536 Transactions. — Geology. 



3,100 ffc. As seen from the north-west the latter has a 

 beautiful and imposing appearance, from its symmetrical 

 shape and the luxuriant vegetation on its lower slopes. The 

 volcano on Mount Marum has no visible cone, but apparently 

 an enormous crater. It occupies the centre of the island, 

 standing in the middle of vast rugged fields of lava hitherto 

 unapproachable. Eound the main mass of the volcano are 

 numerous recent cones no longer active, and covered with 

 forest. In 1888 this volcano was unusually active, and in the 

 following year three new craters were reported to exist in the 

 centre of the island, and numerous jets of smoke were observed 

 on the eastern coast and at Dip Pomt. It may be that 

 volcanic activity has been greater than ordinary during the 

 past twenty-five years. Visitors from America and Europe 

 desirous of seeing some of these remarkable volcanoes should 

 time their departure for New Zealand so as to arrive here 

 about April or May. The hurricane season is then over, and 

 also the hot summer months. The Union Company's steamers 

 would carry them on to the different groups of islands, or 

 tranship them to other steamers. Dip Point is on the west 

 side of Ambrym, and rises abruptly from a small sandy beach 

 to a height of about 200 ft. It appears to be formed of com- 

 pressed volcanic sand and ashes in layers. A few miles south- 

 east of Dip Point, in Belbin Bay, there are some hot springs. 

 Black sand is usually found all round these islands. 



Next, as to Tanna. This is what Captain Cook says of 

 this volcano (his visit occurred in 1774) : — 



" Having found that the light we had seen in the night 

 was occasioned by a volcano, which we observed to throw up 

 vast quantities of fire and smoke, with a rumbling noise heard 

 at a distance, we now made sail for the island, and presently 

 after discovered a small inlet, which had the appearance of 

 being a good harbour. The volcano, which was about four 

 miles to the west of us, vomited up vast quantities of fire and 

 smoke ; and the flames were seen during the night to rise 

 above the hill which lay between us and it. At every erup- 

 tion it made a long rumbling noise like that of thunder, or the 

 blowing-up of large mines. A heavy shower of rain, which 

 fell at this time, seemed to increase it; and, the wind blowing 

 from the same quarter, the air was loaded with its ashes, 

 which fell so thick that everything was covered with the dust. 

 It was a kind of fine sand or stone, ground or burnt to powder, 

 and was exceedingly troublesome to the eyes. During the 

 whole of the 11th the volcano was exceedingly troublesome 

 and made a terrible noise, throwing up prodigious columns of 

 fire and smoke at each explosion, which happened at every 

 three or four minutes ; and at one time great stones were seen 

 high in the air. Forster and his party went up the hill on 



