“During these bursts the most vivid flashes of lightning continually issued from the densest part of the volcano, and the volumes of smoke rolled off in large masses of fleecy clouds, gradually expanding themselves before the wind in a direction nearly horizontal, and drawing up a quantity of water-spouts.”—(Captain Tilland’s description of the upheaval of Sabrina Island in June, 1811, Phil. Trans.)
With this significant fact may be compared the following analogous ones:
“In the Aleutian Archipelago a new island was formed in 1795. It was first observed after a storm, at a point in the sea from which a column of smoke had been seen to rise.”—(Lyell, Principles of Geology.)
“Among the Aleutian Islands a new volcanic island appeared in the midst of a storm, attended with flames and smoke. After the sea was calm, a boat was sent from Unalaska with twenty Russian hunters, who landed on this island on June 1st, 1814.”—(Journal of Science, vol. vii.)
“On July 24th, 1848, a submarine eruption broke out between the mainland of Orkney and the island of Strousa. Amid thunder and lightning, a very dense jet black cloud was seen to rise from the sea, at a distance of five or six miles, which traveled toward the north-east. On passing over Strousa, the wind from a slight air became a hurricane, and a thick, well-defined belt of large hailstones was left on the island. The barometer fell two inches.”—(Transactions Royal Society, Edinburg, vol. ix.)
2d. Hurricanes, whirlwinds, and hailstones accompany the paroxysms of volcanos.
“1730. A great volcanic eruption at Lancerote Island, and a storm, which was equally new and terrifying to the inhabitants, as they had never known one in the country before.”—(Lyell, Principles of Geology, vol. ii.)
“1754. In the Philippine Islands a terrible volcanic eruption destroyed the town of Taal and several villages. Darkness, hurricanes, thunder, lightning, and earthquakes, alternated in frightful succession.”—(Edinburgh Philosophical Journal.)
“In 1805, 1811, 1813, and 1830, during eruptions of Etna, caravans in the deserts of Africa perished by violent whirlwinds. In 1807, while Vesuvius was in eruption, a whirlwind destroyed a caravan.”—(Rev. W. B. Clarke in Tasw. Journal.)
“1815, Java. A tremendous eruption of Tombow Mountain. Between nine and ten P.M., ashes began to fall, and soon after a violent whirlwind took up into the air the largest trees, men, horses, cattle, etc.”—(Raffles’ History of Java.)