Year: 1863

n 0NRNANd AolsAND IN lhh MEDlIEhkANEANs NJ


Letters from Malta mention an extraor-
binary CONFUSION of nature not far from
that city, between the island of Pantillaria
and the town of Sciaeca, on the coast of
Sicily, submarine volcano has lately bro
ken out about twenty-five miles from the
shore. 1t is said that a volcano existed
there in the year 1901, and on an old chart
there is an old reef laid down precisely on
the spot where the volcano now is. 1t was
first seen by smoke rising from the sea about
the 18th Of August last, which gradually
increased in volume for several DAYS till
fire was seen, and eventually sort of small
island was thrown up above the surface
about eighty or ninety yards long and
twenty or thirty high composed of cinders,
in the centre of which is the crater, which
is continually throwing up steam and smoke
and during the eruptions, which occur on
an average every hour and half, large
stones and cinders are thrown to the height
of one thousand feet. 1t is mentioned as
a singular circumstance that about the same
time this volcano first showed itselfa strong
earthquake took place in the island of Sa-
mos, which divided hill into two parts,
leaving a valley with stream of water
flowing through it. Recently party of
curious persons visited this wonderful is
land, and one of them thus reports the re-
suit of their observations:


The beach, which appeared to be mix
ture of ashes and sand reduced to a pow
der, was as hard as the firmest sand, buta
very few yards from the water-side the SUR
face was extremely rough, composed ofloose
cinders of all sizes heaped lightly togeth1
er, so that at every step we sank over shoes
in cinders very hot to the touch. Our first
object, of course, was to get up the flagstaff,
planted by the crew of British vessel on
the summit, which we accomplished after
a steep climb up the sliding ashes When
on the top we were nearly to leeward of
the crater, and the consequence was that
the volumn of steam that rose from it drove
full in our faces so strong sulphurous va
por as to make several of the party, includ-
ing myself very nearly sick. The part on
which we were was then the highest, and
seemed on rough computation about two
hundred feet above the sea. The crater
was some distance below u.s. round, and
perhaps thirty or forty yards across. The
level of the water in it was from twelve
feet to twenty feet below the lip, or high
est edge of the actual crater 1t twas much
discolored and boiling strongly, throwing
up quantities of white steam, with this sui
phurous yapor, which annoyed us so much. /.
There was apparently an underground rush
of boiling water from the southeast side
into the sea, which might be traced a long
way by its dark color and at the same
place thick volume of steam rose from the
outside ofthe original crater, as if new
one was forming. After staying some time
upon the top, we went down again to the
crater, and having examined it adjourned
to our boats, and pulled round the, south,
side, SO as to command a view of the rush
ofawater before mentioned, which came
from the island, boiling and foaning, and
throwing up q quantity Of white yapor aud
steam, Nothing can. be more singular
than the appearance Of this mass Of ashes
in the middle Of the sea. You may form
some idea of the force of the fire that must
have been required 10 form IL by cohsid,
ering that it is, as near as could be guess
cd, threenquarters Of q mile round, and
that, whore it now stands, former charts
give sopndings in ane hundred and thirty
fathoms, and from the soundings lately
made it seems to stand on large base.