MARINE VOLCANOES OFF FORMOSA. 501 



"On my discovery of the phenomenon off Formosa, I had at the mast-head, in addition to 

 the usual look-out, a seaman, called Gilbert Lee, in whom I had great confidence, who at first 

 thought the appearance was caused by a steamer. One of the petty officers, A. L. Benton, also 

 took particular notice of it ; several on deck said they did not know what to make of it. As I 

 have before stated, it had the same appearance as when G-raham's island rose from the ocean off 

 the coast of Sicily."* 



As no opportunity was ever lost by the squadron of obtaining accurate information that miglit 

 benefit nautical men of all countries, while the Macedonian was at Kelung, Lieutenant Preble 

 was employed, under Captain Abbot's orders from the Commodore, in making a survey of the 

 harbor ; in this work Passed Midshipman Jones volunteered as an assistant, and a chart was 

 prepared by these gentlemen, the correctness of which may be relied on. The object of the 

 Commodore in directing the Macedonian to proceed from Kelung to the Philippines was twofold. 

 In the month of March, 1853, a shocking murder had been committed by several Sjianiards on 

 two Americans, at a rope factory at Santa Mesa, within the jurisdiction of the governor and 

 captain general of the Philippines. Captain Abbot was instructed respectfully to ask of the 

 authorities what measures, if any, had been taken to discover and bring to punishment, under 

 the Spanisli law, the perpetrators of the homicide. The Marquis de Novaleches, the governor 

 general, in reply to Captain Abbot's inquiries, very promptly informed him that the courts had 

 been employed, ever since the murder occurred, in ferreting out and punishing the guilty ; that 

 some of those concerned had been detected and sentenced ; that two of the criminals had not j'ct 

 been found, but that, if in the islands, the court, which had not relaxed its zeal and diligence, 

 would find and punish them ; that instructions had been received from the government at home 

 most earnestly to prosecute the matter to the fullest penalties of the law on all who were guilty ; 

 and finally, that all which had been done had been fully reported to the government of her 

 Catholic majesty, and probably through that channel to the authoi'ities of the United States. 



The other cause for Captain Abbott's visit was occasioned by an act of humanity on the part 

 of our countrymen. On the morning of the 5th of August, 1853, in about latitude 18° 46' N., 

 longitude 124° E., the store-ship Southampton, Lieutenant Commanding Boyle, was steering 

 S.W. by W., the wind blowing from the northward and westward a fresh top-gallant breeze, 

 with considerable swell, when a boat was discovered to windward. The shiji was hove to, and 

 presently succeeded in getting on board the boat and its contents. When hoisted in and 

 measured, the craft was found to be twelve feet long, four wide, and seventeen inches deep. On 



* It would seem that tliis part of the ocean exhibits this phenomenon with considerable frequency. We have before us a 

 letter from Lieutenant Jones, addressed to Lieutenant Bent, in which he describes a similar convulsion, to which he was a 

 witness, in January, 185U,and not far from the spot designated by Lieutenant Commanding Boyle. Mr Jones was, at tlie time, 

 an officer of the United States sloop-of-vvar St. Mary's, and thus writes : " It was in latitude about 20° afi' N. and longitude 

 134° 45' E. I was in the St. Mary's. We were bound from the Sandwich Islands to Hong Kong. The wind at the time was 

 moderate from the eastward, and the sea smooth. At about li p. m., tlie ship going seven or eight knots, the wind suddenly 

 died away, the sea became troubled, the air heated, and a sulphurous smell was, to some of the men, very apparent. There 

 were putVs of wind from different quarters, but before tlie yards could be braced around, it would be cahn a^ain. Tliis lasted 

 about twenty-five minutes, when the wind came out as before from tlie eastward, and when I came on deck, at midniirlit, there 

 was notliing unusual in the appearance of the weather or sea. Unfortunately, the officer of the deck did not take tlie tempera- 

 ture of the air or the water, nor did he think of sounding. 



" My information was derived immediately after the watch, from the officers and men of the watch. All noticed the wind 

 dying away suddenly, and most of them the heated air. A number observed tlie sea and thought they were in a tide-rip, but a 

 larger one than they had ever before seen. Only a few remarked the sulpliurous smell, but they were po.silive and to be relied 

 on ; they were intelligent men. The officer of the deck I think was one, also the quartermaster. Tliough all did not give the 

 same account, there was no contradiction." 



