Phillips. — 0)1 the Volcanoes of the Pacific. 533 



Next we come to the New Hebrides. I first attach a de- 

 scription of what happened at Ambrym lately, as it is well to 

 preserve it : — 



"Some of the officers of H.M.S. 'Dart' ascended the 

 volcano on Ambrym Island. The crater is a mile wide and 

 1,000 ft. deep. The stream of lava extends to Dip Point, and 

 a column of steam rises to a height of 4,000 ft. A violent 

 submarine disturbance has been experienced, smoke and fire 

 rising near the south of the mission station. Frequent earth- 

 quakes are felt, and the sea as far as Mallicollo Island is 

 covered with dust. Six natives have been killed by falling 

 stones." 



"Further details of the eruption at Ambrym, in the New 

 Hebrides, show that it was one of the most remarkable dis- 

 turbances recorded in the South Seas. As the flow of molten 

 lava came on, filling up the valleys in its course towards the 

 sea, the rush and roar became louder and louder, and every 

 now and then, midst the dense smoke caused by the lava 

 setting fire to everything inflammable, would arise a volume 

 of steam as it rushed into the streams. The lava travelled 

 several miles before reaching the sea. It completely swept 

 a clifi" away for a width of 30 yards, and poured into the 

 ocean with a tremendous roar and hissing noise. When the 

 glowing mass touched the water an immense volume of steam 

 arose to a height which the officers of H.M.S. 'Dart' mea- 

 sured as 4,000 ft., and the sea boiled furiously, so that the 

 man-of-war had to move out of reach. A continual fall of 

 volcanic dust and other debris is still going on, and is com- 

 pletely covering everything. It is feared the natives will be 

 reduced to starvation by the destruction of the crops. Should 

 the fall continue much longer, all the vegetation will be 

 killed from its effects. During the night shock after shock of 

 earthquake occurred, some very violent, causing a sickly 

 sensation amongst the ' Dart's ' crew. From Port Sandwich, 

 twelve miles distant, Ambrym looks like an island covered 

 with snow. When the eruption began the natives were 

 terror-stricken, men, women, and children fleeing for their 

 lives." 



"Admiral Bowden-Smith has received the following details 

 of the eruption at the New Hebrides Group from the com- 

 mander of H.M.S. 'Dart': On the 16th October, 1894 [he 

 writes] , whilst lying at Dip Point, Ambrym Island, an erup- 

 tion on that island took place. On weighing anchor at 

 6 a.m. and proceeding to the eastward to resume surveying 

 work, a remarkable heavy mass of cloud was seen rising over 

 the centre of the island, and, on clearing the point, dense 

 columns of smoke were seen descending from just the other 

 side of the low coastal range. It presently became evident 



