Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-08-28

obstructive course, and causing the sea tt
boil wherever they came in contact. Tht
hot springs opened up and cast out aoot
of boiling water, which destroyed and car
ried away what the fire had spared. The
sea, obedient to an unusual impulse, lashec
the rocks with frightful violence, dashed
upon the shore and heayed itself with wild
haste against the land, as if it strove to over
master the FIRE stream.
This frightful picture of destruction, the
horror Of which was increased by the shrieks
of men and beasts, the wild roaring OF the
tempest, and the crashing of thousands of
trees torn up and carried away. was fol-
lowed, about an hour later, by peaIs OF thun-
DER which shook the ground and deatened
the ear. A black column Of stone and ashes
then shot up from the mountain to an i'm
mense height, and fell, illumsd by the glare
of the lava, Ike shower of fire upon the
surrounding country below, producing dark
ness that, on,y now and then momentarily
broken by the flashes of lightning, was so
intense, that people could Tot discern CO.
jects close at hand. and which completed
their confusion and despair. Large stones
we're hurled through the air, crushing what
ever they fell upca. Houses and CROPS,
which had not been te7,rpye; D. IRE, sunE
and disappeared beneath lH' as.,es ard
stones. and the hill stresr,s. $. gngd bg these
barriers, formed lakes, which, breaking oFe-
their banks. soon proYe1 LeH soacce Of
destruction.
This lasted some hears. About miduigh.
the raging elements sank TO rest; bat on
the following day about noon, t3ey again re-
sumed their work of destruction with re-
newed violence. In The meantime, the fall
of ashes continued without internission. 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 fright, The inhabitants Of this desolated
part OF Sangir were again disturbed By an
eruption On the 18th March, which destroy
ed many fields and great number Of trees
on 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 crack and assures in the ground. The
streams of lava on the slopes are still so
slightly cooled that people dare not venture
to any great distance from the shore. Ac-
cording to The accounts of the natil es. the
top of the mountain does not appear to have
undergone any msterial alteration.
On the other side of Kandhar, On the ex
treme North point of the leland, the appear
ance of the devastation which has been
caused, is if possible even more fris htful
than what has taken place at Taruna. For
here, here formerly there were to be seen
exit nsive fields bearing al. kinds of crops,
and tlickIy planted and endless groves Of
cocoa mute, we find nothing but lava, stones |
and ashes. The liquid fire ct this point,
seems to have flowed from the mountain
with irresistible force and in prodigious
quantity. Not only has this fearful fool, as
i were, buried the whole district and all
hat upon it, but after having caused this
destruction over an extent OF several miles,
t was still powerful enough on reachingt the
shore, to form two long tanjongs icapes) at
places where the depth of water formerly
consisted of many fathoms.
A number of other districts a& places
,ave been, some wholly destroyed, others
,reatly injured by the fire.
The loss of lie has been great. L Is es-
imalsd as follows, in the undermen'ioneG
districts: Taruns, men, women and children,
I22; ksDphar, men, women and children,
Is; Tabukan, men, women and children,
sos.
The greater number met their death in
he gardens. They fed in all directions,
5ut were overtaken ard swallowed by the
atal fre-stream. Some tried 10 save them
selves in the trees, but were either carried
away with them, OF killed by the scorching
heat. At kalsngang and TorisDg the houses
we're filed with people, who were stopped !.
n their flight by me ava streaming down
On all sides and the streams :, boiling wafer,
Ind who met their deaIh under ina burning |
ashes and the iumbling houses. Many who |
lad reached the shore and thought them
selves safe, became prey to the furious !
waves, and many died through sheer despair
and agony.