24 V. Ball — -Volcanos of the Bay of Bengal. 



been made by the committee sent from Port Blair to report upon the 

 supply of grass. Arrived at the foot of the cone, we commenced 

 the ascent from the west. The loose ashes and shingle rendered it 

 somewhat toilsome work ; and those in front found it difficult to 

 avoid loosening fragments of lava which bounded down the hill in 

 a most unpleasant way for those who were following. Dr. Liebig 

 appears to have ascended from the north side, where it seems to 

 have been equally difficult. About \ of the way from the top 

 there is a shoulder of rock which shows very well in the photo- 

 graph. This probably marks the position of an old vent. There is 

 a good deal of firm ground about it. The summit of the cone is 

 truncated, and contains an oval-shaped depression, one-half of which 

 is partly filled with debris, and the other, some 20 yards in diameter 

 and 50 feet deep, has a circular bottom, which is filled with sand. 

 This appears to have been the last crater formed on the island. 



The two principal edges of the depression strike to north-west, 

 south-east ; they consist of ash permeated with fibrous gypsum 

 (selenite) ; numerous cracks and fissures occur in this part of the 

 hill, and the ground is hot. On turning over the surface, the sides 

 of these cracks are found to be encrusted with sulphur, resting upon 

 the rugosities of which small detached crystals of the same mineral 

 were not uncommon. From the highest point on the northern edge 

 a thin column of white vapour and sulphurous fumes is slowly 

 poured forth. Even when standing in its midst, the fumes did not 

 prove so irritating as might have been expected. On the southern 

 side of the crater solid lava is seen in situ, and on the west there 

 is a peculiarly-shaped mass which forms a conspicuous object from 

 below. Portions of the lava here have a reddish matrix and are 

 somewhat vesicular. I also found some basalt, the outer surface of 

 which was weathered into a white crust. It seems probable that 

 the nucleus of the cone is solid rock to a considerable extent, the 

 ashes seen at the surface being only superficial. By following water 

 channels when they were to be found, and glissading over the ashes, 

 the return to the base of the cone was effected speedily and without 

 much difficulty. 



By a small watch-aneroid supplied with a Vernier scale for feet, 

 the height of the cone appeared to be 950 feet ; but as one heavy 

 storm of rain had passed, and clouds portended another, I am willing 

 to believe that owing to the atmospheric disturbance the observation 

 was not trustworthy, and that from 975 to 980 feet, given by Lieu- 

 tenant Heathcote, Dr. Liebig and others, is the true elevation. The 

 temperature on the top was 83°. 



The diameter of the base of the cone is 2,170 feet according 

 to Lieutenant Heathcote. The slopes of the cone incline, according 

 to my observation, at angles varying between 30° and 35°. Blair, 

 as already stated, gave it at 32° 17', or about the mean of these two. 

 Other observers say 40° to 45°, but a photograph of the cone, which 

 I possess, shows that the former are correct. 



Dr. Liebig has discussed the question of the amount of sulphur 

 obtainable on the island. He seems to think the chances of finding 



