritty. sparkling. dark-brown powder
when dry. None of the stones or cinders
thrown out appeared more than half a
foot in diameter, and most of them were
much smaller.
At this time the island was from fifty
to ninety feet in height, and about
three-auarters of a mile in circumfer-
ence. It attracted great attention as
soon as the fact became known. and
Captain Swinburne was dispatched in a
cutter to ascertain the exact position OF
the island. This commander effected q
landing ON the Sd of August, hoisted the
British ensign, and called it Graham
Island. We subjoia description OF the
volcano in nearly his own words:
''Seizing a favorable moment we
gave way with our oars. Our distance
was rather greater than We could have
wished, but we proceeded as quickly as
the sea would allow. As we approached,
some occasional jets were thrown ups but