NATURAL HISTORY. 77 



the ships in the ports suffered dangerous shocks ; and 

 those which were at anchor, or under sail, 20 leagues 

 distant from the islands, sustained great damage. 



In the year K)-t5 the mountain of the island of Ma- 

 chian split with terrible reports, by an earthquake ; 

 and so many fires issued through this opening, that 

 they consumed many negro-yards, and all that was in 

 them. This prodigious crack is still apparent; and it 

 is called the path of Machian, because it descends from 

 the bottom like a road hello wed out, but which at a dis- 

 tance appears like a path. 



At sea the shock of an earthquake is felt at a consi- 

 derable distance. M. Shaw relates, that in 1721, being 

 on board the Gazelle, an Algerine vessel, mounting 50 

 guns, three violent shocks were felt one after the other, 

 as if every time a weight of 20 or 30 tons had been 

 thrown on the ship. This happened in a part of the 

 Mediterranean which was 200 fathoms deep. 



In countries subject to earthquakes, it happens, 

 when a new volcano is formed, earthquakes cease, and 

 are only felt in the violent eruptions of the volcano, as 

 is observed in the island of St Christopher. 



New islands are produced, either suddenly by the 

 operation of subterraneous fires, or slowly by the accu- 

 mulated sediments of water. Seneca informs us, that 

 in his time the island of Therasia suddenly emerged 

 from the sea; and Pliny relates, that thirteen islands 

 arose all at once from the bottom of the Mediterranean. 

 Upon this subject, however, we have some facts ir.ore 

 recent, and less involved in obscurity. 



The 23d of May, 1707 5 at sun rising, near this 

 same island of Therasia, or Santorini, something was 

 seen like a floating rock in the sea, Some persons, ex- 

 cited, by curiosity, approached it, and found this shoal. 



