78 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



oUD. — Thf, Pauoxysmal State. 



At irrerjular intervals of time, tbis volcano and district 

 have been the scene of eruptions upon a scale of unusual 

 violence. Traces of vast disturbances in the past are 

 evident, and in historic times, there are records of three such 

 occurrences, regarding which I have been able to collect the 

 following particulars : — 



184)0 (Approximately). — Upon the authority of a native 

 of Aneityum, a trerjoendous eruption took place on Tana 

 about this time, and quantities of pumice stone floated 

 across from Tana to Aneityum. 



January 10th, 1878. — Very full details of this eruption 

 have been furnished to me by Mr. Neilson, who was living 

 then at Port Resolution. During the night of the 9th of 

 January the wind had been blowing hard, and the morning 

 broke very dark and lowering. About 9 o'clock a.m. the 

 most severe shock of earthquake know^i since the islands 

 were settled took place, lasting some four or five seconds. 

 Simultaneously with this, the western side of Port Resolu- 

 tion was raised with an even tilting motion, and a large 

 mass from the face of the clifts near the entrance was hurled 

 forward into the sea, causing a tremendous disturbance, 

 and projecting a wave some 40 feet high against the land on 

 the opposite side. 



The eastern side of the harbour escaped almost entirely, 

 only a few rocks being displaced, but the western side was 

 raised to the extent of about 25 feet. The whole of the 

 district between the harbour and the volcano was shaken 

 and rent by fissures which oc(;urred almost every J 00 yards. 

 Several natives fell into these, but were able to extricate 

 themselves before being engulphed. For several weeks 

 afterwards, this district emitted dense volumes of steam from 

 these fissures, and the active cone of " Yasur " presented the 

 appearance of having been partly shaken down, a flow of 

 ashes having taken place westward and into the lake, 

 partially encroaching upon it. 



About a fortnight afterwards, another earthquake and 

 eruption took place, Avith a second upheaval of the western 

 side of Port Resolution to a height of seven feet more. 



The volcano itself after about three weeks' display of 

 tremendous eruptive force, gradually resumed its normal 

 state of activity. 



