ERUPTION OF A VOLCANO ON THE EAST COAST OF AFRICA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1614, 3 September 1861, Page 4

ERUPTION OF A VOLCANO ON THE EAST COAST OF AFRICA.

Mr. Charles 8011, of Bekesbume House, Kent, sends the following letter to the London Times : — I request that you will be so good as to givo publicity to the lollowing account of an eruption of a hitherto unknown voloano on the east coast of Afrioa, within the Red Sea, which I have just received from Captain R. L. Play fair, Officiating Political Resident at Aden.

A native of Edd states as follows:— On the night of the 7lh or morning of the Btli of May, the people of Edd were awakened by the shock of an earthquake, followed by others, which continued with little intermission for about an hour. At sunrise, a quantity of fine white dust fell over the villago like rain. About noon the character of this dust appeared to change, and then resembled red earth. Shortly afterwards it increased to such an I extent that the air was perfectly darken-, ed, and we had to light lamps in our houses. It was darker than tho darkest night, and the whole place was oovered with the dust, nearly knee-deep. On the 9th the dust somewhat abated, and we were able to see a little in our houses without light. At night we saw fire and dense smoke issuing from a mountain called Jebel Dubbeh, situate about a day's journey inland ; and this continued all the time I remained at Edd. The ashes only fell for two days. Sounds like the firing of guns issued from the mountain. The mountain ia inhabited, but no one had reached Edd thence when I left. Nothing of lhe kind had ever been heard of before and the peopie were exceeding ly frighteued. This accouut has been amply confirmed from other sources, and the most remarkable feature of the case is the immense extent affected by the disturbance.

At Perim the sounds emitted by the volcano were distinctly heard, and they were attributed to a bombardment. The firing (as it was supposed to be) commenced at about 2 a.m. on the Bth of May, and continued, with long intervals, up to trie 10th or llth. The general idea at Perim was that the sound proceeded from the African coast. The "firing" on the Bth was very heavy, and continued for nine or ten hours.

Both the steamers Candia and Ottawa reported having had two very hot days in in the lower part of the Red Sea, and oh the 10th they encountered what appeared like a London fog, which continued for several hours. The captain of the latter vessel described Ibis fog as consisting of very fine dust, so that he could uot see the length of the ship, and during its continuance the weathor was perfeotly calm.

On the -Bth of May several shocks of an earthquake were felt at Mokha and Hodaidu, and there, as well as along the entire coast of Yemen, and inland as far as the mountain range, the dust, described as " white ashes," fell for several days ; the noises were also heard, and, as usual, were attributed to artillery.

At Massowah the (supposed) firing of guns was heard as coming from Annesley Bay, and so exact was the resemblance that lhe whole town was iv a state of consternation. It was believed that the Frenoh were bombarding Dissee, and the authorities dispatched special messengers to ascertain the causo of suoh an unaccountable proceeding. The nacoda of tho boat which brought the news irom Massowah to Aden was detained ten days in tho Dhalao Arohipelago, unable to continue his voyage owing lo the deuse clouds of dust whioh darkened the air. Many othor riacodas reported the same thing, and one brought a specimen ofthe dust. He said it fell in such quantities that he could not keep his poop clean by ' continual sweeping. The dust appears like very finely powdered pumice, containing minute particles of mica, Although the greater part of the shores of the Red Sea are of igneous origin, no aotive vol cano has been known in modern times, save in the Zebeier islands, one of which was observed in a state of activity by the commander of the Indian Navy steamer Victoria, in, I think, August, 1846.