'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎139] (272/458)

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Art. III .—The Volcanoes of India. By Da. Buist.
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ioner and Surveyor,
.let, Secretary to I
VOLCANOES.
1. In touching in last year’s Report on the subject of volcanoes
an d volcanic appearances, real or supposed, in India, I was led to the
conclusion that there were in all likelihood not a few of these which
wanted sufficient proof to satisfy us of their reality ; and I instanced
two cases as probably belonging to this category—that of the erup
tion in the Zebayer Islands, described by Captain Barker as seen in
]846, and the luminous appearance off the coast of Arracan, which, in
mv inability of lay my hands on the account of the matter which I
knew had been published somewhere, I thought very likely to have
been the result of some of those luminosities which are now known to be
of such frequent occurence at sea. On both points I have since seen
good reason to change my opinion, and the occasion of making the re
quired correction seems to be a favourable one for the preparation of a
short paper on volcanic phenomena in India. My own means of ob
servation have been in this matter very limited—the only volcanic
regions I have actually examined are those to the westward of Kurra-
chee, and on the South Arabian coast, and those of the Red Sea. Much
of the most important information in existence on the subject lies hid in
the Reports of the Meetings of the Bengal Asiatic Society, which have
unfortunately not been indexed, the Table of Contents and Index to the
Papers affording no light as to what occurs at the meetings. The sub
ject is the more important as it is obvious from the latest editions of the
works of Sir C. Lyell and Mrs. Somerville that they have fallen in
with only a small portion of what has been published on the vol
canic phenomena of India.
The following letters will set the question as to the Zebayer erup
tion completely at rest :—
“ Sir,W ith reference to an article which appeared in the Bombay Times
of 9th ultimo, wherein you supopose i 1 was misled by appearances, in mistaking the
smoke issuing from the Hindostan steamer, for smoke issuing from the summit of
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