Phillips. — On the Volcanoes of the Pacific. 541 



smaller island than Lifu. It, too, is a mass of uplifted coral. 

 There are marks of two distinct upheavings." 



In July, 1848, Mr. Turner was again at Tanna, but he 

 makes no mention of the activity of the volcano then. 



In October, 1887, the volcano at Tanna (Mount Yasua) was 

 unusually active, the eruptions being heard many miles dis- 

 tant, and the smoke and ash reaching to the Island of Erro- 

 mango, lying to the north. About the same time an eruption 

 resembling the explosion of a torpedo was seen in Sandwich 

 Harbour, Mallicollo^ — 320 miles away — where a severe shock 

 of earthquake was also felt. (I have referred above to a some- 

 what similar explosion at Niu-afu, mentioned by Mr. Tarvis 

 as having occurred in August, 1886. These explosions are 

 merely the old plug of the crater being blown out, like a 

 cannon ball, by the new explosion.) 



Sandwich Harbour, in Mallicollo, must not be confused 

 with Vila Harbour, in Sandwich Island, or Efate. Havannah 

 Harbour is also in Efate, or Vate. This is the finest island, 

 and the headquarters of trade in the group. Steamers regu- 

 larly call now at Vila. 



The more southern islands of this group rise steeply from 

 the sea to a height of 600 ft. to 1,000 ft., when in many cases 

 there is a plateau, and again a rise of 500 ft. to 1,000 ft. 



The volcano at Tanna has two distinct craters. It is 

 destitute of vegetation, and is situated in the south-eastern 

 part of the island, eight miles from Port Eesolution. Its 

 height was ascertained by the officers of H.M.S. "Pearl," 

 with aneroid barometer, to be 980 ft., the crater being about 

 600 ft. in diameter and 300 ft. deep. During a part of the 

 time of the "Pearl's" visit it was throwing up large 

 masses of scoria to a height of 600 ft. There is a large lake, 

 a mile in length, near the foot of the mountain. Port 

 Eesolution is situated at the eastern end of the island. On 

 the 10th January and on the 11th February, 1878, earth- 

 quakes occurred here. Previous to the outbreaks the wind 

 had been strong and variable, and the weather hot, with 

 rain ; the volcano throwing up huge rocks. Within the 

 recollection of the natives no earthquake had occurred be- 

 fore. At the first earthquake a new volcano burst out close 

 to Sulphur Bay, between it and the old volcano. A wave 

 about 50 ft. high arose, swept the eastern point of the harbour, 

 and destroyed the native plantations, vast numbers of fish 

 being left in the bush by the receding water. About 100 

 yards of the bed or bottom of the harbour at the west side 

 rose above the former sea-level.* At the second earthquake 



* It will be remembeied how, during tlie great earthquake of 1855 in 

 Wellingtcn, the bottom of the harbour was similarly raised about 4 ft. 

 So that I may say volcanic upheaval keeps the crust of the earth fairly 



