Otago Witness illustrations

Otago Witness, Issue 2671, 24 May 1905, Page 39

Otago Witness illustrations

BIRTH OF AN ISLAND.

REMARKABLE SCENE IX THE SEA OF JAPAN.

Extraordinary details of the birth of a new island have ,iu=t reached Tokio. On I November 14 (says the specjal oriespondent of the Daily Telegraph) the inhabitants of Iwo Island, near Bonin Island, in South Japan, were startled to hear a great rumbling. A fortnight later vast clouds of mingled black and white smoke rose out ' of the sea three nautical miles to the south I

of Iwo Island. At first tho snnple-minclo 1 inhabitants thought a Loot w. « in tho

vicinity, but the smoke clouds increased in volume, presenting a wonderful sight, a^ though the sea wore on fire. On Decem ber 5 a little i=lihd appeared amid the smoke clouas. and three days later it seemed as li there were three is ands. The people left their work, assembled on the chores, arH watched the phenomenon. At night all was blackness. It became recognised lhat the event was due to a volcanic eruption. The smoke now varied in colour, sorretimes being of a vivid red. By December 12 one large island was to

be seen giadually rising. In conformation it was a hill towards the east and a sloping plain to the ue-t; and on the 14th the shape of the island was that of a long s ope, emitting white smoKe, and resembling moiit land when steaming under the influence of a. fierce sun. The slope on January 2 underwent a change gradually from the centre, and became higher on the west side. Vast volumes of wh te smoke poured out in the morning, and then in the afternoon a i enormous quantity of black smoke was emitted. The residents of Iwo Island now became alarmed, and held a meeting, and 10 men

\o:untoo_o i lo set out on a voyage of dis covery. All solemnly declared that they would find out what had happened or perish in the attempt. They went in a 30ft long boat and a canoe, and wore fully prepared j for the many delays which might be j caused by the weather. On January 31 they anchored off the north coast of South i Iwo Island, which is uninhabited. The ! recent eruption had covered the island with j a layer of ashes the grass had been burnt, j and all was desolate. These hardy voyagers i arrived at the newly-formed island on i February 1, but when they were three , nautical miles to the southward of South

Iwo Inland the oanoe capsized in the heavy w.n os. and the men had some narrow e-capos. Thoj found the new island to be 2300 ken (nearly tvvo miles and three-quar-ters) in circumfeic.ee, and 80 ken (about 480 ft) above tho surface of the water. There was a boiling lake to the north. The south coast was a precipitous mass of rock covered with a thick layer of earth. On the highest point of the island a pole was erected, with the Japanese flag, ai*d an inscription: — 'New place. Great Japan. Many banzais." The discovery has been reported to the Governor of Bonin Island, who has named it Nushinia.

Stout Party: "Now then, young lady, don't sit on me, please!" Young Lady (sweetly): "I'll tby not to!" — From PnnoH_