340 volcanoes in the Bay of Bengal. 



in eruption. The summit of this cone- 4& X690 Frfehch feet 

 in height, corresponding to that of the circular border which 

 encircles the basin, so that it.caiion^y l^e.seein ^from the sea 

 through the ravines." * ^nrt or " < >iiv,/>H 



Barren Island was visited , by .J)r John Adan^i in,.^J.§3i- 

 The water close in-shore was then hot and steamy, whjjje 

 steam and smoke issued from the crater, but no lava or flanae. 

 He estimates the diameter of the base at about 800 or 1000 

 yards, and the orifice of the crater, which occupies the entire 

 summit of the cone, at about 30. t The latest description 

 that has been published of Barren Island is that. of Captain 

 Miller, wJtio. visited, Jtiji 18;i3. J His accouiilb., qf it^i^^^^^e 

 same in its general features as that of Lyell, but he estimate.s 

 the altitude of the cone at no higher than 500 feet ; and, 

 considering the limited distance to which it is visible at sea, 

 this seems to be more correct than the other estimates. He 

 sets down the slope of the cone at 45, which would give an 

 altitude of about 1000 feet, were Dr Adam correct as to the 

 diamater of the base. Dr Adam states that it could only be 

 ascended by climbing ; and it is probable that Captain Blair's 

 assumption of 32° 17', as the acclivity which was determined by 

 measurement, may be near the truth, and this would bring 

 us back to Captain Miller's view of the altitude. The volcano, 

 like the others alonoj the bay, is chiefly active during the 

 south-'West monsoon. ^ j x ■ j^ ^ . r r. 



Next to Barren Island is the volcanic Island of JNarcan- 

 dum, lat. 13° 22'. The cone is about 800 feet high ; no 

 soundings are to be had within half a mile of the shore. § 

 Crossing over to the other side of the bay, where perfect tran- 

 quillity seems for nearly a century to have reigned, we find a 

 period when the Coromandel Coast was as much moved by 

 volcanic agency as that of Arracan itself. 



The earliest account we, possess of ^ny actual .eruption in 



'" — ? ' ■ '" ' '* — '^ ' ' ^ ' .'st — ' ; ■ ■";■;">?■> - ■ ,,(, ■» ,> ■ ■';?'.rn;rf ,'rr ^*n — ~. — i .[^'v ,— ri'i -ivjev;'^ 



* Principles of Geology, 1830, vol. i., p. 390. This seems to be taken from 

 Captain Blair's estimate of 1800 feet. It is upset, as already stated^ by Captain 

 Miller, Dr Adams, and others, who gave it at 500. . ^j/titjsl'n jcrfj 't. 



t Bengal Asiatic Transactions, 1832, vol. i. ,, .,,(^ i\y-vi\ \^^^x^'y^. 



\ Calcutta Journal of Natural History, 1843, Yo][«,;i^}. ,,(< j^y, IjvuiTHii ' 



§ Report of Calcutta Coal Committee, 1839. 



