Year: 1866

4us Eo4can1c hrupEl0u at Santorino,


Her Majesty's ship Surprise. Commander
Tyrou, which had been despatched to Sans
torino to render assistance to the inhabitants
returned to- Malta, Oh Friday, the 24th of
February. We have been kindly favored
with the following interesting particulars of
the recent volcanic eruption. As soon as
Santorlno was sighted by the Sutpriss
dense white mass of rdpCr was Observedsrising
from the sea, which appeared 10 be boiling,
from some unknown cause, and when the
island was approached a strange sight was
seen. The sea evidently was boiling. and
clouds of the whiteSt steam rushed OUT soar>
lug heaVenwardS like an enormous avalanche
anu lOUklug like snow. Something black
was then seen rising slowly from the sea.
Which afterwards turned out to be no less
than an island sprlnging from the deep 1t
appears that there were no earthquakes, but
convulsions OF hatuTe. caused by volcanic
islands having been thrown up from the sea,
aud, as violent errptiOns had taken place. the
inhabitants were greatly aIaEmed, but ut the
tIuc the Surlf Sc arrived no immediate dam
ger was apprenended.


The position of the vessel was Il very good
one to watch the rruptIuns from TIE volcano
"n the burning island that had lately risen
from the deep. Ire sen TOR several miles
L'uk"d very strange. the sulphur glvin" 1t
yc1t"wI>h appearance. and round the new
volcanic island the Was boiling ut some
lou yards distance from the shore The
steam rose wtrh great grandeur, the whole
Islamd emitting smoke and supluruus vapors
cO!mred by the flames III side the volcano. in
some places be NJ cracked, aud through the
assures an immense mass Of red hot lava was
visible. he volcano was in IL constant stare
OF life, AMI an eruption tOUk place on the
murn'ng of the arrival of the Surprise. A
black masJ OF vapur was vumited forth from
the voIcauO, pouring upwards; but the fury
OF the eruption was soon expended, and it
suddenly ceased. On the following day Her
Majesty's ships Phoebe and Tyran arrived
to the succor of the island. A Greek man
ot-war had come in, aud the next day Rus
sian frigate was seen approaching, but she
did not seem to like appearances, and kept
at distance, watching the phenomenon, for
some hours before going closer in.


The second night after the arrival of the
Surprise another eruption took place the
roar was very fierce. smoke poured forth from
the volcano with terrific fury; and large blocks
of rock and stone were hurled into the air
the whole presenting most imposing sight
During that night it was said that a new
island had been thrown up; the one pointed
out was about three hundred and sixty Yards
long, and was black, smoulderng mass
Close to the anchorage of the Surprise there
had been a place called Mineral Creek"
which was then no more large hill had
risen out of it. 1t made its appearance be-
fore tho arrival Of that vessel, but it rose
higher and higher during her presence there,
while the old island was sinking gradually,
as it about to return to the depths of the sea
from which it had risen. On this sinking
island were several houses many of which
were gone altogether, and others were being
washed by the sea Of one house there was
little more than The roof and chimney-pot
above the water, while building sank and
rose again.


1t was remarkable that rocks were con-
stantly appearing above the sea and then dis
appearing; and, hence, the position taken up
by the Surprise was not very pleasant. On
the second night, a slight conclusion was felt
two or three times on board, and as islands
had been springing UP in the Immediate
neighbOrhoud, it appeared likely that one
could come up under the ships bottom At
. the time, the WING, aud sea were heavy, and
the vessel dritted rapidly in the direction OF
the volcano, round which the sea was boil
ing. aud world OF steam, vapOr and smoke
arising. n large number of houses were
buried in the lava and by the new hill that
rose from Mineral Greek but, fortunately
no lives were lost. as timely warning had been
given and the inhabitants had escaped. The
damage done to property was not 50 great as
might have been expected.