AN UNSTABLE ISLAND.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 3, 7 June 1900, Page 3

AN UNSTABLE ISLAND.

Falcon Island, the re-appearance of which after a long submersion, v\ xs reported by the officers of H M.S. Porpoise this week, owes its origion to submarine volcanic activity. Tho vessel Falcon passed it just after it was first thrown up, and the Auckland schoonor Maile, then running to tho islands, was in sight of it about the same time, when the island was in furious eruption. There is frequent change in the sen, bottom around Falcon Island, which lies to the southwest of the Yavau gro^p. Hot far from Falcon Island ara the active volcano islands of Tofoa, Leltie and Vanua-LEa, or Amugura. These islands hare immense craters, and aro constantly steaming, while thoir configuration alters occasionally, thiough volcanic action. When Falcon Inland was first thiown up it was visited by several mon-o' war and surveying vesbala, and was found to gradually 111- | crease in size. The ii.i£jn of Tonga, ( Great Britain, and the United States of America wore at various timc-a hoisted on it, and it is recorded that | some of the patfcies tsh.tfc landed t juud the place too hot to walk on. Eveatuftlly -she island was claimed by the Tonga Govetmuivjiib. A few } ears ago the island gtadually fell away between volcanic agency ci\d tho action ot cLo scr., until in 1893 its soil had disappeared below ilu> sin face of the sea, leaving only a hna of leoi and bho«l3 to mark its position.