96 Description of a Volcanic Eruption 



permitted him to examine, he boic away to the North and pur- 

 sued his voyage. 



On his arrival at Valparaiso he communicated his discovery to 

 Captain SherrifF of H. M. S. Aiidiomache, who happened to be 

 there. Captain S. immediately felt the inioortance of the com- 

 munication, and lost not a moment in making every arrangement 

 for following it up ; he immediately dispatched the William, with 

 officers from the Andromache: and in this stage the last letter 

 from Chili left the expedition, with the most sanguine expecta- 

 tion of success, and ultimate advantages resulting from it: and, 

 if we are correctly informed, a fully detailed narrative has been 

 forwarded to Government. 



On taking a cursory view of the charts of the Southern Atlantic 

 and Pacific Oceans, it will be seen, that though Captain Cook 

 penetrated to a much higher latitude, and consequently drew his 

 conclusion from observing nothing l)ut vast mountains of ice, it 

 will be seen also that his meridian was 45 degrees further to the 

 west of New South Shethuul, leaving a vast space unexplored on 

 the parallel of 62" between that and Sandwich Land, in longitude 

 about 28° vv'est. He again made (JJ" or thereabouts, but in longi- 

 tude 137° to 147° west. Perouse ascended no higher than 

 GO' 30'; Vancouver about 55'; other navigators passing the 

 Straits of Magellan and Le Maire ; and most of them passing 

 as close to Cape Horn as possible, in order, as they thought, to 

 shorten the passage to the Pacific, are circumstances that rea- 

 sonably acxount for the protracted period to which so important 

 a discovery has been delayed. 



XIV. DescripLion of a Fblcanic Eruption in the Island of Sum- 

 hawa. By Mr. G, A. Stewart*. 



J.N the month of April, 1815, there occurred on the island of 

 Sumbsua a volcanic eruption as tremendous perhaps in its na- 

 ture, and as destructive in its effects, as any on record. 



The mountain from wliich this took place is called Tanbora. 

 Its summit is calculated to be in latitude 8° 20' S. and in longi- 

 tude 118° E. The calculations for this vvere made from solar 

 lunar observations taken near tVie mountain by C-.ptain Eatwell, 

 then commanding the Honourable Company's cruizer Benares. 

 Its base is of great extent ; but its summit did not to me appear 

 higher than from 5000 to 7000 feet above the sea, which washes 

 ihe base of the hiil for three-fourths of its extent. From ships 

 passing near it, it has been often observed to throw out smoke and 



* From the Transactions of llic Literary Society of Bombay, vol. ii. 



dust 



