A Z O 



165 



A Z O 



Azores, astonishing quantities of pumice stone, and half- 

 v ' broiled fish, were found floating on the sea: (Phil. 

 Trans, vol. xxxii. p. 100.) This island, however, has 

 since disappeared. The consequence of another fu- 

 rious earthquake, which occurred July 9. 1757, and 

 which shook the neighbouring islands to their foun- 

 dation, and covered them with ruins, was the produc- 

 tion of eighteen small islands about ten yards from 

 the north coast of St George's, which, however, 

 subsided again in a few months. 



On the 1st of May 1808, a new volcano made its 

 appearance in the island of St George. The fire 

 burst out in a ditch in the midst of fertile pastures, 

 three leagues south-east of Vellas, and immediately 

 formed a crater in size about 24 acres. It raged with 

 great fury for two days, and the cinders which it 

 threw up, being propelled by a strong north-east 

 wind, covered the ground from one to four feet in 

 depth for half a league in breadth, and three leagues 

 in length, and then passing the channel about five 

 leagues wide, were driven upon the east point of Pi- 

 co. The fire had nearly subsided in the evening of 

 the 2d, when a smaller crater opened, a league near- 

 er Vellas. Its mouth was only about 50 yards in 

 circumference. The fire seemed struggling for vent ; 

 and the force with which a pale blue flame issued 

 forth, resembled a powerful steam-engine multiplied 

 a hundred fold. The whole island was convulsed ; 

 earthquakes were frequent, and horrid bellowings 

 were occasionally heard from the bowels of the earth. 

 This was followed by 12 or 15 small volcanoes which 

 broke out in the neighbouring field, but they all sub- 

 sided on the 11th, when the large volcano, which 

 had lain dormant for nine days, burst forth with 

 more tremendous force, and continued to rage until 

 the 5th of June, when it began to fail, and a few 

 days after it entirely ceased. * Its horrid belchings 

 were distinctly heard at 12 leagues distance, and the 



immense quantity of lava which it vomited, over- 

 whelmed in its course farms, cattle, corn-fields, and 

 vineyards ; and swept the town of Ursulina from its 

 foundation. Though it gave timely notice of its 

 approach, many of the inhabitants, by remaining too 

 long in its vicinity, endeavouring to save their effects, 

 were so dreadfully scalded by flashes of steam (which 

 without injuring their clothes took off not only their 

 skin, but their very flesh), that several of them died 

 upon the spot. About sixty suffered in this miser- 

 able manner ; and so great was the anxiety and con- 

 sternation which seized upon the people, that they 

 entirely abandoned their domestic concerns, and were 

 in danger of starving in the midst of plenty. This 

 island, heretofore rich in cattle, corn, and wine, is 

 nearly ruined ; and a scene of greater desolation and 

 distress has seldom been witnessed in any country. 

 See the Christian Observer, vol. vii. p. 743. 



The Azores are subject also to violent winds, and 

 frequent inundations of the ocean, which often over- 

 whelm the houses, and sweep from the fields the 

 flocks and grain. They are, however, extremely fer- 

 tile, and produce corn, wine, and fruits, in great 

 abundance. There is an annual exportation of 20,000 

 pipes of wine ; and the single article of tobacco af- 

 fords a considerable revenue to the king of Portugal, 

 who claims a tenth of all the productions of these 

 islands. The air is wholesome, and the sky is in ge- 

 neral clear and serene. No poisonous or noxious 

 animals breed on the Azores, and, it is said, that if 

 carried thither, they will expire in a few hours. N. 

 Lat. 36 to 40, W. Long. 25 to 33. See Adan- 

 son Voyage an Senega/. Pinkerton's Geography, 

 vol. i. p. 601. (p) 



AZOTE, or Nitrogen, the phlogisticated air 

 of Priestley, was discovered by Dr Rutherford in 

 1772. It constitutes 4-5ths of atmospherical air, 

 the other 5th being oxygen. See Chemistry, (j) 



Azores, 

 Azote. 



* The elevation of the crater is about 3500 feet, and its distance from the sea about four miles. 



