The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-11-05
The Java Earthquake.
Balls of Fire Falling Upon "A ships Beck
Ashes Three Feet Deep-Kemarkablo
Experience of a British Ship.

In the Algemein Dagblad of the Dutch In
dies there is an account of some OF the most
appalling features of the eruption at Java.
supplied by the captain Of the Greenock ship
Berbice, which was in the Straits at the time.
The following is translation of his narrative:
On Sunday afternoon, at 2 o'clock, we were
twenty miles straight in the south of Wake
Hook. Ahead it looked very dark and threat
ening, and the sun was burning hot. All
small sails were taken in. At O'Clock the
weather remained threatening, and all topsails
were taken in. At o'clock there was heavy
thunder and lightning, and a sudden and
heavy rain Of ashes. 1t was then quite dark.
At midnight the rain of ashes increased
strongly, and was mixed with pieces of pum-
ice stone. The lightning and thunder became
worse. The flashes of lightning shot above
and around the ship. Every now and then
balls of fire fell on deck and burst into sparks.
l saw the light fall on the ship just before we
heard an awful rumbling and shaking, and
saw the sparks fly about on all sides of the
ship, sometimes on deck, sometimes in the
tackle. The man at the wheel received
heavy shocks in the arm; the brass rim Of the
wheel became burning hot through the electric
discharge. This phenomenon of fire fall
ing on ths ship repeated itself every moment
Now and then a sailor complained of having
been struck. set his mind at ease on the
subject, and tried to make him disbelieve It,
until L myself, clinging with one arm to some
ropes of the tackle, and my head bent to
avoid the awful rain of ashes that swept over
us, received severe shock in my arm. had
to let go, and could not stir for q few minutes.
1 now had sails put on the hatchways for fear
that my cargo would be set on fire. I also had
the wheel fastened, and ordered all the mon
down below, remaining alone with the mate,
Morland, on deck.
On Monday at 2 a. m. there lay three feet Of
ashes on the ship. Time after time / had to
| work my legs free from the layer Of ashes 30
as not TO get them entirely buried Though
| the weather, the terrible electric phenomenon
and the noise continued uninterruptedly,
now called on hands on deck 70 work away the
ashes by lanterns. The ashes were hot, be-
cause, although one did not notice it at the
moment of contact with the skin, little holes
were burnt by the bigger pieces in the cloths
and sails. at o'clock a. N. IL was still pitch
dark, and the rain of ashes grew worse. The
crew were busy clearing away the ashes. At
IL o'clock a. m. a strong continuous wind came
from the southeast; it seemed inclined to yeer
and made the ship lie on her side. At O'Clock
p. m. heavy sea came up: suddenly il rose 20
feet high and overwhelmed the ship, shaking
her from the bow to the wheel. With all this
the storm continued. The quicksilver and the
hands OF the barometer did not stop for q mo
ment, but went up and down from % inches to
80 inches aninterruptedly. was anxious to
down below aud found that they had stopped
through the shock to the ship. At D. m. the
darkness and the storm still continued, but the
sea was comparatively calm. By the light of
| the lightning one saw a sea of pumice stone
| extending on all sides. At midnight the
| weather was inclined to moderate, aud the
| lightning became more distant
| On Tuesday at 4 a. M, the weather was lit
| tie calmer. We hoisted the lower maintop-
sail. At 5 o'clock we saw daylight again; tile
| weather was calm and bright. The whole ship
was full of ashes, about eight English inches
| thick; on the yards and on the ropes lay a mix
| ture of mud with the ashes. Upon the whole,
| 40 tons of ashes must have been cleared from
| the ship. 1 put more sail on, and at II o'clock
| under full sail we steered on Java's Head.
| The thick layer of pumice stone prevented us
making much speed. At midnight the light
was seen on Java's Head. When we passed
| Seinsenciland we saw great rocks Of pumice
stone from 18 English inches to 2 feet thick.
| 1u the afternoon we passed eastward from
Krakatau. What could see was that that
| island was separated into three parts by two
| gaps. The sea still remained covered with
| pumice stone, and here and there we saw dead
bodies floating. During those dreadful "a
ho9rs nobody had ever thought about eating
| and drinking.