'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎236] (409/524)

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•236
AN ISLAND RISING OUT OF THE SEA.
exaggeration, without however imputing any wish to deceive the
narrators, and this was the feeling in the ‘‘Melville” before she left
Malta ; hut I may safely declare that there is not one on board who
will not confess that the sight of this sea volcano has far surpassed
the expectations of wonder which he had conceived from report,
Many on hoard have been in all quarters of the globe, but nowhere
have they seen so wonderful a sight as this volcano sending up a
column of vapour of the most beautiful hue and varied form to the
height of nearly a mile. Some idea of its yiolence may be formed,
when it is considered that it forced its way upwards through the sea
where it was 170 fathoms deep. Subjoined is the result of a few
nautical observations relative to the situation and size of the island
when seen from the ‘ • Melville,”
Lat. by mer. obs. of sun 37° 10 / 54" N,
Long, by Chronometer 12 ° 44 / E,
Computed height of island above level of sea * .. 95 feet.
Computed average height to which vapour rose in un
broken column ..... 1186 yards.
Computed distance between extreme points of island,
centre of crater bearing NW 435 yards.
iV.Ib—These computations having been made from only an esti
mated base, it being impracticable to measure one, the results must be
considered as only approximations to the truth ; but I can declare
them to be rather under than overstated,
(Signed) C. DODD.
//, M. S. “Melville” at seat August lO^/t, 1831.
The writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. of the above was an officer on board the “ Melville,” and
I am not aware that this account has ever been published. A few
months ago the English papers contained a notice of the re-appearance
of an island near the coast of Sicily of volcanic creation, and which, it
was believed, had many years ago “ sunk under the waters.” It was
known in the old maps by the name of Graham’s Island. Can this be
the same one now described ?
(Signed) C. D,