1 2 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



A. D. 1806. Italy. At the mountain of La Fajola a lake of sul- 

 phurous water was formed. 



A. D. 1810. San Miguel, Azores. The village of Las Casas, con- 

 sisting of twenty-two houses, disappeared, and a lake of boiling sulphu- 

 rous water appeared in its place. 



A. D. 1811. Earthquake felt in the valley of the Mississippi, 

 Ohio, Arkansas. During the shocks, great clefts appeared in the ground, 

 from which quantities of water, sand, and pieces of coal were thrown 

 out. Large lakes were formed in many places The level of the 

 ground was permanently raised and depressed in various localities. 



The second category of cases includes irruptions of the sea. Of 

 these, the Irish Annalists record the following: — 



A. M. 2545. E.ury, son of Partalon, was drowned in Loch Eury 

 [the estuary of the river Erne], the Loch having flowed over him ; 

 and from him the Loch is named. 



A. M. 2546. An inundation of the sea [sea-flood] over the land 

 at Erena, this year, and this [loch so formed] is named Loch Cuan 

 [now Strangford Lough]. 



A. M. 3506. The eruption of Loch Da-Chaech, now Waterford 

 Harbour. 



A. M. 3581. The eruption of Lough Eoyle. 



A.M. 3790. The eruption of the sea between Eaba and Loch Cetle, 

 forming the creek of Drumclifi^e. 



Parallel cases : A. D. 1812. Marseilles. The sea retired, leaving 

 the port dry, and rushed in again, inundating the quays. 



A. D. 1817. Athens. The shock of an earthquake was felt, 

 accompanied by an inundation of the sea. 



A. D. 1 820. Acapulco. The sea retired from half the bay, and 

 returned, rising to a church on the highest side of the town. 



A. D. 1821. Zante, Morea. The waters of the Alcyonic sea (a part 

 of the Gulf of Corinth), rose suddenly, inundating the country and 

 carrying away houses. 



A. D. 1822. Chili. The sea rose to an amazing height, fell, and 

 rose again, and thus continued for a quarter of an hour 



The third category includes the sudden overflowing of lakes. The 

 Irish Annalists chronicle but one, I think of such occurrences : 



" A. M. 3751. A battle was fought against the Ernai, a sept of the 

 Eirbolgs, where Loch Erne is. After the battle was gained from them 

 the lake flowed over them." It would appear then that this was not 

 an eruption but the sudden overflowing of an already formed lake. 



Parallel cases : A. D. 1789. Iceland. Lake Thingvallevate became 

 dry in places where it had formerly been twelve feet deep, and over- 

 flowed its eastern shore. 



A. D. 1817. The waters of the Lake of Geneva were momentarily 

 raised. 



A. D. 1820. Shock at Port Glasgow. The waters of Loch Lomond 

 were agitated, and rose somewhat so that persons crossing it were 

 alarmed by the sudden rippling of the waters. 



