200 
[vOL. XI. 
Records of the Geological Survey of India. 
combustible matter being thrown into a fire ” ... “I have had a more correct des¬ 
cription of the volcano to-day” : (28th) “ The size of the crater is about six feet 
in diameter only, surrounded on all sides, to some extent, with soft mud knee-deep, 
and the jhow or cassuarino trees growing around unhurt, in a regular manner as 
if planted there; no other kind of trees near, and of course all other vegetation 
covered with the mud thrown out. It is still burning, and it is just now a place of 
resoit. by these superstitious people who make offerings to the Naga, the cause of 
earthquakes and volcanoes. It appears that there is no hole where the flame (still 
burning and about two feet high) issues from, it comes up through the soft mud.”* 
According to some of the head men of Tsi Chang whom I questioned, the 
time that has elapsed since the latest eruption from each of the different Kyauk 
Phyu volcanoes is roughly as follows :— 
Interval since last eruption. 
1st (most southerly) volcano ... ... ... 17 or 18 years. 
2nd „ ... ... ... 10 years. 
^rd . ,, ... ... . . Urupts almost yearly. 
4th „ ... ... ... E.vtiuct. 
5th „ ... ... ... 3 or 4 years. 
6th ... ... ... ? 
The eruptions are only sometimes accompanied by flame. Four years ago 
there was a gi'eat eruption of the 3rd volcano: the heat given off by the flames 
was then so great that the villagers could not approach near, but looked on from 
behind the shelter of the neighbouring jungle. 
There is a story well known over Cheduba and which was told to me, amongst 
others, by the Burman Extra Assistant Commissioner and by the head man of 
Kanthao Roa: although largely mixed up with fable, there would appear to be 
a substratum of fact, and it serves, at least, to illustrate the ideas held by the 
islanders themselves regarding their volcanoes. About three years ago, as it is 
said, a party of nine people from the village of Kaindi Roa, went to the Pagoda 
Hill to worship, one of the party being a man named Ngalaitke, which means 
a turtle in Arrakanese. On their return, and while passing over one of the large 
volcanic mounds near the Pagoda Hill, one of the men called out mockingly to 
the Naga—a spirit in the form of a serpent that presides over each volcano—“ O ! 
Naga Ji, here is a fine turtle I have brought; let me have some fire to cook him !” 
The offended Nagd granted his wish. Flames issued from the volcano. Four of 
the party wei'e consumed and the remainder escaped more or less injured. The 
Extra Assistant Commissioner, while telling me the tale at Kanthao Roa, sent for 
a woman who was said to have been amongst the number, and who was marked 
with large scars like those produced by severe burns, which she said she had 
received on the occasion referred to. She had not, however, herself heard the 
insult offered to the Naga. This part of the story null perhaps strike the 
sceptical as'boing open to some doubt, but that flames did issue suddenly and 
injure the people is, I am inclined to believe, a fact. It may be observed that in 
some of the preceding records, also, the eruptions are said to have had a sudden 
commencement. 
1 .Jourii. As. Soc., Bengal, l’roceediiig.s for November 1816. 
