THE ERUPTION OF SANTORIN. 
341 
very narrow escape from the fate of Pliny. The following is a 
translation of part of the account given by M. Christomanos of 
his share of the adventure : — 
“We were on the hill of the island to the north of the 
volcano, and noticed on the slope towards the volcano a 
sulphurous vapour issuing from deep fissures formed on 
the crater. On reaching the top we observed the island 
of Aphroessa in a state much less tranquil than we had hitherto 
seen it. 
“ While we were looking at it we heard a sharp whistling 
sound followed by a noise like thunder. At that moment a 
cloud of dense black smoke enveloped our whole party, and 
the volcano on which we were. Turning back to avoid suffo- 
cation, we heard a frequent sound of falling bodies, and the 
smoke dissipating we saw a shower of stones at a white heat 
rising to a vast height into the air and falling around like 
thick hail. We rushed away as fast as possible, seeking shelter 
at first at a distance from the crater. But the shower was too 
dense, and our only chance of safety was to remain in the old 
crater, behind projecting fragments of rock. Even there we 
were not free from danger, for fine burning sand was also 
erupted, and this was driven into the crevices. Even if we could 
escape from the heavier stones, we could not avoid this sand. 
“ Looking round from my hiding-place I saw the old crater 
burning. I heard stones falling around me, and felt a burning 
sensation in various parts of my body. I was then suddenly 
struck by a stone and fell on the ground. I got up again 
immediately, and feeling my neck burnt I tore away from it a 
small fragment of scoria that was burning into my clothes. 
While I was endeavouring to crouch under a rock, which 
partly sheltered me, this rock itself was struck and turned 
i over by an enormous stone falling upon it, and broken by the 
fall. In despair I then determined, in the face of the shower 
of stones, which still continued to fall thickly, to run across 
i the old crater (about 150 paces). Once on the other side I 
succeeded in getting into a fissure between two rocks. 
“ Three minutes after the first appearance of the dense 
smoke the noise ceased and th6 shower was over. White 
vapour (steam) succeeded the smoke, and the burning vegeta- 
tion on the ground, with my burnt clothes and skin, were 
the principal remaining indications of what had happened. I 
soon reached the steamboat, where I found my companions 
safe. They had suffered similar risks, and in their flight had 
lost some of our instruments.*' 
During the 20th February the promontory continued to ex- 
tend towards the south and east, but very slowly, while 
towards the east of the island the hot waves began to eat 
