144 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



An interesting account of a submarine volcano was reported by the Captain 

 of the bark Alice Frazer, in latitude fifty-four degrees thirty-six minutes, longi- 

 tude one hundred and thirty-five degrees west, which is as follows : A portion of 

 the whaling fleet, four in number, were running through the Straits of Ourinack, 

 on the twenty-sixth of July last ; while passing the straits a submarine volcano 

 burst out, sending a column of water several hundred feet upward ; immediately 

 following this, immense masses of lava were projected into the air, and the sea 

 for miles and for days afterward, was covered with floating fragments of pumice. 

 The ships Scotland and Enterprise were nearer the volcano than the ships 

 Frazer and Wm. Thomson ; on the decks of the two former considerable 

 pumice, lava, and ashes fell. There were seven vessels in the straits at the time 

 of the occurrence, three of which names I could not learn. 



The outburst was accompanied with violent shocks of earthquake. It is the 

 opinion of Captain Newell, of the Alice Frazer, that considerable shoaling has 

 been the result of this submarine action. 



On the Direction and Velocity of the Earthquake in California, Janu- 

 ary 9, 1857— By Dr. John B. Trask. 



The earthquake which occurred in various parts of this State, on the morn- 

 ing of the ninth January last excited at the time considerable attention. This 

 arose from two causes. First, from the varied reports that appeared on the fol- 

 lowing day through the press of the city, detailing its occurrence in remote 

 mountain towns, and for which there was no foundation. Secondly, from the 

 the great extent over which the commotion was felt, as was subsequently proved. 



Immediately following the occurrence of the phenomenon, letters were ad- 

 dressed to all the principal towns between Mariposa and Downieville, east of the 

 valleys, for the purpose of learning how far the shocks may have extended east- 

 ward of this city. These letters were forwarded by the Pacific Express Com- 

 pany to their agents, and through them answers were returned in every case but 

 two through the same source. From the facts thus obtained, it was found that 

 in no locality east of the foothills, was any shock felt on that day or night. 



Another report, equally unfounded, reached us on the arrival of the steamer 

 from the southern coast, to the effect that several houses had been demolished 

 in San Diego from its violence, while the facts in the case are that the steamer 

 left that port twenty-four hours before the shock occurred there. 



This earthquake, or more properly speaking the series of shocks that began 

 on the night of the eighth in this city, and which continued in the south part of 

 the State during the following day and night of the ninth, was probably the 

 most extensive of any on record on this portion of the Pacific coast, excepting, 

 perhaps, that of the wave of the Simoda earthquake in December, 1854. The 

 linear distance over which we are able to trace its course, amounts to six hun- 

 dred and two miles, and its breadth, so far as now ascertained, is two hundred 

 and ninety miles. It has all the appearance of having been the terminal move- 

 ment of some more violent commotion at a distance from our coast. 



From the best evidence obtainable at present, it seems to have had its origin 

 to the west and traveled in an easterly direction. This is conclusively proved 



