Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-09-12
Frightful Earthquake in the
Mouccas.
THREE THotsAND LIVES LOST.


From ,l, London Times.
The Indian pail brings advice
OF another of hose dreadful earth
quakes for which Ternati and tn,
adjoining localities in the Moluccas
are proverbial. An eruption of the
active volcanobn the island of Grear
Sangir, in lon 1876 80 f., and lat
3 90 N. has occurred. The north.
western part q the island Of Great
Sangir is for1ed by the mountain
Awu, which las several peaks, the
highest beng about four thousand
feet above the sea. On the west
side the mountain runs verv steep
into the sea-At the height Of the
large village Il Kandbar, however,
falling awaylo a low promontory.
Between Sven and eight O'Clock
on the evening of the I'd Of March,
a sudden and altogether indescriba-
bic crashing uose was heard, which
indicating to The Sangirese an erup-
ton OF the volcano, filled them with
CONSERVATION. simultaneously with
this, the glowing lava sreamed
downward with irresistible force in
different directions, bearing with it
whatever It encountered on its de-
structive course, and causing the
sea TO boil wherever they came in
contact. The hot springs opened
up and cast ont flood of boiling
water which destroyed and carried
away what the fire had spared. -
The sea, obedient to the unusual
impulse, lashed the rocks with fear
tul violence, dashed upon the shore,
and heaved itself in wild haste a.
galust the land, as if it strove to o.
ver-master the fre-stream.
This frightful picture Of destruc-
ton, the horror of which was in
creased by the shrieks of men and
beast, the wild roaring Of the tenn
pest, and the crashing of thousands
of trees torn up and carried away,
was followed, about an hour later,
by peals Of thunder, which shook
the ground and deafened the ear.-
A black column of stones and ashes
then shot up from the mountain to
an immense hight, and fell, illumin-
ed by the glare of the lava, like a
shower of fire, upon the surround
ing country below, producing a
darkness that, only now and then
momentarily broken by the flashes
OF lightning, was so intense that
people could not discern objects
close at hand, and which completed
their confusion and despair. Large
stones were hurled through the ar,
crushing whatever they fell upon.
Houses and crops, which had not
been destroyed by fire, sunk and
disappeared beneath the ashes and
stones, aud the hill streams. stopped
hg these barriers, formed lakes,
which, breaking over their banks,
soon proved new source of destruc-
tion.
This lasted some hours. About
midnight the raging elements sank
to rest; but on the following day,
about noon, they resumed their work
Of destruction with renewed vio-
lence. In the mean time, the fall
of ashes continued without inter
mission and was so thick on this
day that the rays Of the sun could
not penetrate through it, and an ap-
palllng darkness prevailed.
Scarcely recovered in some de-
gree from their fright, the inhabi-
tants of this desolaled part of San
cir were again disturbed by an erup-
tion on the l7th of March, which
destroyed many fields and a great
number of trees on the Tabukan
side.
Since then the volcano has re-
mained quiet, and the only symp-
tom of It's working has been the
smoke rising up in all directions
from cracks 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 ma
tives, the top Of the mountain does
not appear to have undergone any
alteration.
On the other side of Kandhar, on
the extreme north point on the is
land, the appearance of the devasta-
tion which has been caused, is, i'll
possible, even more frightful than |
what has taken place at Taruna -
For here, where formerly there were |
to be seen extensive fields bearing
all kinds of crops, and thickly plant
ed and endless groves of cocoanuts,
we now find nothing but lava,
stones and ashes, The liquid fire |
seems at this point to have flowed |
from the mountain with irresistible |
force and in prodlgious quantity
Not only has this fearful flood, as it
were, buried the whole district and |
all that was upon it, but after hav-
ing caused this destruction over an
axtent of several miles IL WAS still /
powerful enough on reaching the
shore to form two long tonjons
(capes) at places where the depth Of
water formerly consisted of many |
fathoms.
A number of other districts and |
places have been, some wholly de-
stroyed, others greatly injured by
the fire.
The loss of life has been great
II is estimated as follows, i'll the un-