428 Supposed Connection of Meteoric Phenomena, 



eight days ; that thirteen or fourteen towns and villages were 

 destroyed * ; and that the cinders and ashes were scattered 

 sixty miles ; the volcanic dust being carried as far as Jamaica; 

 where, at Kingston and St. Anne's (as well as at Truxillo, 

 Omoa, and Sassodilla, on the mainland), it fell so thick as 

 to cover houses, shipping, and trees, from Jan. 23. to 26. 

 The noise was distinctly heard at Balize, 90 leagues off, at 

 Truxillo, Valladolid, Merida, and Bacular ; and so explosive 

 was the sound, that at Balize guns were fired in supposed 

 reply to signals of distress from a vessel on the reef; an officer 

 was despatched from Bacular, and troops were elsewhere put 

 under arms. The dust falling at Jamaica was supposed there 

 to come from the eastward ; but there is little doubt that it 

 was from these eruptions, carried far beyond Jamaica, and 

 also far above the trade wind, at first, and then brought by it 

 after it fell from the effect of its gravity. (See other instances, 

 VIII. 18.) This deposit of dust, 800 to 900 miles from its 

 known origin, may justify what is advanced above respecting 

 the dust on the Argonna from Japan or Kamtschatka. Now 

 I adduce this eruption, not as any thing extraordinary, but to 

 account for the gales and earthquakes of the same period in 

 Columbia and Europe; for, doubtless, so extensive an eruption 

 was preceded for several days by earthquakes, which might 

 have vibrated to Chichester on or before the 12th, though 

 the explosion from San Vincente began only on Jan. 22. 



On Feb. 11, 12, 13., also, a violent hurricane occurred off 

 Algiers, and throughout a great extent of the Mediterranean. 

 On the 12th, at 10 h. 15 m. a.m., a severe shock of earthquake 

 was felt in lat. 18° 47'. n., 61° 22'. w., by the ship James 

 Cruickshank, Capt. Young, which lasted a minute, and which 

 I consider sufficiently indicative of terrestrial convulsions to 

 allow me to attribute the hurricane in the Mediterranean to 

 some great convulsion which, though not known, seems pointed 

 out as likely to have occurred, f On Feb. 15. there were 

 violent thunder storms, injuring and destroying three churches 



* It has been asked me, cui bono, these disquisitions on volcanoes and 

 earthquakes ? what is the use of volcanic phenomena ? I beg my kind 

 friend to read the following extract from the letter which announced the 

 above events : — " So great was the darkness, that the inhabitants had to 

 grope their way at noon by the help of torches ; and so great was the 

 terror of the inhabitants, that, at Alancho, three hundred of those who had 

 lived in a state of concubinage became married, that they might be, or seem to 

 be, honest, before the day of judgment ! " 



+ A communication which is printed at the end of this essay will, 

 perhaps, be received as illustrative of my positions, if the connection 

 spoken of did occur; for, as shown in VIII. 25., about the time of the 

 hurricane in Nevis, earthquakes were felt. 



