in the Sea off the Island of St. Alkhael. 453 



opinion arose merely from the force of imagination : but 

 while we were sitting within five or six yards of the edge 

 of the cliff, partaking of a slight repast which had been 

 brought with us, and were all busily engaged, one of the 

 most magnificent l)iirsts took place which we had yet wit- 

 nessed, accompanied bv a very severe shock of an earth- 

 quake The instantaneous and involuntary movement of 

 each was to spring upon his feet, and I said *' This admits 

 of no doui)t." The words had scarce passed niv lips, be- 

 fore we observed a large portion of the face of the cliff, 

 about fifty yards on our left, falling, which it did with a 

 violent crash. So soon as our first consternation had a 

 iittle subsided, we removed about tea or a dozen yards 

 further from the edge of the cliff, and finished our dinner. 



On the succeeding day, June 15th, having the Consul 

 and some other friends on board, I weighed, and proceeded 

 with the ship towards the volcano, with the intention of 

 witnessing a night view ; but in this expectation we were 

 greatly disappointed, from the wind freshening and ihc 

 weather becoming thick and hazy, and also from the vol- 

 cano itself being clearly more quiescent than it was the 

 preceding day. It seldom emitted any lightning, but oc- 

 casionally as much flame as may be seen to issue from the 

 top of a glass- house or foundery chimney. 



On passing directly under the great cloud of smoke, about 

 three or four miles distant from the volcano, the decks of 

 the ship were covered with fine black ashes, which fell in- 

 termixt with small rain. We returned the next morning, 

 and late on the evening of the same day I took my leave of 

 St. Michael's to complete my cruize. 



On opening the volcano clear of the NW. part of the 

 island, after dark on the I6lh, we witnessed one or two 

 eruptions that, had the ship been near enough, would have 

 O'.en avvfuUv grand. It appeared one continued blaze of 

 lightning ; but the distance which it was at from the ship, 

 upwards of twenty miles, prevented our seeing it with 

 efft^ct. 



Returning ag?in towards St. Michael's on the 4th of 

 July, I was obliged, by the state of the wind, to pass with 

 the s'lip very close to the island, which was now completely 

 formed by the volcano, being nearly the height of Mat- 

 jock High Tor, about eighty yards above the sea. At this 

 time it was perfectly tranquil ; winch circumstance deter- 

 mined me to land, and explore it more narrowly. 



I left the ship in one of tlie boats, acctuiipanied by some 

 of the officers. As we approached, we perceived that it 



was 



