Evening star., 1898-11-09
THROWN SkSwARD.
Crew of a Ship Witness Formation Of
n Volcanic Island.
From the rhiiadeIphia Times.

From the ThiadeIphia Times.
The British steamer Breconshre. which
arrived Saturday from Java with cargo
of sugar. brings a remarkable tale Of
phenomenon witnessed while the vessel was
but two weeks out of port and in the south
ern part of the Indian ocean.
According to the story. whica is told in a
manner so graphic and so free from eXag
geration as to leave little doubt regarding
its genuneness, the captain and crew saw
thrown up by mighty uphearai of the
subteTranean strata of the oceans bed a
curious island of basaltic formation and
which came into existence almost in the
twinkliDg of an eye. These curious volcano
eruptionS occurring far below the surface
of the sea are extremely rare and the &C
count given by eye Witnesses at this date
when such manifestations are supposed TO
have ceased cannot fail to be of general in
terest.
In that part of the Indian ocean i'm which
the phenomenon was seen there have fol
years been manifested phenomena suggcs-
tive of enormous internal disturbances be-
yond the solution of the average navigator.
There is portion Of this enormous body Of
water which continually steams with
baleful sulphur-impregna EapOr Of such
intensity and volume as to cause this part
of the ocean to be studiously avoided by all
mariners. The Breconshire. however. was
caught by the fringe OF monsoon and hur-
ried thereby far to the southeast of the
usual beaten track pursued by the home
ward-bOund fleet.
On September l. there was noticed 10y the
man on the lookout. just after eight bells.
or O'clock cloud looming up directly
ahead and presenting a most menaCtng
front in the pathway of the advancing
craft. AS far as the eye could see to the
westward the entire horizon was elcum-
passed by this wall of steam, into which
the captain did not care TO venture until
the sun would rise in the morning and he
could count at least fourteen hours of
daNlighf The SfPa accordingly hove
during the few remaining hours OF the wan
ing afternoon.
The scene at this time was indescribably
weird. The sea. in its supernatural calm,
showed surface so unmOYable and CLASSY
that the shadowy outline Of the vessel was
clearly traced on its bosom by the declining
sun, which CLEANED like the mouth of a
furnace directly ahead. while extending
around to all points OF the compass, except
to the south, was the mysterious wall OF
Vapor rising perpendicularly from the sea.
The terrible aspect which nature had as
sumed terrified the crew and they stood ST.
lently with blanched faces staring at these
mighty marvels. But there was still more
to come, and that during the succeeding
night.
Shortly after 10 o'clock, when fitful
moon had arisen and shed an erratic lustcr
over the deep, tremendous booming sound
apparently about three miles to the north
ward appraised the frightened crew that
more marvels were about to occur. At the
same moment, borne upon the bosom of an
vertically to a point at least twenty feet
above her former position on the ocean
bed and to the accompaniment OF an i'm
mense upheaval of water an island ep-
peared to leeward where all previously had
been but the sea and SKY.
The suddenness of the event almost de-
prived the crew of their senses. but they
had little time to comment on the phenom-
enon being obliged to look to the safety Of
the vessel. 1t was many anxious moments
before that safety was assured, but alp
parently as though nature had exhausted
herself the sea in few moments returned
again to its wonted tranquility, the erst-
while looming clouds of vapor disappeared
like magic and the full moon shed bright
paths of silvery radiance across the quiet
bosom of the deep.
When day dawned a clear view was af-
forded OF the island. and its volcanic origin
was clearly established 1t consisted of
vertical columns of hard mineral arranged
with wonderful geometrical exactitude, re-
sembling very strongly the pictures of the
famous Giants Causeway. 1t was found TO
be only a small island, possibly not more
than one-Quarter of a mile In circumference
and at its highest point not at a greater
altitude than 100 feet. In all probability
the new island has been in formation for
many years below the surface, and only by
an upheaval of extraordinary intensity did
II emerge above the surface.