OCEAN VOLCANO. 



" '"" 7 



OOi 



<luced to a coal. In my way 

 home I saw several engines which 

 were bringing up to its assistance 

 all on fire, and those concerned 

 with them escaping with great 

 eagerness from the flames, which 

 spread instantaneous almost like a 

 wild-fire ; and at last, accoutred 

 with my sword and helmet, which 

 I picked up among many others in 

 the ruins, I traversed this torrid 

 zone back again. The papers, half 

 burnt, were carried with the wind 

 to Eton. Oxonians observed the 

 rays of the sun tinged with an un- 

 usual kind of redness. A black 

 darkness seemed to cover the whole 

 hemisphere ; and the bewailings of 

 people were great." 



[The great extent of robbery dur- 

 ing this time " by certain persons 

 assuming the character of porters," 

 is also referred to ; by this means 

 Ids father lost property to a large 

 amount.] 



DESCRIPTION OF AN OCEAN VOLCANO 

 BY AN EYE-WITNKSS. 



The eruption of Graham's Island 

 (which soon after sunk to a shoal), 

 off the coast of Sicily, took place as 

 Mrs. Fitz Maurice was returning 

 home; and she had the gratifi- 

 cation of seeing that rare sight. 

 :>, volcanic island in the course of 

 formation : 



" It was on the 5th of August, at 

 6.30 p.m., smoke was first visible to 

 the many anxious eyes on board the 

 Melville, at the supposed distance 

 of about thirty miles. This, as we 

 proceeded, became more apparent, 

 rising to a considerable height 

 above the horizon ; at first, as it 

 appeared, from three sources, but 

 further observation showed it to be 

 but from one, divided by the wind, 

 for presently another column arose 

 to windward, whose more rapid 

 ascent showed it originated imme- 

 diately from the volcano, and which, 

 as it settled over the water in a 

 tardy progress to leeward, assumed 



a thousand picturesque forms. 

 Bright forked flames were seen to 

 dart upwards ; and a loud rumbling 

 noise was heard, compared by a 

 young midshipman on board to "tho 

 rattling of a chain cable when the 

 anchor is let go. 



" At daybreak the following mom- 

 ing I was awoke by a rap at my 

 cabin-door; some one telling me 

 that we were fast approaching the 

 island, and that I had better make 

 haste, as we would soon have passed 

 it if the wind continued in the same 

 direction. I made a rapid toilette, 

 and putting on my bonnet and cloak, 

 ran upon deck; and never shall I 

 forget the sublime sight. In the 

 soft, warm, gray light of a Medi- 

 terranean morning, and from the 

 bosom of a perfectly unruffled ocean, 

 the new volcano was exhibiting its 

 mighty operations. From the cra- 

 ter, which appeared in the form of 

 a cone, jagged at the top, a fleecy 

 vapour rose in globular clouds, 

 which, expandingthemselves majes- 

 tically, assumed in their ascent the 

 form of a tower ing plume l siparv<t 

 licet componere magnis* that 

 known as the illustrious decoration 

 of the Prince of Wales. Large- 

 stones, carrying with thorn a quan- 

 tity of black dust, wore thrown up, 

 and as they rose and fell broke into 

 a thousand curious shapes ; and tho 

 effect of this through tho whit.: 

 vapour was magically 'beautiful. 

 Flashes, like lightning, darted occa- 

 sionally through tho vapour : and 

 noise, as of thunder, was distinctly 

 heard. All this time tho whit<> 

 smoke was extending itself, so as 

 to cover the whole island, hanging 

 together like that which is 

 from Vesuvius and th. n :i ^viidine 

 in an unbroken column tor a much 

 er period than smoke generally 

 does. Tin- rniptic.!i a pp. an <l i > lu 

 most violent at intervals of two 

 hours; and at 11.30 one took placo 

 in some respects different from 

 those I have attempted to describe. 



