Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-08-30
s's'sAuals Ess,Aquake In the Melseca..
THREE THOUSAND LIVES LOST.

From the London Times
Inc Indian mail brings advicos Of another OF
tnose ureadful earthquakes for which Ternati and
the ad(oning localities in the Moluccas ara nro-
veroisi. An eruption of tho active volcano on
the Island of Great Sangr, in lon. l25 deo. 80
MIN T., and lat, deg. 50 min. N, has occurred.
Inc north western part Of the Island of Great
Sanglr Is formed by the mountain Avn, which
mas several peaks, the highest being about 4. 900
ABOVE .ne level of the scat the hight of the
large village Kandhar, however, falling awav to
low promontory.
Between ! and O'Clock on the evening Of the
"a OF Maroh, a sudden and altogether indescrib-
able crashing noise was heard, which indicating
TO the Sangirese an eruption Of the volcano. al.
leu them with CONSERVATION. Simultaneously
with this, the glowing lava streamed downward
with irresistible force in different directions. hear
Ing with it whatever it encountered on its destrnc.
i've course, and causing the sea to boil wherever
they came In contact. The hot springs opened up
and cast out u food Of boiling water, which de-
stroyed and carried away what the fire had shared.
Tho sea, obedient to an unusual impulse. LASH
cd the rocks with fearful violence, dashed upon
the shore and heaved itself in wild haste against
stream. NV
This frightful picture Of destruction. the hor
ror OF which was increased by the shrieks of men
anu beasts, the wild roaring of the tempest. and
the crashing of thousands of trees tore nm and
carried away, was followed, about an hour later.
6y 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 i'm.
mense hight, and fell, illuminated by the glare
OF the lava, like q shower of fire upon the sur
rounding country below, producing darkness
that only now and then momentarily broken by
the flashes OF tightening, was so intense that peo.
pie could not discern objects close at hand. and
which completed their confusion and DESPAIR.
Large stones were hurled through tho air, crushing
whatever they fell upon. Houses and crops. which
had not been destroyed by fire, sunk and dis
appeared beneath the ashes and stones, and the
hull streams, stopped by these barriers, formed
lakes, which, breaking over their banks, soon
proved a new source of destruction,
This lasted some hours. About midnight the
raging elements Sank to yest but on the follow
ing day, about noon, they again resumed their
work Of destruction, with renewed violence. In
the mean time, the fall of ashes continued with
out 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
fright, the inhabitants of this desolated part of
the Sangir We're 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 lava 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 alteration.
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 possible.
nvn mi friO ~vho hoo
Taruna. For here. where formerly there were to
be seen extensive fields bearing ell kinds of crops,
and thickly planted with endless groves of cocoa
nuts, we now find nothing but lava, stones and
ashes. The liquid fire seems ct this point to have
flowed from the mountain with irresistible force
and in ppodigious quantity. Not only has this
fearful food, it were, buried 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 tonjOns (capes) at places where
the depth OF water formerly consisted of many
| fathQms.
A number of other districts and places have
| been, some wholly destroyed, others greatly in
jured by the fire.
The loss of life has been great. 1t is estimated
as follows, in the under mentioned districts Ia
runa, men, women and children, 1872; Rambler,
| men, women and children, As; Tabukan, men,
| women and children, 2,029; total, 2,SO6.
| The greater number met their death in the gar
dens. They fled in all directions, but were over
taken and swallowed up by the fatal 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 Tariang,
the houses were filled with people, who were stop
ped 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 tumbling houses. Many who had reached the
shore and thought themselves safe, became prey
| sheer despair and agony.