Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-03-19

Z
lnetrated into il.
From the 10th to the 10Th the at
Emosphere still continued very thick
land dusky from the ashes that re-
NAMED suspended the rays of the
IsuD scarce able TO penetrate through
lit, with little or no wind the whole
time,
On the;morning of the 18th weigh
led from Macassa, with a very light
wind, and on the 18th made the
island of Snmbawa on approaching
the coast passed through great guam
Iti!ies Of pumice stone floating on
the sea, which at first had the ap
lpearance of shoals, so much so, that
Ii hove to and sent boat to examine
lone, which at the distance OF less
than a mile took for dry sand
[oank. upwards Of 8 miles in length,
with black rocks.npon several parts
Iof it, concluded it to have been
Thrown up during the eruption-it
IBroved TO be complete mass Of pu
fmice stone floating on the sea. some
Inches in depth with great numbers
1of large trunks Of trees and logs a
lmongst It, that appeared toGe burnt
md shivered as il blasted by light
ming. The boat had much difficulty
lin pulling through it and until we gel
Into the entrance Of Bima bay. the
sea was literary covered with shoals
lof pumice and coating timber.
On the 29th arrived in Bilna bay !;
fin coming to auchsr. grounded on
the bank, off Bima town, shoalins
suddenly from s fathoms as the
tide was rising, hove off again with
I0ut any difficulty or damage. L
Imagine the anchorage at Bima must
lhaye altered considerably. as where
we grounded the Ternate eruizer a
few months since lay at anchor In six
Rfathoms. The shores Of the bay
had most dreary appearance, being
Ientirely covered with ashes. even up
Ito The summit of the mountains
the perpendicular depth ofthe ashes
AS measured ia the vicinity OF lima
town, L found to be three inches and
three quarters.
From the account given me by the
residents of Bima. it appears that
thr erHpsion proceeded from the
Fromboro mountain, situated about 40
miles to the westward CT BiEsa. On
the lath the explosion he repre-
sents as most terrific. and compared
hem 10 heavy mortar fred close
TO his ear.
Tae darkness commenced about
h in the mornins and continued I'm
It'll the middle Of the day, AZ hours
Longer than it did at Ssacassar. The
lialI of ashes was SO heavy as to
Ihreak The roof Of the residency
mouse in many places. and render il
tuninhahitabIe, as well as many other
lhonses in the town.
The wind was still during the
whole time, but the sea uncommonly
Iagitated, the waves rolled in up"n
1.-The shore and filed the lower part
Iof the house foot deep /; every prov
and boat was forced from the an
Icorage and driven on shore i; se@l
yeral large pfows are new laying al
considerable distance above high wa
ter mark.
At the time Of our arrival at Biina
Inc accounts whatever had been re-
Iceiyed Of the state OF the country
since the eruption; messenger had
been dispatched by the Resident of
Sumbawa three days before, ano
|ther was sent 10 Tombaro fmme
|diately after we landed ; as he was
Expected to be back the third day, u
determined to wait his return.
On the 22d the Dispatch coun
fry ship arrived in the bay from Am
vessel had mistaken al
bay called Dampo Sampler bay t ri
Bins and had gone into it ; her
boat WAS ON shore at Sanjier, theI
Rata of which place Informed
fhe officer, that che greater part OF
the town and number 81 the PEG