372 On the New Insular Volcano, named Hotham Idand. 



Algiers, bound to Alexandria, the master of which reported, 

 that he had seen dense smoke and much fire issuing for the last 

 three days. At 6, observed a thick smoke issuing apparently 

 from the sea, the spot bearing north-west | west ; and, on steer- 

 ing in that direction, fell in with the Hind cutter at 9, which 

 vessel had left Malta on Sunday the 17tli, but had not yet 

 reached the new volcano, owing to calms. The island then bore 

 north-west by west, six or eight miles distant. At 9'^ 45"" the 

 Philomel hove to three miles to windward. Captain Smith, 

 with the two masters, and Colonel Bathurst, a passenger, left 

 the vessel in boats for the purpose of taking soundings as near 

 as they could approach with safety, but had scarcely got one 

 mile away, when the volcano burst out with a tremendous ex- 

 plosion, resembling the noise of a very heavy thunder-storm, and 

 flames of fire, like flashes of lightning. The boats were covered 

 with black cinders, which also fell on board the vessel, and all 

 around, to a distance of at least three miles from the volcano. 

 The eruption lasted in all its fury seven minutes, and when the 

 smoke had somewhat cleared away, the island had increased in 

 size twofold. 



" The volcano bursts out regularly at about every two hours, 

 and emits all around it a suffocating sulphureous stench. On 

 first making it at a long distance, it resembles a cluster or grove 

 of cypress trees. The English brig Bootle of Liverpool, an Ame- 

 rican, and one or two foreign vessels, were off" the place. 



" Its precise latitude is 37° 7' 30'' north, and longitude 12° 44/ 

 east ; the soundings in the vicinity, say eighty yards off" the 

 island, bearing north-east, are seventy to seventy-five fathoms ; 

 west, a quarter of a mile, seventy-two to seventy-six fathoms. 

 At five and six miles distance they vary from seventy to eighty 

 fathoms. The volcano appears composed mostly of cinders of a 

 rusty-black colour, having only a sprinkling of lava, of an oblong 

 shape ; and the island, as last seen on Friday the 23d, was not 

 less than three quarters of a mile in circumference. The north- 

 west point is the highest, say about eighty feet above the level 

 of the sea, and gets lower towards the southern extremity. The 

 south-east side of the crater has fallen in to the side of the sea. 

 The sea is drawn in with a very loud noise, and occasions an im- 

 mense volume of white vapour to rise up in the air, curling and 



