IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. 
245 
der, of a fine blackish dust, and of fibres, in appearance not unlike vegetable 
fibres. No carbonate or sulphate of lime could be detected in it, and only a 
very slight trace of sulphur. The dust and powder were very fine volcanic 
dust; the black, as ejected; the yellowish brown coloured by peroxide of iron, 
instead of the protoxide, probably from the action of the atmosphere on the 
latter. The fibres resembling vegetable fibres consumed before the blowpipe, 
with a smell very like that of sea-weed burning ; and it may be conjectured 
that they were derived from sea-weed drawn into the crater. The same kind 
of fibres, it may be remarked, were frequently to be seen on specimens of cinders 
brought from the volcano; and their origin, it may be supposed, was the same. 
The water from the “ small crater” after the separation of its sediment, eva¬ 
porated to dryness with great care over boiling water, afforded 8‘6 per cent, 
saline matter. The water from the main crater (the two bottles mixed) simi¬ 
larly treated, afforded 10’6 per cent. 
From the experiments which I have made on these specimens of water, they 
appear to differ chiefly from the water of the Mediterranean, not in their prin¬ 
cipal saline ingredients, but in containing more sulphate of lime, and a little 
alumine, oxide of iron, and a trace of oxide of manganese, all three in combi¬ 
nation with an acid, probably the sulphuric and muriatic,—and a notable por¬ 
tion of hyposulphite of lime and magnesia. I could not detect in either of 
them any free acid or alkali, or the presence, even in combination, of any 
potash, ammonia, or nitric acid; nor the slightest trace of bromine or iodine. In 
quest of these latter substances, 77 cubic inches of the water from the main 
crater were carefully evaporated, and the greater part of the whole from the 
“ small crater”; and the most approved tests, as recommended by M. Balard, 
were applied to the deliquescent salts extracted by alcohol, without the slight¬ 
est indication appearing of either of them. A solution of chlorine very carefully 
dropped into the concentrated saline solution occasioned no discoloration; 
and the starch solution did not produce any tint of blue, whether the chlorine 
was used alone, or added to the salt with excess of sulphuric acid. 
For comparison, I took up from the sea, in returning from the volcano, six 
different specimens of the water of the Mediterranean. No. 1. was taken up 
about forty yards from the volcano, and was slightly turbid. No. 2, about 
three miles from it, where the sea was clear. No. 3, about five miles distant. 
2 K 
MDCCCXXXII. 
