“New Island”

Date

12-20-1811

Newspaper

Farmer’s Repository

Page and Column

Page 4, Column 1

Newspaper Location

Charlestown, West Virginia

Serial Number

1225

Abstract

Account of the emergence of volcanic island near St. Michael’s in the Caribbean.

Transcript

NEW ISLAND. The island lately formed by volcanic eruption, about 2 miles W. of St. Michaels, has been christened "Sabrina Island," by capt. Tillard, of the British sloop of war Sabrina, who landed on the island the 4th of July, (the eruption having ceased) and took possession of it in the name of his Britannic majesty. They found it very steep; the ground, or rather the ashes, composed of sulphurous dross of iron, &c. The whole island (in circumference from 2 to 3 miles) is however, but a crater, and it was conjectured, would soon break out again. In the place where this island has appeared the water was formerly 240 feet deep. [The following account of the above remarkable occurrence in natural history, though partially related before, will be read with some interest. It was communicated to the editor of the Boston Palladium by a gentleman recently arrived from St. Michaels.] "In the first part of June last, the inhabitants of the island of St. Michaels were much alarmed and astonished by the appearance of smoke, which apparently issued from the earth, spread over the western part of the island, and continued for the space of two days.-This smoke was so strongly impregnated with a sulphuious quality, that the residents of that part of the island were nearly suffocated. At the expiration of the abovementioned time an immense eruption was discovered to proceed from the bosom of the ocean, whose depth at that place was 50 fathoms, at about 6 leagues distance from the principal town or village of St. Michaels, called Posa Delgada, and 1 mile from the shore. This eruption continued for two days more, emitting nothing but fire and smoke, which appeared to spread as much as three miles round its vicinity, and then disappearing entirely for the space of only a few hours, when it again commenced its volcanic vomitings one league further to the westward, in the same direction from the shore. "Now was to be seen one of the most awful and magnificent sights that the eye of man ever beheld. Let the reader picture to his glowing imagination a tremendous volcano in its most violent operations; casting forth continually immense bodies of sparkling fire, beautifully variegated with colours of the rainbow, intermixed with rising volumes of smoke, at the same time very large rocks are seen ascending to an astonishing perpendicular height, till their force being spent they return with increasing velocity, to regain, as it were, their former watery station; then let him add the terrific thunderings of the greatest naval battle that was ever fought, and he will have a complete description of this "awfully sublime" spectacle. "This last eruption lasted about six days. When it subsided & the smoke disappeared, a small island was discovered in that place, composed of rocks cemented together by the lava, similar to that which comes from burning mountains. This island is supposed to be about one mile in circumference and nearly round; having a large bason of water in the centre apparently half a mile in circumference. "During the continuance of this monstrous effort of nature, numerous shocks of earthquakes were felt over the Island. The only damage done that we know of, was the overthrow of seven small stone houses on the western part of the Island, which were entirely demolished. The occupants were obliged to decamp very suddenly, in order to avoid being buried in the ruins of their habitations. A visit to the new island was contemplated to be made immediately. The result of this visit will, no doubt, prove highly interesting to the philosopher, as well as important to the navigator. The impatient curiosity of three gentlemen was very near being paid with the loss of their lives. In attempting a visit previous to the termination of the eruption, they were, notwithstanding their greatest efforts, drawn by an overpowering suction of air about half a mile, as they supposed, into the immense body of surrounding smoke. They remained one hour and a half, much frightened by their perilous situation. When at length, the glorious lights of Heaven again shone upon them, they were much surprised to find their faces, hands, clothes, and sails, quite blackened, and the deck of their vessel entirely covered more than an inch with a coarse black cinder like those found in a blacksmith's shop. This new island is in lat. 37, 46, long. 25, 58. "It is not yet ascertained whether a vessel can or cannot pass through between this new island and the old land. This and many other particulars will be the fruits of the expected navigation of this wonderful gift of old Neptune."

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