"This melted mass rose and fell—evidently urged by the powerful tension of elastic vapours pressing it upwards from beneath; and it was easy to perceive the balance of effect between the weight of the molten masses and the pressure of the steam which resisted them. The surface rose and fell rhythmically: there was heard a peculiar sound, like the crackling of air from bellows entering the door of a furnace. A bubble of white vapour issued at each crack, raising the lava, which fell down again immediately after its escape. These bubbles of vapour dragged to the surface of the lava red-hot cinders, which danced as if tossed by invisible hands in rhythmic sport above the brink of the opening.
"This play, so regular and attractive, was interrupted, every quarter of an hour or so, by more tumultuous movements. The mass of whirling vapour then rested motionless for a moment—even making a jerking motion of return, as if inhaled by the crater, from the bottom of which the lava rose more strongly as if to encounter it. Then the ground trembles, and the walls of the crater starting bend. It was quite an earthquake. The mouth of the crater uttered a loud rolling bellow, which was followed by an immense bubble of vapour, bursting at the surface of the lava with a loud thundering report. The whole surface of the lava, reduced to glowing splinters, was then tossed into the air.
[Illustration: Julia, or Graham's Island, in August 1831.]
"The heat struck our faces forcibly; while a flaming sheaf rose right into the air, and fell back in a shower of fire all around. Some bombs ascended to a height of about 1200 feet, and in passing over our heads described parabolas of fire. Immediately after such an eruption, the lava withdrew to the bottom of the chimney, which then yawned black and gaping. But erelong there was seen re-ascending the shining mirror of the surface of lava, which then recommenced the rhythmic play of its ordinary less violent bubblings."
What an agreeable visit this must have been! Don't you think, between ourselves, that the German philosopher must, on this occasion, have greatly resembled an Irishman in love, seeing he was so eager to reach the mouth of the crater?
Before passing on to the description of other existing volcanoes, it may entertain you to hear something about Julia. This interesting crater had a short and troubled existence. She was not born like others of her name, but rose suddenly and majestically out of the sea, as the poets feign that Venus did of old. She did not, however, keep her head long above water, but after raging and fuming for about a couple of months, she plunged again under the waves. This happened in the year 1831.
On page 57 is a picture showing you how she looked in August of that year, about a month after she made her appearance. You see what a fury of a crater she must have been. It was a French philosopher (Constant Prévost) who christened her Julia; but it is hard to divine what prompted him to act so ungallantly. Perhaps, at the moment, he may have had in his eye some Julia of his acquaintance, with very red hair and a very fiery temper.
This volcanic island rose out of the Mediterranean, about midway between the Island of Pantellaria and the village of Sciacca on the southern coast of Sicily. From about the 28th of June to the 2nd of July 1831, the inhabitants of Sciacca felt several slight shocks, which they imagined to have proceeded from Etna. On the 8th of July the crew of a Sicilian ship, which was sailing at a distance of about six miles from Sciacca, suddenly observed in the sea a jet of water about 100 feet high. It rose into the air with a thundering noise, sustained itself for about ten minutes, and then fell down. Similar jets continued to rise in succession, at intervals of about a quarter of an hour, and produced a thick mist overspreading the surface of the sea, which was much agitated and covered with a reddish scum. Shoals of dead fishes were drifted on the waves. On the third day the jets were between 800 and 900 feet in diameter, and between 60 and 70 feet in height, while the steam from them rose to nearly 1800 feet.
On the 12th of July the inhabitants of Sciacca had their nostrils assailed by a strong smell of sulphur, and beheld the surface of the sea covered with black porous cinders, which, being drifted ashore, formed a bed of some thickness on the beach. So great was the drift of volcanic ashes, that boats could hardly struggle through the water, and multitudes of dead fishes floated on its surface. Next morning they saw rising out of the sea a column of dark vapour, which, however, towards night became lurid red. From time to time, during both the day and night, they heard loud reports, and saw bright sparks of fire through the dusky vapour.
[Illustration: Julia, or Graham's Island, on 29th September 1831.]