218 COSMOS. 



Kuschtschy, 1846, also in the Caucasus), present analogous 

 examples. 



The apparently unimportant phenomenon of the salses 

 of Turbaco, has gained in geological interest by the ter- 

 rible eruption of flame, and the terrestrial changes which 

 occurred in 1839, more than 32 geographical miles to the 

 N.N.E. of Cartagena de Indias, between this harbour and 

 that of Sabanilla, not far from the mouth of the great 

 Magdalena river. The true central point of the phenomenon 

 was the Cape Galera Zamba, which projects 6 8 geo- 

 graphical miles into the sea, in the form of a narrow penin- 

 sula. For the knowledge of this phenomenon we are also 

 indebted to Colonel Acosta, of whom science has unfor- 

 tunately been deprived by an early death. In the 

 middle of the tongue of land there stood a conical hill, 

 from the crater of which smoke (vapours) and gases some- 

 times poured forth with such violence that boards and 

 large pieces of wood which were thrown into it were cast 

 back again to a great distance. In the year 1839 the 

 cone disappeared during a considenible eruption of fire, and 

 the entire peninsula of Galera Zamba became an island, 

 separated from the continent by a channel of 30 feet in 

 depth. The surface of the sea continued in this peaceful 

 state until on the 7th of October, 1848, at the place of 

 the previous breach, a second terrible eruption of flames 73 

 appeared, without any perceptible earthquake in the 

 vicinity, lasted for several days, and was visible at a 

 distance of from 40 to 50 miles. The salse only emitted gases, 

 but no solid matters. When the flames had disappeared 

 the sea-bottom was found to be raised into a small 

 sandy islet, which however soon disappeared again. More 

 than 50 volcancitos (cones similar to those of Turbaco) 

 now surround the submarine gas volcano of Galera Zamba, 

 to a distance of from 18 to '23 miles. In a geological point of 

 view we may certainly regard this as the principal seat of 

 the volcanic activity which strives to place itself in contact 

 with the atmosphere, over the whole of the low country 

 from Turbaco to beyond the delta of the Bio Grande de la 

 Magdalena. 



73 Lettre de M. Joaquin Acosta k M. Elie de Beaumont, in the 

 Comptes rendus de VAcad. des Sciences, t. xxix, 1849, pp. 530 534. 



