Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-08-27
Erightfui Earthquake in the PyoIEe-
cls-ErupfiOn of u VOicano-Tnree
Thousand Lives Lost.

| From the London Times
The Indian mail brings adyices of another of
| those dreadful earthquakes for which Ternati
and the adjoining localities in the Mouccas are
proverbiat An eruption Of the active volcano
on the island of Great sangir, in long. l25 deg.
30 min b., and lat. deg. SO min. n, has oc
cured. The northwestern part Of the Island of
/ Great Sangr is formed by the mountain AVN,
which has several peaks, the highest being about
! 1000 feet above the sea. On the west side the
mountain runs very deep into the sea, at the
height of the large village Kandhar, however,
falling away to a low promontory
Between and O'Clock on the evening of the
I'd or March, sudden and altogether indescr-
bablc crashing noise was heard, which, indica-
ting to the Sangirese an eruption of the volca-
no, filed them with CONSERVATION. Simultane-
ously with this, the glowing lava streamed down
wards with irresistible force in different dirtc-
tons, bearing with it whatever it encountered on
its destructive course, and causing the sea to
boil wherever they came in contact The hot
springs opened up and cast out a food of boil
ing water, which destroyed and carried away
what the fire had spared. The sea, obedient to
an unusual impulse, lashed the rocks with fright
full violence, dashed upon the shore and heaved
itself with wild haste against the land as if it
strove to overmaster the fire stream
1 This frightfnl picture of destruction, the hor-
ror of which was increased by the shrieks of
men and beasts, the wild roaring of the tenn
pest, and the crashing of thousands of trees,
torn ND and carried away, was followed, about
an hour later, by peas Of thunder which shook
the ground and deafened the ear. A black col
umn of stone and ashes then shot up from the
mountain to an immense height, and fell illu-
mined by the glare of the lava, like a shower
of fire upon the surrounding country below, pro-
ducing a darkness that, only now and then mo-
mentarily broken by the flashes of lightning,
was so intense that people could not discern OBJ
iects close at hand, and which completed their
confusion and despair Large stones were hurl-
ed through the air, crushing whatever they fell
upon. Houses and crops which had not been
destroyed by fire, sunk and disappeared beneath
the ashes and stones, and the hill streams stop
ped by the barriers, form lakes which, break
ing over their banks, soon proved new source
Of destruction.
| This lasted some hours About midnight the
raging elements sank to rest; but on the fol-
lowing day, about noon, they again resumed
their work of destruction, with renewed vio-
icnce. In the meantime, the fall of ashes con-
tinued without intermission, and was so thick
on this day that the rays of the sun could not
penetrate through it, and an appalling darkness
prevailed.
Scarcely recovered in some degree from their
|
Sangir were again disturbed by an eruption on
the 18th of March, which destroyed many fields
and great number of trees ON the Tabukan
side
Since then the volcano has remained quiet
and the only symptom of its working has been
the smoke rising up in all directions from cracks
and assures in the ground. The streams of Ia
va on the slopes are still so Slightly cooled that
people dare not venture to any great distance
from the shore. According to the accounts OF
the natives, the top of the mountain does not
appear to have undergone any noticeable alter
alton. IL"
On the other side of Kandhar on the extreme
north point of the island, the appearance of the
devastation which has been caused, is, if posi-
BILE, even more frightful than what has taken
place at Taruna. For here, where formerly there
we're to be seen extensive fields bearing all kinds
of crops, and thcKly planted and endless groves
of cocoa-nuts, we now find nothing but lava,
stones and ashes. The liquid fire seems at this
point to have flowed from the mountain with an
irresistible force and in prodigious quantil;e s
Not only has this fearful food, as it were, buri-
ed the whole district and all that was upon it,
but after having caused this destruction over
an extent of several miles, it was still powerful
enough on reaching the shore, to form two long
tanjongs (capes) at places where the depth OF
water formerly consisted of many fathoms.
A number of other districts and places have
been, some wholly destroyed, others greatly in
iured by the fire.
The loss of life has been great. 1t is estima
ted as follows, in the aforementioned districts
Taruna, men, women and children, 722; Kand.
har, men, women and children, 45 Tabukan,
men, women and children, 1893; total 2,S06.
The greater number met their death in the
gardens. They fed in all directions, but were
4. ~, ,tnl ftrp-
stream. Some tried to save themselves in the
trees, but were either carried away with them
or killed by the scorching heat
At Kalangan and Tarang the houses were fill
ed with people, who we're stopped in their flight
by the lava streaming down ON all sides and the
streams of boiling water, and WHO met their
death under the burning ashes and the tnlnbng
houses. Many who had reached the shore and
thought themselves safe, became prey to the
furious waves, and many died through sheer
despair and agony.
One of the newly-inyented steam pianos has
been attached TO the engine of the steamer
Glen Cove, running between Albany and New
York. The music is heard eight miles, anu the
inhabitants of the river towns are in the daily
enjoyment of popular tunes by "steam for the
million" .,.. .-.
private note from Hon. Charles Summer
dated at Cresson, on the Allegheny Mountains
on Friday last, informs US that be lis, at last
conyalescent, the mountains air having had q
beneficial effect For three days he had beer
able to ride on horseback. 1t is, however, still
uncertain how long he may yet be obliged te
forego all mental labor, and especially the ex
element of public speaking.-[N Y. Trib,, 10Th
ABANDONING A SINKING SHIr.-The Pittsbure
Gazette truly says that the basest political trick
of the present day is, the abandonment of Fill