VOL. XXVI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 44g 



neighbouring country, and more particularly on our island, where it was in such 

 abundance, that the ground was often covered with it. The noise grew stronger, 

 and was louder than if six or seven cannons had been discharged together; the 

 fire made itself every day more vent-holes, and became more dreadful. We 

 commonly sat up the greatest part of the night to observe it. 



Every night nature represented as great variety of scenes as the fire broke 

 forth in different forms; sometimes burning ashes spread themselves in the air, 

 like a plume of feathers, which falling again on the shoal, made it appear all of 

 a light fire. Other times one would think it was actually the discharging of so 

 many mortar- pieces, which threw up rocks, like so many bombs, capable of 

 destroying the largest ships ; though for the most part these stones were of a 

 middle size, but in such quantities, that I often saw this little island all covered 

 with them, and so pleasantly illuminated, that one would never be weary of 

 looking on it. 



These dreadful discharges were less frequent at the end of August, but in- 

 creased in September, were daily in October, and at this time (November 20) are 

 almost incessantly, the island being now at least 3 miles in circumference, and 

 from 35 to 40 feet in height. It is true, the noise is not so loud ; the stones, that 

 are cast up, are not so large nor so many ; the boiling and disorder of the water 

 is much abated; the sea begins to recover its former colour; the stench, that 

 was before insupportable, has been very little for these six weeks. Yet the 

 smoke grows every day thicker, blacker, and in greater abundance ; the fire is 

 more than ever, and seems sometimes to strike the very sky ; the subterraneous 

 noise is continual, and so violent that it cannot be distinguished from thunder ; 

 dust and ashes fall daily on this our island. The countryman is dejected at the 

 loss of his corn, which, scarcely sprung out of the ground, begins to fade 

 already ; and the mariner, not so bold as before, contents himself with viewing 

 it at a distance, since the loss of a bark of this country, which going too near, 

 took fire and was burnt. In short, our new island grows every day more curi- 

 ous, more dreadful, and less accessible ; and is continually increasing on the 

 south-west side ; where nature seems as if she laboured to make a large port, 

 capable of holding all manner of ships, which may one day render Santcrini less 

 practicable than heretofore. 



Observations on the JVhite Matter on the Tongues of Feverish Persons^ &c. By 

 Mr. Leuwenhoeck. N°318, p. 210. 



Having scraped from his tongue, after an attack of a fever, the whitish slimy 

 matter with which it was covered, and having boiled the same in some water he 

 observed, on examining the liquor with a microscope, " several particles which 



VOL. V. 3 M 



