INTRODUCTIOIf. 



Volcanic produdions exhibit an Jinmenfc 

 variety of appearances* Filaments of glafs, 



extremely 



E. and E» S. E. which had prevailed for four days. A 

 hollow noife^ which terminated m a fuddcn cxplofion^ 

 like the report of a cannon^ was heard in the S. W. 

 quarter; and at the fame ioftant two fmart Ihocks 

 were fcit, one vertical and the other horizontal. At 

 that time the barometer did not indicate the fmallefi: 

 change in the atmofpherc ; and the E. S* E. breeze 

 commenced a quarter of an hour after, and continued 

 till eleven the night following. This ftrange pheno- 

 menon was not attended with any accident fatal to 

 the ille of France; and, by accounts from the ifle of 

 Bourbon, it appeared, that the volcano there had 

 ^rown up much larger quantities of lava than for feme 

 days preceding, 



** We have reafon therefore to fuppofc that tlie com- 

 buflible fubdancca in the caverns of the ifle of FrancCj 

 after fermenting, caught &re, and that having then 

 endeavoured to force a pafTagc, they experienced a re- 

 fiftance proportional to their force, which muR have 

 produced thofe ihocks above mentioned ; and that 

 making an effort afterwards in every diretlion, they 



found 



