NEW ISLAND NEAR SANTORIN. 3i:i 



about to break iij), and approaclied it with a view to 

 pillage. Arrived near, and seeing what it was, they 

 had the courage to descend ; they brought back 

 some pumice-stone and a few oysters which were at- 

 taclied to it The rock was probably a large mass of 

 pumice, that the agitation of the earth, which occurred 

 a little time previously, had detached from the 

 bottom of the sea. After a few days it beciune fixed, 

 and thus formed a little island, which augmented 

 in size from day to day. On the 14th of June it 

 was some 800 yards in circumference, and about 

 twenty-four feet in height ; in shape it was roundish, 

 and formed of a white light earth. At this period 

 the sea began to be disturbed, and the heat near the 

 island was so great as to prevent access to it ; a 

 strong odour of sulphur also spread around. On the 

 16th of July there appeared in close proximity to it 

 seventeen or eighteen black rocks ; on the 1 8th, a 

 dense smoke was emitted by it for the first time, and 

 subterranean rumblings were heard. On the 19th, 

 fire began to be visible, and its intensity gradually 

 augmented. At night-time the island had the ap- 

 pearance of a number of furnaces vomiting flames. 

 Its volume increased, and the fumes became insup- 

 portable at Santorin. The sea was now violently 

 agitated, and dead fish were thrown on the shore ; 

 the subterranean, noises resembled discharges of 



