New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-02
KRAKATOA IN ERUPTION.

A SPECTACLE IN THE STREETS OF SJNDA.
SMOKE LIKE TREE OF RosEs-AsHgs FALLING
FOR THREE DAYs-sTORY or A SEA CAPTAIN
The German ship Herschel, Captain p. t.
Wiipper from Manila Philippine IsSnds with cargo of
hemp and sugar. arrived at this port Sunday after
voyage Of 76 days The vessel was covered with LAYER
of ashes three inches deep from the eruption on Kraka
toa small island of Java lying In he Straits of sunda
The vessel passed the island MAY 90 Captan
Wupper was seen at the Office OF Funeh Edge Co.. on
South William yesterday, and to TRIBUNE reporter
he related his experiences
ave passed Krakatoa and entered the Strata Of Sun
da" he said "on May 20; that months ahead
of the great eruption which destroyed so many lives and
caused such mighty upheavals u few weeks ago. The
Island of Kakatoa is small probably two or three miles
and lies west of the western Extremity OF Java
in the Straits Of sunda 1t high, covered with trees
and excee DINGHY rocky. It's outline from tho
straits is that Of huge mountain, with spur or iutting
hill on its edge. The eruption did not appear on
the main peak, but on the smaller one.
About IL a. We were passing Krakatoa, and were
OF about six miles The sky perfectly clear. tie
shining brightly aud lot cloud was 10 be seen.
There dead calm and the sea smooth as It
is with the usual swell The temperature nor
NAL and perceived nothing unusual in the appearance
OF the atmosphere. Suddenly l Observed white smoke
beginning issue from the top Of the smaller peak Of
Krakatoa began shoot up, up and up rapidly in
creasng in volume, spreading out aud clrcDg around
10 beautiful c"ntortions until the whole presented
wOndrOus and striking appearance more like hugo
rosen baum--ree Of roses, white Ones-than anything
elsewhich can think or The smoke, which purely
white rushed tremendous and piled itself up
huge Sometimes these shot rapidly; then
again they would swirl around In a swift circle OF mo-
ton, all producing most beautiful effect This feature
Of the phenomenon lasted until p. The white smoke
possibly 1t might have been steam-was accompanied
nv FumblinQ raspmbliuR that of SuppreSsed
thunder and this lasted until D. when tine wtio
smoke began 10 darkcn and grow darker and darker un
"The II undering ceased when the color Of the smoke
changed. ashes began to come out, this, 1 suppose
causing the blacke Hing OF the smoke The sky grew
darker and darker the ashes rose and spread out In
The heay until we could hardly see our way. At
p m. the sky hed with asues that they began to
settle down on the ship At TIE same time breeze
sprang from the southeast thus IOu0 wing u.s. as We
were steering OF the straits OF sunda. At M the
three iuChs deep all over the ship wherever
they could fud resting-pace All this time had seen
no flame and none appeared or course a M, when
the eruption began, the sky was 50 clear hhd te smoke
white It would have been difficult TO see ne, had
there been any. Flames may have appeared alter
the dark smoke out but the sky became 80 couded
with the ashes and clnders that u was polDe 20 see
whether there Flames II was three days before
the sky became clear as ashes continued hlIlhS upon
water. far I discovered, during the eruption 49,
'The sky, May %, finally cleared up IRON AFT Tho
ashes OF light gray color and VI ordinary weight
We found them useful for polishing purposes some OF
them but most OF them were nnc as nC as
-four aud these we have ised ior cIc.hhE physd MoO
and iOr polishing brass There's plenty OF them on
thes hip now come down and moron at Htr-
backs stores and we'll show you tho results Of expo
rience with the volcano OF krakatUa."
An old captain who used TO pass through the
Straits Of Suuda before he made fortune and lay by,
SAID tna something al Ways the matter Win k-
katoa. Whenever there was a heavy Storm" saiu he
II We were Ia sight OF kTakatOa, always observed
that II struck that island most heavily "heh ttie Wa"
gntungit always went into Krakatoa, and that par
cuar small hill seemed the OF attraction Just az
II there were immense net in it which attracted
the lightning. don't know What KrakatOa means, but
believe that the natives named IL irOm thSut nj, Of
there always seemed to Oe cracking OF something SONG
on around iL in It."