'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎140] (273/458)

VOLCANOES OF INDIA,
Saddle Island, one of the Zebayer group,’ I beg to forward the accomna *
statement from Captain Lovell, of the P. and Q. steamer Oriental ^
that time in command of the Hindostan,) by which you will perceive it to if
impossible I could have made such a mistake ; and it will also account for Ca ,9
Lovell not noticing the smoke issuing from the island, inasmuch as we must 1 ^
been in a line with the island from the Hindostan at the time she saw us l 376
perfectly convinced there was neither mistake nor delusion. The smoke was fT 11
pointed out to me by the Assistant Surgeon, Nicolson, and seen by all on board the
Victoria, not at one moment, but at different periods ; and at the time >
was first seen, the Hindostan was to N. N. W. of the Quoin Rock, the northern
most of the Zebayer group, and distant from the Victoria at least 16
18 miles, in a contrary direction, I should not have been justified in approachin
nearer to the island as we were “ dead to windward of it/’ and it was blowup
violently. The vessel’s speed being reduced from 7 to 4 J knots per hour ; force of
the wind 9, height of waves 5.—I remain, dear Sir, yours faithfully,
J. W. Barker, Commander, Indian Navy.
P. S,—With regard to no notice having been taken of the explosion by
the native craft, you must bear in mind that the island is quite out of their track
inasmuch as they always navigate the inner channel ; and even supposing they had
seen if, they would probably have viewed it with the same apathetic indifference
our Arab pilot did—merely exclaiming, £ Verily, it is the work of evil spirits,’
14th August, 1846.
8 A. M,—Passed Jibbel Teer all sail set, with a light breeze from Nd.
9. —-A heavy black cloud, rising rapidly from the S. W., which in half an hour
formed into about a dozen large waterspouts.
10. — Saw the Quoin Rock.
10.30.—The squall burst upon us with heavy rain and blowing furiously, with
much lightning and a continuous roll ot thunder, which had a very peculiar sound,
as if close upon the water. Hauled out S. by W. Ship steering previously S. S,
L. At 11.30 the rain abated a little : saw the Zebayer Islands bearing easterly,
distant about 7 miles—and a steamer between us and the islands, distant from us
about 4 miles* i. he weather continued thick and squally, with much lishfcninv
till we got as far as Mocha.
The Barometer was very slightly affected by it.
Henry P. Lovell,
Acting Commander Steamer Hindostan.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE “ BOMBAY TIMES.”
Sir,—III your paper of the 14th September, under the head of Transactions
f fbe Bombay Geographical Society, you give a long extract from a report
furnished m 1846 by Commander Barker, of the Indian Navy, regarding a strange
appearance presented by one of the Zebayer Islands in the Red Sea. This report
is quoted by you with the view (as you suppose) of strikingly illustrating the fact,
that men are apt to jump at strangely erroneous conclusions when they aiiow more
1 imagination than to the ordinary forms of observation
I bat Commander Barker was not thus misled, and that his imaginative faculties
did not afford him the sligiitest aid in making this report, but that he simply stated
what he saw, is very soon and very easily proven. As [ was on board the sfceam-
vessel Victoria at the time that Commander Barker alludes to,—and as 1
believe 1 was the first person that noticed the singular appearance detailed in ^
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