Page:Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Volume 1 (2nd edition).djvu/291

Rh Captain Senhouse of the St. Vincent, Sir Henry Hotham's flag-ship, is our last informant, who, having been detached in the Hind cutter to ascertain the exact position of the island, effected a landing on it on the 3d August, hoisted the British ensign, and called it Graham Island. His description of the eruptions differs little from those already quoted:—his account of landing, with estimate of height and other dimensions, we subjoin nearly in his own words:—

Seizing a favourable moment, we gave way with our oars. Our distance was rather greater than we could have wished, but we proceeded as quickly as the sea would allow. As we approached, some occasional jets were thrown up, but of little consequence; and a current was discovered running to the westward, and setting us farther to the right than we desired. Within twenty yards of the shore, the water appeared shoal, and the sea broke; but as there was no appearance of surf on the beach, we kept steadily on till the boat struck the ground. The Union Jack was then planted, such observations were made as the pressure of circumstances, and the imminent danger of a fresh eruption every moment, would admit of; a bucket-full of the materials of which the island seemed chiefly composed was collected; and we re-embarked.

'The form of the crater is nearly a perfect circle, and complete along its whole circumference, excepting for about two hundred and fifty yards on the S.E. side, which are broken and low not apparently above three feet high. The height of the highest part, I supposed by the eye to be about one hundred and sixty feet; a rough computation afterwards made it one hundred and eighty. The outer diameter is, I think, almost six hundred and forty yards, and the inner about four hundred. The whole circuit of the island I conceive to be from a mile and a quarter to a mile and one-third.

'The fragments brought away are compact and heavy, and the whole surface of the island is dense, and perfectly hard under the feet. No variety of stones were procured, nor any lava; neither did I see any jets or streams of lava while on the island. All the fragments were very hot when collected; and I thought the temperature of the sea close to the shore somewhat higher than farther out, although of this I was not very certain. The latitude of the island is 37° 11′ N. Longitude 12° 44′ East of Greenwich.'

We have been somewhat more minute in our extracts from these documents than the strict value of the information they contain warrants: because, by the latest accounts the island is still increasing in extent, and consequently none of the above descriptions are now accurate. But something is due to the interest of the