1866.] VOLCANIC DISTURBANCES AT SANTORINO. 319 



island first appeared in the form of a reef on the night of January 

 22nd. M. Decigala describes at length the same phenomena as Mr. 

 Delenda, especially mentioning that the sea was coloured white, like 

 milk, and the formation of several lakes of very pure fresh water. 

 He gave to the new island the name of ' George the first/ and he 

 minutely describes the manner in which it was gradually enlarged, 

 until on January 25th it formed a promontory of the island Nea 

 Kaimeni, 



Two letters dated Malta, February 22nd, from Commander G. 

 Try on, of H.M.S. ' Surprise,' to Yice- Admiral Sir Eobert Smart, 

 K.C.B., contain that ofiicer's report. The ' Surprise ' reached San- 

 torino on February 16th, and on opening the island of Nea Kaimeni 

 a new island, named Aphroessa by the Greek Commissioners, was ob- 

 served to have arisen from a new crater situated about 150 fathoms 

 from the south point of Nea Kaimeni. This new island was upheaved 

 from a depth of 14 fathoms, and at that time was 100 yards long and 

 50 wide ; but it was daily increasing in size. Its appearance was 

 very gradual ; it first appeared above water on February 13th, but 

 for two days previous it was only one fathom under water. The 

 small bay in Nea Kaimeni, known as Mineral Creek, had also been 

 the scene of volcanic action, and at the time of Comm. Tryon's 

 visit, the creek was not only filled up, but a pile of lava was formed, 

 300 yards long by 200 broad, which had completely buried the 

 houses which were in its way ; and this new hill was then gradually 

 increasing at the rate of from 6 to 8 feet per diem each way. At 

 that time these two localities — Mineral Creek and the new island 

 Aphroessa, — about two-fifths of a mile apart, formed the vents of 

 the volcanic action. The south-eastern portion of Nea Kaimeni had, 

 however, sunk considerably, and was still sinking. No fluid lava 

 had appeared, the new formations having been apparently pushed 

 up from below and extended laterallj^ as they got to the surface. 

 Commander Tryon was unable to discover that any circumstances 

 connected with the eruption, or that any of the materials upheaved, 

 dijffered from what had been observed in other parts of the world. 



Commander Lindesay Brine, of H.M. Steam- sloop ' liacer,' in a 

 letter to Sir Eobert Smart, dated Malta, March 13th, reports that 

 active volcanic action is confined to^two vents, except that the ancient 

 crater of ISTea Kaimeni, by the rents at its summit, and the steam 

 escaping at its sides, appears to be in communication with them. 

 The active volcano forming part of Nea Kaimeni had been raised 

 from 70 to 130 feet above the sea, and consists of an irregular mass 

 of scoriae, pumice, clinker, and solid basaltic lava, and was slowly 

 increasing in all directions by the addition of matter thrown from 

 the crater. Commander Brine also gives a detailed account of the 

 commencement and progress of the disturbances ; but it does not 

 differ materially from other records, except that it draws a distinc- 

 tion between the first-formed vents, from which there had been true 

 eruptions, and the new island, from which there had been no erup- 

 tion, but incessant noise (caused by the detachment of blocks from 

 the sides), much steam, and clouds of smoke. 



