CHAP, xim.] VOLCANO OF MAKIJN, 



321 



coral. Mareli and Motir are of this chaTacter, ttie out- 

 line of the latter giving it the appearance of having 

 bctiE a true volcana, (ind it is said by Forrust to hav<i 

 thrown out stones in 177S. Tlie next day (Oct. 12th), 

 we coasted along tlic island of Makian, which consists 

 of a single gitind volcano. It was now quiescent, but 

 about two centuries ago (in 1646) there was a tenibl*' 

 cniptiou, which blew up the wliole top of the moun- 

 tain, leaving the truncated jagged summit and vast 

 gloomy crater valley which at this time distinguislied it. 

 It was said to have been as lofty as Tidore before this 

 catastrophe.^ 



I stayed some time at a place where I saw a new 

 clearing on a very steep part of the mountain, and ob- 

 tained a fuw interesting ir^ects. In the eveuiug we went 

 on to the extreme southern point, to be ready to pass across 

 the fifteen-mile strait to the island of Kaiua. At five 

 the next moming we started, but the \rind, which had 

 hitlierto been westerly, now got to the south and soutli- 

 westj and we had to row almost all the way with a burn- 

 ing sini overhead. As we approacbetl land a fine breeze 

 sprang up, and we went along at a great pace ; yet after an 

 hour we were no nearer, and found we were in a violent 

 current carrying us out to sea. At length we over- 

 came it, and got on shore just as the sun set, having been 

 exactly thirteen hours coming fifteen miles. We landed 

 on a beach of haixl coralline rock, wLtli rugged cliffs of the 

 same, resembling those of tlie Ke Islands (Chap. XXIX.) 

 It was accompanied by a brilliancy and luxuriance of the 

 vegetation, very like what I bad obser\'ed at those islands, 

 which BO much pleased nie that I resolved to stay a few 

 days at the chief village, and see if their animal produc- 

 tions were correspondingly interesting. Wbile searcbii^ 

 for a secure anchorage for the night wo again saw the 



1 Soon after I loft tlie Arcliipolago, on tlie 29th of Deccm>»er, 1862, 

 nnotlier eruption of this mountain suddenly took plncc, which caused 

 great devastation in the island. All the vlllagfs and crops wero do- 

 fttroyed, nnd numbcTS of tho inhnbitanta killed. The sand nnd ashes fell 

 80 thick that thu crops wore riartially destroyed fifty milivs off, at Teroate, 

 whore it was so daik the following; day that lamps had to he ]i|?hted at 

 noou. For the pvisition of this and tho adjacent islandfl, see the map in 

 ChnptfT XXXVJl. 



Y 



