Year: 1863

laid in and consequently back wse thsy went
II is singular enoueh that about the time tho vol
nrst showed itself here strong earthquake took
parts leaving valley with stroam OF water flowing
through IT. The Rapid, tengun brig which left this
MA brought word that when passing over as near as
they could guess the spot where the volcano s both fo


violent shock as II they had struck on rock Etna,
they say, has been remarkably quiet lately, so he
70 have broken out In pace The last report


heard that the whole thing had sunk again into the
sea, but that can scarcely believe


TIE ENGLISH FLAG PLANTED ON THE BURNING


MALTA, August 2s, 1881


must now give you some further account Of
OF seeing at all owing TO foul winds. and light winds,
and adverse currents We were Kept from Thursday TIL
was however, partly made up to by very good
OF very fine ooas particularly afternoon when we
were close In 70 the land opposite Grgon (the $40 OF
ancient Agrigentum) which stands on high ridge, nd
is surmounted by ruins of several temples which we
could distinguish with glasses from the snip.


was seem like low black line higher at each end
than in the middle with column OF whito smoke rising
tho afternoon and did not get very near 1t that night
but next morning fair breeze sprang up and We ran
within mile and half, and lowere& two boats from
for several hours that flag flying the northwest
highest point Of the island and coming nearer
same a time on Ho north ORTIZ sd" in small Say which has
since been digpidod with the appeation OF Hotham Bay
The beach, which appeared to be mixture Of ashes and
sand reduced TO powder as hard the mest sand
but very few yards from tho waer side tho surface was
extremely rough, composed Of loose cudes OF all sizes
heaped lightly together so that at every step VIC sank
Shoes and very hot to the touch Our st object Of
course was 10 get up TO the flagstaff, which VIC accom-


houSb we did not Exactly like the snail II tbs s.orv
slip four feet back for every three got up there
quite sliding enough TO make the ascent rather aboroas
under O burning sun, and walking over rough ground
very steep and hot as to be unpleasant 70 handle
When we got 70 .he toP, we lqgAa fhst the nag had
mont cutter, alias the" TENDER" which had been sent
back to Malta by the admiral the Sunday after We
sailed, with orders to rendezvous at the sand and
which had got there while of tho scilian coast,
and not finding concluded that had been there and
gone again, and therefore sailed again For Malta after
planting the jack the island. When the top we
nearly 10 eeward Of tho crater the consequence
was that tho volume Of steam that from drove full
in our faces 80 strong sulphurous vapor to mako
One poor did not recover 1t for hour The
part which were was then the highest aud seemed
the sea- some thongbt moro, some less give you the
average Tho crater was some distance below u.s. round
aud perhaps thirty or forty yards across Tue level Of
The water in it was from II feet 10 20 ieet below tho lip
or highest edge OF the actual crater.


1t much discolored and boiling strongly throwing
up quantities Of white steam with this snlphurous vapor
which annoyed so much. The last time it visited
before squadron went there the crater on tho south
east side was broken down to the level sea- which
washed into it. but now there was a compete wall ol
ashes all round It, There was apparently an underground
rush Of boiling water from the southeast side into the
sea, which might be traced long way by its dark color
and at the same place thick volume OF steam rose from
the outside OF the original crater, as r anow
forming. Alter staying some time upon the top, drnk
ing a glass OF grog to the prosperity OF Graham
Island and the health Of Lieutenant Coleman, who
planted the jack, we went down again to the
crater, aud having examined II adjourned to our
boats and pulled round the south side, to CON-
maud OF the rush or water before mentioned which
from h6 island, boiling and foamng and throwing
up quantity white vapor and steam. Nothing be
singular than tho appearance OF this mass OF ashes
in the middle Of tho You may form some idea Of the
renuire1
by considering that could be guessed
three quarters OF milo round and that where IL
stands former charts give soGndpgs IN one hundred aud
thirty fathoms aud IRON the soundings lately made II
seems to stand on large base. regret much that
had not the good luck " eruption though cor
tainy dtl not wish for one while were holding
co1rerasene at the flagstaff in which event there would
have been but "a beggary account OF empty" boats.
since left it is SAID 10 have entirely changed, but
have not ascertained how. remain, yours faith
fully, r. H. A. NJ.


KING IS HoUsE, WORCESTER Oct. 22, 1868.