ral
fresh craters and lava-streams, while hot springs burst out with a
hissing noise on its southern flank, showing that molten matter lies
below at no very great depth.

This island probably lies along the dividing line between the
non-volcanic and volcanic region of the Mediterranean, and is
consequently liable to intermittent eruptions. It was at a short
distance from this island that the remarkable submarine outburst of
volcanic forces took place on October 17th, 1891, for an account of
which we are indebted to Colonel J. C. Mackowen.[6] On that day, after a
succession of earthquake shocks, the inhabitants were startled by
observing a column of "smoke" rising out of the sea at a distance of
three miles, in a north-westerly direction. The Governor, Francesco
Valenza, having manned a boat, rowed out towards the fiery column, and
on arriving found it to consist of black scoriaceous bombs, which were
being hurled into the air to a height of nearly thirty yards; some of
them burst in the air, others, discharging steam, ran hissing over the
water; many of them were very hot, some even red-hot. One of these
bombs, measuring two feet in diameter, was captured and brought to
shore. It was observed that after the eruption the earthquake shocks
ceased. A vast amount of material was cast out of the submarine crater,
forming an island 500 yards in length and rising up to nine feet above
the surface, but after a few days it was broken up and dispersed over
the sea-bed by the action of the waves.

[1] _Volcanoes_, p. 262. These islands are described by Hoffmann,
_Poggendorf Annal._, vol. xxvi. (1832); also by Lyell, _Principles of
Geology_, vol. ii., and by Judd, who personally visited them, and gives
a very vivid account of their appearance and structure.

[2] Strabo, lib. vi.

[3] Judd, _Volcanoes_, p. 8.

[4] Stromboli has also been described by Spallanzani, Hoffmann, Daubeny,
and others. The account of Judd is the most recent. Of this island
Strabo says, "Strongyle a rotundate figurae sic dicta, ignita ipsa
quoque, violentia flammarum minor, fulgore excellens; ibi habitasse
Aecolum ajunt."--Lib. vi.

[5] _Poggend. Annal._, vol. xxvi., quoted by Daubeny.

[6] Communicated by Captain Petrie to the Victoria Institute, 1st
February 1892. See also a detailed and illustrated account of the
eruption communicated by A. Ricco to the _Annali dell' Ufficio centrale
Meteorologico e Geodonamico_, Ser. ii., Parte 3, vol. xi. Summar