Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-09-01
Tidal waves.


For several days past the waves along
our coast have been exceptionally high
and boisterous. This is not accounted
for by any storm on our Pacific sea with
in four Thousand miles Of Los Angeles.
but is readily accounted for by the
alarming number Of earthquakes in
Central America, South America and
the great hlands south Of Farther
India, under the Equator. The term
Farther-India was made when the Indies
were approached from the east. before
California was settled by Europeans;
but now, TO the people of California
that country is aearer-India, as it is
approached first in our westward voy-,
ages to the Indies.
On Thursday there was shock in
South America. and at the same time
the waves rolled high and wild all along
our shores. so much SO that the water
was SO rough at Ban Pedro that vessels
ceased unloading. On the island of,
Java the destruction was terrible. On
the shore side Of the city of Batavia
20, 900 Chinese wery ept away by the
overwhelming and pcrished-
There were tb< shese great waves
that swept y .s and carried away
the people wns ID fled from the volca-
noes that poured out lava in the noun.
tains. They had an enemy in front and
rear. Those who survived saw the rich
fields Of coffee, rice, sugar ard indigo
utterly destroyed. 1t is supposed that
500 Americans and English perished in
Batavia alone. The people of Los
Angeles can have no conception Of the
horrors of such scene. In the peace
and quistude that prevail here we be-
come unmindful of the blessedness of
our remarkable security. The widest
Imagination cannot reach the horrors Of
such scene. The island of Java con-
tains eighteen times the population Of
the whole State Of California. and all
were in bodily peril at intervals. forlihree
days and nights. A dispatch via London
gives very full description Of the awful
visitation which destroyed tens Of
thousands Of lives and disturbed tho sea
of our own shore, that caused ths death
of Samuel L. Eaines and Captain Cox
by the unexpected violence Of the DASH
ing waves. The London dispatch says:
1t is impossible to make any estimate Of
the great pecuniary loss. Anier, the
European and American quarter, was
first overwhelmed by rocks, mud and
lava from the crater, and then the
waters came up and swallowed the ruins.
leaving nothing to mark the site, and
causing the loss of somewhere in the
neighborhood Of 200 lives OF the inhabi-
tants, and those who had tried to take a
refuge there. Bantam, once. prosper
GUS native city. but practically aban.
doned by Europeans many years ago,
was entirely covered by water, and
there must have been from 1900 to
1900 of the people drowned at
that place. The island of Zerand, Just
off the coast, was completely inundated.
and not soul remains on it to tell the
tale of disaster and death. At Cherebin
there was no great food of waters. but
the loss of life and property by rocks
and the flow Of lava must have been
considerable. Buetsnzorg suffered very
seriously. as did Samarang. Gag, Lakerta,
Sourakerta and Sourabaya, while the
meaere reports from the lesser towns in
dictate that their loss was as great in
proportion. The Thousand Temples"
at Brambanan were very much damaged
and some Of them destroyed. Some Of
She domes Of the noted Temple Of Boro-
bodo were crushed in by the huge fall
ing rocks.
While there can be no accurate esti
mate formed at present of the loss Of
life, it must be apparent, when it is con-
sidered that the island has population
of more than is, 900. 600, that the death
list will foot far up into the thousands.
All the lighthouses in the Strai Of
Sunda have disappeared, and where the
Mountain Kramatar once stood the sea
now flows The aspect of Sunda Strait
is much changed and navigation is dam
gerous.