hurled his thunder on the passing mariner. The most enlightened seamen of the present day, among whom might be included the Master of our vessel, maintain, with testimony which it is difficult to dispute, that in stormy weather they have observed a lambent flame playing upon the face of the precipice of Samos, about two-thirds of its height from the surface of the water. Many, say they, are the vessels this natural Phanar has rescued from destruction, by the guidance it affords during the thick fogs of the winter season. They further allege, that the natives of Samos have frequently gone up the mountain, in dark tempestuous weather, to seek this fire, but have never been able to discover whence it issues. For my own part, I do not doubt the fact. It is probably one of those exhalations of ignited hydrogen gas, found in many parts of the world, and always most conspicuous in hazy and rainy weather; as in the instance of the burning vapour at Pietra Mala in Tuscany, and many other in different parts of Persia. That of Samos, perhaps, from its inaccessible situation, rendered still more difficult of approach in stormy weather, might escape the search of the natives, and yet be visible from a considerable distance at sea3. Approaching the yawning chasm, Nature, in (3) An anecdote, very characteristic of the Turks, relating to an occurrence a short time previous to our travels in Turkey, proves that lights are sometimes exposed, by the Samians themselves, to guide vessels in these Straits. A Turkish frigate, during her passage through the Boccaxe of Samos, was wrecked upon the rocks of that island. The Turkish Admiral insisted upon being paid the value of the frigate by the inhabitants; and when these, regretting that they had not gone up with lights, maintained their innocence, as to the loss of the frigate, the Mahometan exclaimed, "You will admit one argument! Would the wreck have happened, if your island had way?" not been in the CHAP. VII. Burning Vapour. CHAP. VII. View of Patmos and the Cyclades. in one of her awful convulsions, has here opened to the SALVATION AND GLORY AND HONOUR AND POWER. (1) "And I saw, as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire." Rev. xv. 2. How PATMOS. at six Leagues distance to the SW with the Monastery of the Apocalypse on the Heights. E by Eliz Byrne. |