Besides the convulsions of nature displayed in volcanoes, the most
remarkable particulars of which we have given in our history of
mountains, other operations are carried on below the fathomless depths
of the sea, the nature of which can only be conjectured by the effects
produced. Nor is it more astonishing that inflammable substances should
be found beneath the bottom of the sea, than at similar depths on land,
and that there also the impetuous force of fire should cause the
imprisoned air and elastic gases to expand, and, by its mighty force,
should drive the earth at the bottom of the sea above its surface. These
marine volcanoes are perhaps more frequent, though they do not so often
come within the reach of human observation, as those on land; and
stupendous must be the operations carried on, when matter is thrown up
to an extent which the ingenuity of man does not enable him to reach by
fathoming.
Many instances have occurred, as well in ancient as in modern times, of
islands having been formed in the midst of the sea; and their sudden
appearance has constantly been preceded by violent agitations of the
surrounding waters, accompanied by dreadful noises, and in some
instances by fiery eruptions from the newly formed isles, which are
composed of various substances, frequently intermixed with a
considerable quantity of volcanic lava. Such islands remain for ages
barren, but in a long course of time become abundantly fruitful. It is a
matter of curious inquiry, whether springs are found on such newly
created spots, when the convulsions which gave them birth have subsided;
but on this point it would seem that we are not possessed of any certain
information, as it does not appear that they have been visited by any
naturalist with the express view of recording their properties.
Among the writers of antiquity who have transmitted accounts of islands
which have thus started up to the view of the astonished spectator,
Seneca asserts that, in his time, the island of Therasea, in the Egean
sea, was seen to rise in this manner by several mariners, who were
sailing near the point of its ascent. Pliny’s relation is still more
extraordinary; for he says that in the Mediterranean, thirteen islands
emerged at once from the sea, the cause of which he ascribes rather to
the retiring of the waters, than to any subterraneous operation of
nature: but he speaks at the same time of the island of Hiera, in the
vicinity of Therasea, as having been formed by subterraneous explosions,
and enumerates several others said to have been derived from a similar
origin, in one of which he says, a great abundance of fishes were found,
of which, however, all who ate, perished soon afterward.
It is to the Grecian archipelago, and the Azores, or Western isles, that
we are to look for the grandest and most surprising instances of this
phenomenon. We will select an example from each of these groups of
islands, beginning with the latter.
In December, 1720, a violent earthquake was felt on the island of
Tercera, one of the Azores. And on the following morning, a new island,
which had sprung up in the night, made its appearance, and a huge column
of smoke was seen rising from it. The pilot of a ship which attempted to
approach it, sounded on one of these newly formed islands, with a line
of sixty fathoms, but could not find a bottom. On the opposite side, the
sea was deeply tinged with various colors, white, blue and green; and
was very shallow. This island was larger on its first appearance than at
some distance of time afterward; it at length sunk beneath the level of
the sea, and is now no longer visible.
What can be more surprising than to see fire, not only force its way out
of the bowels of the earth, but likewise make for itself a passage
through the waters of the sea! What can be more extraordinary, or
foreign to our common notions of things, than to observe the bottom of
the sea rise up in a mountain above its surface, and become so firm an
island as to be able to resist the violence of the greatest storms! We
know that subterraneous fires, when pent up in a narrow passage, are
able to elevate a mass of earth as large as an island; but that this
should be done in so regular and precise a manner, that the water of the
sea should not be able to penetrate and extinguish those fires; and
that, after they should have exhausted themselves, the mass of earth
should not fall down, or sink again with its own weight, but still
remain in a manner suspended over the great arch below; this seems more
surprising than any of the facts which have been related of Mount Etna,
Vesuvius, or any other volcano.
In the first part of the Transactions of the Royal Society for the year
1812, Captain Tillard, of the British navy, has published a very
interesting narrative of a similar phenomenon, which occurred in the
same sea near the Azores. We give this narrative in his own words.
“Approaching the island of St. Michael’s, on Sunday, the twelfth of
June, 1811, in his majesty’s sloop Sabrina, under my command, we
occasionally observed, rising in the horizon, two or three columns of
smoke, such as would have been occasioned by an action between two
ships, to which cause we universally attributed its origin. This opinion
was, however, in a very short time changed, from the smoke increasing
and ascending in much larger bodies than could possibly have been
produced by such an event; and having heard an account, prior to our
sailing from Lisbon, that in the preceding January or February, a
volcano had burst out within the sea near St. Michael’s, we immediately
concluded that the smoke we saw proceeded from that cause, and, on our
anchoring the next morning in the road of Ponta del Gada, we found this
conjecture correct as to the cause, but not as to the time; the eruption
of January having totally subsided, and the present one having only
burst forth two days prior to our approach, and about three miles
distant from the one before alluded to.
“Desirous of examining as minutely as possible a contention so
extraordinary between two such powerful elements, I set off from the
city of Ponta del Gada on the morning of the fourteenth, in company with
Mr. Read, the consul-general of the Azores, and two other gentlemen.
After riding about twenty miles across the north-west end of the island
of St. Michael’s, we came to the edge of the cliff, whence the volcano
burst suddenly upon our view in the most terrific and awful grandeur.
[See cut, page 122.] It was only a short mile from the base of the
cliff, which was nearly perpendicular, and formed the margin of the sea;
this cliff being, as nearly as I could judge, from three to four hundred
feet high. To give you an adequate idea of the scene by description, is
far beyond my powers; but for your satisfaction, I shall attempt it.
[Illustration: ST. MICHAEL’S VOLCANO.]
“Imagine an immense body of smoke rising from the sea, the surface of
which was marked by the slippery rippling of the waves, occasioned by
the light and steady breezes incidental to these climates in summer. In
a quiescent state, it had the appearance of a circular cloud revolving
on the water like a horizontal wheel, in various and irregular
involutions, expanding itself gradually on the lee side, when suddenly a
column of the blackest cinders, ashes and stones would shoot up in the
form of a spire, at an angle of from ten to twenty degrees from a
perpendicular line, the angle of inclination being universally to
windward; this was rapidly succeeded by a second, third and fourth
shower, each acquiring greater velocity, and overtopping the other till
they had attained an altitude as much above the level of our eye, as the
sea was below it.
“As the impetus with which the columns were severally propelled
diminished, and their ascending motion had nearly ceased, they broke
into various branches resembling a group of pines; these again forming
themselves into festoons of white feathery smoke, in the most fanciful
manner imaginable, intermixed with the finest particles of falling
ashes, which at one time assumed the appearance of innumerable plumes of
black and white ostrich feathers, surmounting each other, and another,
that of the light wavy branches of a weeping-willow.
“During these bursts, the most vivid flashes of lightning continually
issued from the densest part of the volcano; and the cloud of smoke, now
ascending to an altitude much above the highest point to which the ashes
were projected, rolled off in large masses of fleecy clouds, gradually
expanding themselves before the wind in a direction nearly horizontal,
and drawing up to them a quantity of water-spouts, which formed a most
beautiful and striking addition to the general appearance of the scene.
“That part of the sea where the volcano was situated, was upward of
thirty fathoms deep, and at the time of our viewing it the volcano was
only four days old. Soon after our arrival on the cliff, a peasant
observed he could discern a peak above the water: we looked but could
not see it; however, in less than half an hour it was plainly visible,
and before we quitted the place, which was about three hours from the
time of our arrival, a complete crater was formed above the water, not
less than twenty feet high on the side where the greatest quantity of
ashes fell; the diameter of the crater being apparently about four or
five hundred feet.
“The great eruptions were generally attended with a noise like the
continued firing of cannon and musketry intermixed, as also with slight
shocks of earthquakes; several of which having been felt by my
companions, but none by myself, I had become half skeptical, and thought
their opinion arose merely from the force of imagination; but while we
were sitting within five or six yards of the edge of the cliff,
partaking of a slight repast which had been brought with us, and were
all busily engaged, one of the most magnificent bursts took place which
we had yet witnessed, accompanied by a very severe shock of an
earthquake. The instantaneous and involuntary movement of each was to
spring upon his feet; and I said, ‘This admits of no doubt.’ The words
had scarcely passed my lips, before we observed a large portion of the
face of the cliff, about fifty yards on our left, falling, which it did
with a violent crash. So soon as our first consternation had a little
subsided, we removed about ten or a dozen yards further from the edge of
the cliff, and finished our dinner.
“On the succeeding day, June fifteenth, having the consul and some other
friends on board, I weighed, and proceeded with the ship toward the
volcano, with the intention of witnessing a night view; but in this
expectation we were greatly disappointed, from the wind freshening, and
the weather becoming thick and hazy, and also from the volcano itself
being more quiescent than it was the preceding day. It seldom emitted
any lightning, but occasionally as much flame as may be seen to issue
from the top of a glass-house or foundry chimney. On passing directly
under the great cloud of smoke, about three or four miles distant from
the volcano, the decks of the ship were covered with fine black ashes,
which fell intermixed with small rain. We returned the next morning, and
late on the evening of the same day I took leave of St. Michael’s, to
complete my cruise.
“On the opening of the volcano clear of the north-west part of the
island, after dark on the sixteenth, we witnessed one or two eruptions
that, had the ship been near enough, would have been awfully grand. It
appeared one continued blaze of lightning; but its distance from the
ship, upward of twenty miles, prevented our seeing it with effect.
Returning again toward St. Michael’s, on the fourth of July, I was
obliged, by the state of the wind, to pass with the ship very close to
the island, which was now completely formed by the volcano, being nearly
the hight of Matlock High Tor, about eighty yards above the sea. At this
time it was perfectly tranquil; which circumstance determined me to
land, and explore it more narrowly. I left the ship in one of the boats,
accompanied by some of the officers. As we approached we perceived that
it was still smoking in many parts, and, upon our reaching the island,
found the surf on the beach very high. Rowing round to the lee-side,
with some little difficulty, by the aid of an oar as a pole, I jumped on
shore, and was followed by the other officers. We found a narrow beach
of black ashes, from which the side of the island rose in general too
steep to admit of our ascending; and where we could have clambered up,
the mass of matter was much too hot to allow our proceeding more than a
few yards in the ascent.
“The declivity below the surface of the sea was equally steep, having
seven fathoms of water at scarcely the boat’s length from the shore, and
at the distance of twenty or thirty yards we sounded twenty-five
fathoms. From walking round it in about twelve minutes, I should judge
that it was something less than a mile in circumference; but the most
extraordinary part was the crater, the mouth of 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, broken 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 dimension 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 amphitheater.
“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 possible, 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.
[Illustration: SABRINA ISLAND.]
“Having reached the summit of the isthmus, we found another 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 forward by our hands, we at length reached that part of it
where it gradually widened itself, and formed the summit of the cliff,
which we found to have a perfectly flat surface, of the dimensions
before stated. Judging this to be the most conspicuous situation, we
here planted the union, and left a bottle sealed up, containing a short
account of the origin of the island, and of our having landed upon it,
and naming it Sabrina island.
“Within the crater I found the complete skeleton of a guard-fish, the
bones of which, being perfectly burnt, fell to pieces upon attempting to
take them up; and, by the account of the inhabitants on the coast of St.
Michael’s, great numbers of fish had been destroyed during the early
part of the eruption, as large quantities, probably suffocated or
poisoned, were occasionally found drifted into the small inlets or bays.
The island, like other volcanic productions, is composed principally of
porous substances, generally burnt to complete cinders, with occasional
masses of a stone, which I should suppose to be a mixture of iron and
limestone.”
Sabrina island has gradually disappeared, since the month of October,
1811, leaving an extensive shoal. Smoke was discovered still issuing out
of the sea in the month of February, 1812, near the spot where this
wonderful phenomenon appeared.
Having thus spoken of the Azores, we now pass to some similar phenomena
in the Grecian archipelago. Before entering, however, on the details
which are here furnished on this curious and most interesting subject,
it may not be improper to observe, that the island of Acroteri, of great
celebrity in ancient history, appears to have its surface composed of
pumice-stone, incrusted by a surface of fertile earth; and that it is
represented by the ancients as having risen, during a violent
earthquake, from the sea. Four neighboring islands are described as
having a similar origin, notwithstanding the sea is in that part of the
archipelago of such a depth as to be unfathomable by any sounding line.
These arose at different times: the first long before the commencement
of the Christian era; the second in the first century; the third in the
eighth; and the fourth in 1573.
We now proceed to a phenomenon of a similar nature, belonging to the
same cluster of islands, which being of a more recent date, we are
enabled to enter into all its particulars. They are such as can not fail
to interest and surprise.
On the twenty-second of May, 1707, a severe earthquake was felt at
Stanchio, an island of the archipelago; and on the ensuing morning a
party of seamen, discovering not far off what they believed to be a
wreck, rapidly rowed toward it; but finding rocks and earth instead of
the remains of a ship, hastened back, and spread the news of what they
had seen, in Santorini, another of these islands. However great the
apprehensions of the inhabitants were at the first sight, their surprise
soon abated, and in a few days, seeing no appearance of fire or smoke,
some of them ventured to land on the new island. Their curiosity led
them from rock to rock, where they found a kind of white stone, which
yielded to the knife like bread, and nearly resembled that substance in
color and consistence. They also found many oysters sticking to the
rocks: but while they were employed in collecting them, the island moved
and shook under their feet, on which they ran with precipitation to
their boats. Amid these motions and tremblings the island increased, not
only in hight, but in length and breadth: still occasionally, while it
was raised and extended on the one side, it sunk and diminished on the
other. One person observed a rock to rise out of the sea, forty or fifty
paces from the island, which, having been thus visible for four days,
sunk, and appeared no more: several others appeared and disappeared
alternately, till at length they remained fixed and unmoved. In the mean
time the color of the surrounding sea was changed: at first it was of a
light green, then reddish, and afterward of a pale yellow, accompanied
by a noisome stench, which spread itself over a part of the island of
Santorini.
On the sixteenth of July, smoke first appeared, not indeed on the
island, but issuing from a ridge of black stones which suddenly rose
about sixty paces from it, where the depth of the sea was unfathomable.
Thus there were two separate islands, one called the White, and the
other the Black island, from the different appearances they exhibited.
This thick smoke was of a whitish color, like that of a lime-kiln, and
was carried by the wind to Santorini, where it penetrated the houses of
the inhabitants.
In the night between the nineteenth and twentieth of July, flames began
to issue with the smoke, to the great terror of the inhabitants of
Santorini, especially of those occupying the castle of Scaro, who were
distant about a mile and a half only from the burning island, which now
increased very fast, large rocks daily springing up, which sometimes
added to its length, and sometimes to its breadth. The smoke, also
increased, and there not being any wind, ascended so high as to be seen
at Candia, and other distant islands. During the night, it resembled a
column of five, fifteen, or twenty feet in hight; and the sea was then
covered with a scurf or froth, in some places reddish, and in others
yellowish, from which proceeded such a stench, that the inhabitants
throughout the whole island of Santorini burnt perfumes in their houses,
and made fires in the streets, to prevent infection. This, indeed, did
not last above a day or two; for a strong gale of wind dispersed the
froth, but drove the smoke on the vineyards of Santorini, by which the
grapes were, in one night, parched up and destroyed. This smoke also
caused violent head-aches, attended with retchings.
On the thirty-first of July, the sea smoked and bubbled in two different
places near the island, where the water formed a perfect circle, and
looked like oil when beginning to simmer. This continued above a month,
during which time many fishes were found dead on the shore of Santorini.
On the following night a dull hollow noise was heard, like the distant
report of several cannon, which was instantly followed by flames of
fire, shooting up to a great hight in the air, where they suddenly
disappeared. The next day the same hollow sound was several times heard,
and succeeded by a blackish smoke, which, notwithstanding a fresh gale
blew at the time, rose up to a prodigious hight, in the form of a
column, and would probably in the night have appeared as if on fire.
On the seventh of August, a different noise was heard, resembling that
of large stones thrown, at very short intervals, into a deep well. This
noise, having lasted for some days, was succeeded by another much
louder, so nearly resembling thunder, as scarcely to be distinguished
from three or four real claps, which were heard at the same time.
On the twenty-first, the fire and smoke were very considerably
diminished; but the next morning they broke out with still greater fury
than before. The smoke was red, and very thick, the heat at the same
time being so intense, that all around the island the sea smoked and
bubbled surprisingly. At night, by the means of a telescope, sixty small
openings or funnels, all emitting a very bright flame, were discovered
on the highest part of the island, conjointly resembling a large
furnace; and on the other side of the great volcano there appeared to be
as many.
On the morning of the twenty-third, the island was much higher than on
the preceding day, and its breadth increased by a chain of rocks which
had sprung up in the night nearly fifty feet above the water. The sea
was also again covered with reddish froth, which always appeared when
the island seemed to have received any considerable additions, and
occasioned an intolerable stench, until it was dispersed by the wind and
the motion of the waves.
On the fifth of September, the fire opened another vent at the extremity
of the Black island, from which it issued for several days. During that
time little was discharged from the large furnace; but from this new
passage the astonished spectator beheld the fire dart up three several
times to a vast hight, resembling so many prodigious sky-rockets of a
glowing, lively red. The following night the sub-aqueous fire made a
terrible noise, and immediately, after a thousand sheaves of fire darted
into the air, where breaking and dispersing, they fell like a shower of
stars on the island, which appeared in a blaze, presenting to the amazed
spectator at once a most dreadful and beautiful illumination. To these
natural fire-works, succeeded a kind of meteor, which for some time hung
over the castle of Scaro, and which, having a resemblance to a flaming
sword, served to increase the consternation of the inhabitants of
Santorini.
On the ninth of September, the White and Black islands united; after
which the western end of the island grew daily in bulk. There were now
four openings only which emitted flames; these issued forth with great
impetuosity, sometimes attended with a noise like that of a large
organ-pipe, and sometimes like the howling of wild beasts.
On the twelfth, the subterraneous noise was much augmented, having never
been so frequent or so dreadful as on that and the following day. The
bursts of this subterraneous thunder, like a general discharge of the
artillery of an army, were repeated ten or twelve times within
twenty-four hours, and, immediately after each clap, the large furnace
threw up huge red-hot stones, which fell into the sea at a great
distance. These claps were always followed by a thick smoke, which
spread clouds of ashes over the sea and the neighboring islands.
On the eighteenth of September, an earthquake was felt at Santorini. It
did but little damage, although it considerably enlarged the burning
island, and in several places gave vent to the fire and smoke. The claps
were also more terrible than ever; and, in the midst of a thick smoke,
which appeared like a mountain, large pieces of rock, which afterward
fell on the island, or into the sea, were thrown up with as much noise
and force as balls from the mouth of a cannon. One of the small
neighboring islands was covered with these fiery stones, which being
thinly crusted over with sulphur, gave a bright light, and continued
burning until that was consumed.
On the twenty-first, a dreadful clap of subterraneous thunder was
followed by very powerful lightnings, and at the same instant the new
island was so violently shaken, that part of the great furnace fell
down, and huge burning rocks were thrown to the distance of two miles
and upward. This seemed to be the last effort of the volcano, and
appeared to have exhausted the combustible matter, as all was quiet for
several days after: but on the twenty-fifth, the fire broke out again
with still greater fury, and among the claps one was so terrible, that
the churches of Santorini were soon filled with crowds of people,
expecting every moment to be their last; and the castle and town of
Scaro suffered such a shock, that the doors and windows of the houses
flew open. The volcano continued to rage during the remaining part of
the year; and in the month of January, 1708, the large furnace, without
one day’s intermission, threw out stones and flames, at least once or
twice, but generally five or six times a day.
On the tenth of February, in the morning, a pretty strong earthquake was
felt at Santorini, which the inhabitants considered as a prelude to
greater commotions in the burning island; nor were they deceived, for
soon after the fire and smoke issued in prodigious quantities. The
thunder-like claps were redoubled, and all was horror and confusion:
rocks of an amazing size were raised up to a great hight above the
water; and the sea raged and boiled to such a degree as to occasion
great consternation. The subterraneous bellowings were heard without
intermission, and sometimes in less than a quarter of an hour, there
were six or seven eruptions from the large furnace. The noise of
repeated claps, the quantity of huge stones which flew about on every
side, the houses at Santorini tottering to their very foundations, and
the fire, which now appeared in open day, surpassed all that had
hitherto happened, and formed a scene terrific and astonishing beyond
description.
The fifteenth of April was rendered memorable by the number and violence
of the bellowings and eruptions, by one of which nearly a hundred stones
were thrown at the same instant into the air, and fell again into the
sea at about two miles distant. From that day until the twenty-second of
May, which may be considered as the anniversary of the birth of the new
island, things continued much in the same state, but afterward the fire
and smoke subsided by degrees, and the subterraneous thunders became
less terrible.
On the fifteenth of July, 1709, the Bishop of Santorini, accompanied by
several friars, hired a boat to take a near view of the island. They
made directly toward it on that side where the sea did not bubble, but
where it smoked very much. Being within the range of this vapor, they
felt a close, suffocating heat, and found the water very hot; on which
they directed their course toward a part of the island at the furthest
distance from the large furnace. The fires, which still continued to
burn, and the boiling of the sea, obliged them to make a great circuit,
notwithstanding which they felt the air about them to be very hot and
sultry. Having encompassed the island, and surveyed it carefully from an
adjacent one, they judged it to be two hundred feet above the sea, about
a mile broad, and five miles in circumference; but, not being thoroughly
satisfied, they resolved to make an attempt at landing, and accordingly
rowed toward that part of the island where they perceived neither fire
nor smoke. When, however, they had proceeded to within the distance of a
hundred yards, the great furnace discharged itself with its usual fury,
and the wind blew upon them so dense a smoke, and so heavy a shower of
ashes, that they were obliged to abandon their design. Having retired
somewhat further, they let down their sounding lead, with a line
ninety-five fathoms in length, but it was too short to reach the bottom.
On their return to Santorini, they observed that the heat of the water
had melted the greater part of the pitch employed in calking their boat,
which had now become very leaky.
From that time until the fifteenth of August, the fire, smoke and noises
continued, but not in so great a degree; and it appears that for several
years after, the island still increased, but that the fire and
subterraneous noises were much abated. The most recent account we have
been enabled to collect, is that of a traveler, who, in 1811, passed
this island at some distance. It appeared to him like a stupendous mass
of rock, but was not inhabited or cultivated. It had then long ceased to
burn.
-------------------------------------------