2 
IN FORBIDDEN SEAS 
island, with the one exception mentioned. They 
range in height from 1,360 feet (Ushishir) to 7,640 
feet (Alaid). Steam issues from the craters of at 
least twenty of these volcanoes, including no fewer 
than five on Yetorup. I have seen three of these 
volcanoes—one on the north-east end of Yetorup, in 
May, 1883; one on the Black Brothers, in June, 1879; 
and'another on Simushir, in September, 1881—in 
violent eruption, and sending forth clouds of black 
smoke, rocks, and ashes, to a great height, accom¬ 
panied by thundering noises which could be heard 
fifty miles or more away. Two others—Matau and 
Chirinkotan—I have seen slightly eruptive, the red- 
hot lava simply welling over the crater lips, and 
running in small streams down the sides of the 
mountains. 
On one of my visits to the islands in June, 1879, 
I witnessed the formation of a new point of land at 
the Black Brothers. This was effected by a most 
remarkable, slow, and gradual upheaval of the 
southern slope of the mountain, close to the sea. It 
was as if some gigantic mole were at work burrowing 
beneath, and forcing up the rocky matter with his 
back. This gradual raising went on under my very 
eyes, masses of black volcanic rock being pushed up 
from below, which at short intervals rolled down the 
slope and fell, crashing and splashing, into the sea. 
Watching an opportunity, I pulled my boat along¬ 
side this recently erupted rock, and found it quite 
hot, the heat, however, not being more than the 
hand could bear. From all parts of the newly- 
formed point smoke or steam was issuing. Notwith¬ 
standing a recent violent eruption from the crater, 
and this gentler one from the base of the mountain. 
