The Active Volcano on Tana, New Hebrides. 75 



There are two other active volcanoes on this group, and 

 another in the Santa Cruz Islands immediately to the north, 

 particulars of which I have given in a paper recently read 

 before the " Royal Geographical Society of Australasia," and 

 entitled " Some Coral and Volcanic Islands of the Western 

 Pacific." 



Whilst Mount Yasur resembles these, in that it is subject 

 to eruptions at times on a very large scale, it differs very 

 materially from them in that, while they rise to about 8000 

 feet above sea level, it has an elevation of only about 700 

 feet, while their normal state is that of a steady emission of 

 smoke without noise, that of Yasur is one of rapid and 

 regular, but comparatively feeble, explosions. 



The Eruptions of Mount Yasur. 



In the paper previously referred to, I have given the 

 fullest details obtainable fr(^m various sources upon this 

 part of the subject ; it will be necessaiy, however, to 

 recapitulate the leading points, and for the sake of presenting 

 the history of this volcano in the clearest foi'm, I have 

 arranged the various records in chronological oi'der : — 



1774'. — Cook, and For.stcr. — This is the first record of the 

 volcano. They remark that it threw up ])rodigious 

 quantities of fire and smoke ; that the explosions 

 resembled claps of thunder, followed by a rumbling noise, 

 and that showers of i-ain appeared to increase its violence. 

 Hot spiings and solfatarias were observed by them on the 

 west side of the harbour, and it was noticed that when 

 the eruptions were violent, the quantity of steam emitted 

 from these springs was considerably increased. The interval 

 between the eru])tions was observed to be about five minutes. 



1793 — Labillardiere observed it from a distance, and 

 remarks that columns of smoke rose to a prodigious height, 

 and after traversing a great space, sunk as they grew cooler. 



1840. — Aneityum Native. — A very violent eruption 

 occurred about this year. 



18(j2. —Turner records the intervals between the erup- 

 tions as from six to eight minutes. 



18G5. — Brenchly notes the intervals as about the same as 

 Turner, and observes that the eruj)ti()ns were more violent 

 than usual during the months of January, Februaiy and 

 March. 



