History of the Azores, or Western Islands. Containing an account of the government, laws, and religion, the manners, ceremonies, and character of the inhabitants: and demonstrating the importance of these valuable islands to the British Empire / Illustrated with maps and other engravings. [Anon].

  • Ashe, Thomas, 1770-1835.
Date:
1813
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: History of the Azores, or Western Islands. Containing an account of the government, laws, and religion, the manners, ceremonies, and character of the inhabitants: and demonstrating the importance of these valuable islands to the British Empire / Illustrated with maps and other engravings. [Anon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    320/344 (page 290)
    and a low subterraneous noise was heard at the same time, but which increased in detonation, at intervals, to such a degree, as to cause the windows of the houses to shake. From producing that effect it began to vomit vast quan- tities of melted matter instead of water which it was accus- tomed to cast up, and the earth roared and laboured most dreadfully. For several days the island continued in a state of fermentation, and night and day the most awful appearances and rumbling noises were seen and heard. At length the moment of the final and fatal catastrophe arose. It commenced its career with a hideous bellowing, which was succeeded by loud claps of apparent thunder, and in an instant after the whole island appeared one liquid stream of fire. The thick cloud of smoke was so great, that the darkness was equal to that of midnight, or at least so great as to render the ignited matter more bright, terrific, and clear. The largest stream took its course towards the beautiful little town of Ursula, the inhabitants of which, under an impression that the entire island was devoted to total annihilation, flocked to the convents and churches, and abandoned themselves to prayer or to despair. They saw no reasonable grounds for hope, for at every clap of thunder, or rather at every explosion which resembled the report of the largest artillery, the earth opened in different places and cast up red hot stones, scoria?, and