Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-03-02
TIE ERUPTION OF sumBA,ya.

This was, perhaps, one of the most appalling
and extraordinary fatalities that ever bofel any
community, and the imagination y horriied on
its bare contemplation. No pen is adequate to
the task of its description; for, language is too
feeble to convey, fully, the overwhelming terri
bleness of the catastrophe. 1t commenced on
the 18th of April, 1915, and did not entirely
cease until the middle of July, following.
Like can emerald set in the slyerof the sea, ="
Sumbawa fourshcd in luxurient floral beauty,
the fairest of the Molucca or Spice Islands
The brilliant verdure of orical cline, fresh
ened by oft-recurring showers from the clouds
that hung in sublime and flntasticeform about
its mountain SUBMITS, rendered it delightful as
Eden. The happy natives, unvexod with toll,
gathered from natures bountiful stores that sat-
isfcd their appetitcs, of fruit, or fsb. or fowl
Light-hearted and careless as h6"wnds that
murmurcd in their forests, they dreamed not of
the horrible doom impending over them.
Some time previous to the eruption, strange
mutterings were heard within the mountain,
and deep sighs, as of giantess in trivial The
lo,cly island sbuddcrod in conscious dread of it's
quick-coming obstruction, and air and sea
moaned and shivored in trembling sympathy.
The fatal morn arrived, and the sun, loom
ing up from his ocean bed, looked brightly down
upon scene Of beauty soon. alas to be blot
ted from lis sight. a death-lkc stiffness hung
upon the waters. Not ripple broke along the
beach, The fountains ceased to flow, rushing
back in alright to their secret sources in mid
Garth. \ sitting opprcssivcness settled down
upon land and sea. Nature held her breath.
A sob, groan from the very bosom of the
rock-ribbcd eartll--and louder than the mingled
roar of hundred laundering hurricanes, the
pentup wrath of the volcano burst forth. The
awful rcverboration was distinctly heard Il
thousand miles off! Instantly, thick, murky
clouds of smoke, ashes and cindcs obscurod the
sky, and settled down in darkness as appalling
and tangible as that which cursed Egypt. From
centre to circumference, u distance of three or
four hundred miles in every direction, it was
darker than tho darkest night. Great balls of
fire, and horrible lightning, binding as the
unmitigated glare Of tropical noon-day, ashed
through the gloom, fading only to leave it more
intensely profound. Showers, nay, fools Of
cnders and ashes poured down, crushing and
destroying houses, villages, and towns, and SUBJ
merging whole forests for forty miles around
and for hundreds of miles, the s,a was so COW
erod that ships could, with great difficulty, force
their way through the floating mass of rumicc
and scoria Six hundred miles away they lay
upon the waters, to the depth Of two feet or
more. Rivers of rcd-hot lava flowed unchecked
down the mountains sides, burning up the very
old woods, annihiating every vcstigc Of life and
beauty in their route, and wrapping large tracts
Of country in pals oS ,.tteia dSsaetioa. Ruins
and death gathered the entire island in their
cruel embrace, and out of its twelve thousand
inhabitants only twonty-six escaped The
sonl-harrowing particulars of their last agonies
no man shall write; for, Heaven has kindly
sealed them up.--Home Gazette