FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   278   279   280   281   282   283   284   285   286   287   288   289   290   291   292   293   294   295   296   297   298   299   300   >>  
from the new islet, there was thrown up a chain of black calcined rocks, followed by volumes of thick black smoke, having a sulphurous smell. A few days thereafter the water all around the spot became hot, and many dead fishes were thrown up. Then, with loud subterraneous noises, flames arose, and fresh quantities of stones and other substances were ejected, until the chain of black rocks became united to the first islet that had appeared. This eruption continued for a long time, there being thrown out quantities of ashes and pumice, which covered the island of Santorin and the surface of the sea--some being drifted to the coasts of Asia Minor and the Dardanelles. The activity of this miniature volcano was prolonged, with greater or less energy, for about ten years. In 1866 similar phenomena took place in the Bay of Santorin, beginning with underground sounds and slight shocks of earthquake, which were followed by the appearance of flames on the surface of the sea. Soon after there arose, out of a dense smoke, a small islet, which gradually increased until in a week's time it was 60 feet high, 200 long and 90 wide. The people of Santorin named it "George," in honor of the King of Greece. In another week it joined and became continuous with the Little Cammeni. The detonations increased in loudness, and large quantities of incandescent stones were thrown up from the crater. About the same time, at the distance of nearly 150 feet from the coast, to the westward of a point called Cape Phlego, there rose from the sea another island, to which was given the name of Aphroessa. It sank and reappeared several times before it established itself above water. The detonations and ejection of incandescent lava and stones continued at intervals during three weeks. From the crater of the islet George, which attained a height of 150 feet, some stones several cubic yards in bulk were projected to a great distance. One of them falling on board of a merchant vessel, killed the captain and set fire to the ship. By the 10th of March the eruptions had partially subsided, but were then renewed, and a third island, which was named Reka, rose alongside of Aphroessa. They were at first separated by a channel sixty feet deep; but in three days this was filled up, and the two islets became united. Reference may properly be made here to Monte Nuovo and Jorullo, not that they appertain to the present subject, but that they form examples of the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   278   279   280   281   282   283   284   285   286   287   288   289   290   291   292   293   294   295   296   297   298   299   300   >>  



Top keywords:

stones

 

thrown

 
quantities
 

Santorin

 
island
 

continued

 

Aphroessa

 
increased
 

surface

 

united


flames

 

incandescent

 

distance

 
crater
 

detonations

 

George

 
intervals
 

attained

 

ejection

 

height


called
 

examples

 
westward
 
established
 

Phlego

 
reappeared
 

Jorullo

 

channel

 

separated

 

appertain


alongside

 

filled

 

properly

 
Reference
 

islets

 

renewed

 

vessel

 

killed

 

captain

 

merchant


falling

 

partially

 
subsided
 

subject

 

present

 

eruptions

 

projected

 

eruption

 

pumice

 
appeared