JOURNAL 



ASIATIC SOCIETY 



No. I. 1860. 



Account of a Visit to Barren Island in March 1858. By G. von 



Liebig, M. D.* 



Barren Island is a volcanic island, situated in Lat. 12° 17' N. and 

 in Long. 95° 54/ E. Its smallest distance from the Andaman Archi- 

 pelago is in a straigbt line only 36 miles East. The distance from 

 the nearest point of the main land, near Tavoy, is about 270 miles 

 W. S. W. It lies not far out of the straight course between Port 

 Blair and Amherst, about 63 miles from the former, and 330 from the 

 latter place. The Semiramis approached tbe island on the morning 

 of the 19th March, 1858, coming from the N. E., and steamed round 

 it by S. keeping cióse to the shore, until the ship was opposite the en- 

 trance of the cráter (Fig. 2.) bearing about W. and by N. from the 

 centre of the island, where she hove to, and we landed. 



It is stated in former accounts, tbat all round the island the lead 

 finds no bottom at 150 fathoms, only \ mile distance from the shore. 

 Captain Campbell found however ground at that distance on one side 

 of the island, its centre bearing N. E. at a depth varying from 4£ to 

 11¡ fathoms. 



Nearing the island from the North and passing round to the South 

 East of it, it looks from a distance like an oval-topped hill ; but com- 

 ing closer, the sides of the mountain are discovered to belong to a 

 steep circular elevation, sending out spurs towards the sea and en- 

 closing a central valley. The sides of the enclosing circle being low- 



* An account of a previous visit to this Island by Dr. G. R. Playfair, Bengal 

 army, will be found in the 25th No. of the records of the Government of India. 



JN T o. CU.— New Semes, Vol. XXX. b 



