78 AUTUMN \ 7 ISIT TO LIPARI ISLES 



beating of waves on the strand, the escaping steam carried 

 with it the loose ash that covered out of sight the lava 

 lying below, steam and ash rising together in a huge cloud 

 like a gigantic cauliflower (Figs. 13 and 14). Puff followed 

 puff, cloud was added to cloud, and all compelled upwards 

 in a great whirling column, raining down ash in torrents 

 (Figs. 15 and 16). The puffs ceased, the wind drove the 



FIG. 13. First puff of an Eruption from Vulcano, 

 Sept. 21, 1889. (From a photograph.) 



rising steam before it, and the crater again lay peacefully 

 below us a quiet sandy desert. The whole eruption 

 more resembled that of a geyser than a volcano, and a vol- 

 cano in this state might not inappropriately be termed a 

 " sand geyser." A second eruption occurred before we left 

 the crater, and this was more violent, some large bombs 

 being ejected. We now descended to the fumeroles which 

 open on the sides of the cone an unholy region full of 



