of a Volcano in the Sea off the Island of St. Michael's . 157 
which, on the side facing St. Michael’s, was nearly level with 
the sea. It was filled with water, at that time boiling, and 
was emptying itself into the sea, by a small stream about six 
yards over, and by which I should suppose it was continually 
filled again at high water. This stream, close to the edge of 
the sea, was so hot, as only to admit the finger to be dipped 
suddenly in, and taken out again immediately. 
It appeared evident, by the formation of this part of the 
island, that the sea had, during the eruptions, broke into the 
crater in two places, as the east side of the small stream was 
bounded by a precipice, a cliff between twenty and thirty feet 
high forming a peninsula of about the same dimensions in 
width, and from fifty to sixty feet long, connected with the 
other part of the island by a narrow ridge of cinders and lava, 
as an isthmus of from forty to fifty feet in length, from which 
the crater rose in the form of an amphitheatre. 
This cliff, at two or three miles distance from the island, 
had the appearance of a work of art resembling a small fort 
or block house. The top of this we were determined, if pos- 
sible, to attain ; but the difficulty we had to encounter in doing 
so was considerable ; the only way to attempt it was up the 
side of the isthmus, which was so steep, that the only mode 
by which we could effect it, was by fixing the end of an oar 
at the base, with the assistance of which we forced ourselves 
up in nearly a backward direction. 
Having reached the summit of the isthmus, we found an- 
other difficulty, for it was impossible to walk upon it, as the 
descent on the other side was immediate, and as steep as the 
one we had ascended ; but by throwing our legs across it, as 
would be done on the ridge of a house, and moving ourselves 
