The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-14

nut groves), there was nothing but a wilder
ness more resembling the bottom of the sea
than anything else; rocks of coral stones and
sea-shells strewn everywhere. Some of these
solid masses of coral lying miles inward
could not be less than 100 tons in weight.
Arriving at Merak, tine path was strewn with
pieces of iron, while here and there were por-
lions of the bedding and furniture of the
houses of the Europeans We were informed
officially that the number of bodies buried in
the district we came through was ,, 700. The
volcanic wave must, in my opinion, have
been even higher than the general estimate
of 100 feet and base my opinion on the fact
that the official height of the small hill of
Merak is thirty-fve meters (115 feet, while
the wave which swept away the houses
must of course, have been still higher than
the top of the hill, and this add-
tional height L estimate to be twenty
feet. This fact ascertained pretty accurately
by careful estimate of the height from the
ground of wreckage attached to the stems of
couple of cocoanut trees still standing
This would give here, at all events, total
height of 1876 feet, and l con firmed this by
further observations al another place. On
the top of the hill at Merak the whole COM
munity OF workmen took refuge when the
first wave came, at A. NJ, and fancying
themselves safe, they returned again, when
the second and much higher wave, at 9 A. NJ,
came and swept them all away. Our
next point was to get back to our kahars
and make for AMER. We soon again came
on the traces of destruction, the sea here
having entered long valley just below Till
egon, as far as six miles inland, forming a
great lagoon. Proceeding further on the
road from Tjilegon to AMER, we came to the
old post station Tjiadieng, not one stone
of it Notwithstanding, men and horses
having been carried away. Pushing on, we
found the road had been well repaired till
within three miles of AMER, and altogether
the energy displayed everywhere by the
government is beyond all praise Hun
dreds of people were at work in
all directions, remaking roads, clearing
away trees, burning rubbish, and strewing
the ashes on the sea-swept soil, in the hope
of future improvement. Everywhere, in
TACT, there was activity and energy, and where
our road ended, and we had to walk there
were rows of rice carts, and the grain was
being given out by native officials to the vari-
Gus headmen for distribution in their viii
lagos The appearance of the country was
even more wretched than before, and from
the hill on the AMER shore looking north
east to Merak, eleven miles distant, and in
land to the foot of the hills four to five
miles, this wedge-like plain of an area of
about forty miles is one vast scene of desola-
ton, being completely swept from end to
end, and not one house or tree to be seen.
Many thousands were lost here. Getting
around this hill, we came at once into the
valley of AMER a semi-circle of four miles
from point to point, and extending two miles
inland with a fine range of hills closing all
in. In the center of this plateau, and front
ing the sea, was originally situated the town
of AMER, but from where we stood, on first
turning the corner of the path, there was
nothing to be seen but lagoons, with here
and there great powders cast about and not
a vestige of a house.
We proceeded, however, and at length
came upon the site of the town and fort. OF
the fort there is almost nothing left great
blocks of masonry being cast inland; of the
town still less, for not one stone is to be seen
above another. Mr.. Schmidt, who lost seven
of his relations, went to look for his house,
but could not find a trace of il, and after
time, he concluded that the river, which
formerly formed the creek, had changed its
course, and was flowing over the spot where
his house and tina. of the assistant Resident
once stood. There was not even a ruin,
everything having been RACED to the ground,
and it was difficult to realize that the town
of AMER had ever existed. One of the promi-
nent landmarks of AMER was high monu-
ment here to British officer of Sir Stamford
Raffies's time, Colonel or General Cathcart,
but there is not trace of itleft. The grave,
however, is intact, as the solid masonry over
it has not been carried away. From AMER
we could see looming up in the distance the
old volcanic peak of Krakatoa, though the
rest of the island, with the new and terrible
crater, had disappeared. The peak Of Pulo
Sbessie was also distinctly visible.