Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1883-09-08

| Dispatches from the isianu OF Java give
thrilling descriptions of the terrible VOL
canic disturbances which have recently
caused so much destruction there.
The first eruptions were or Saturday
night. On Sunday morning the disturb
ances had extended beneath the waters of
the strait, and they were soon boiling and
Kissing violently, while great waves
dashed upon the Javanese shores. Even
as far away from the original point Of dis
turbance as Madura, more than 800 miles,
the furious waves were dashed into noun
tains of foam as they came rolling in. The
threatening rumblings gradually became
more and more distinct, and by noon the
Maha Meru, the largest Of the volcanoes
of Java, was belching forth flames at an
alarming rate. This eruption soon spread
to the Cunning, the crater of which is the
largest in the world, being nearly four
miles In diameter, the Cunning Gunter,
and many other minor mountains, until
more than third of the forty-five craters
of Java were in active eruption or seri-
ously threatening it.
Just before dusk great luminous cloud
formed over the Cunning Gunter, and the
crater of that volcano began to vOmit up
enormous streams of white acid, sulphur
Gus mud, and smaller quantities OF lava.
There were rapidly succeeding explo-
sions. followed by tremendous showers of
cinders and enormous fragments, which
wero hurled high into the air and scat
tered i'm all directions, to fall upon the
valleys below, carrying death and destruc-
ton. With these terrible eruptions came
sympathetic demonstrations from the sea.
The oyerhanging clouds were so sur
charged with electricity that at one time
more than fifteen huge waterspouts were
seen. Men, women and children rushed
I'm terror from their lettering houses, fill
inc the air with their shrieks of horror.
Hundreds were unable to get out before
the houses fell, and were buried beneath
the great masses of rocks and mud which
were piled up where few hours before
all had been peace and fancied security.
The peak of Cunning Tcngger, which
has not had an eruption since the year
1900. is 5000 feet above the sea, and the
monument of flame on top of this made
scene of wonderful grandeur. Every mo-
ment huge boulder at red or white
heat would be hurled from Tengger's era
ter with terrific force, and, after going
hundreds of feet into the air, would fall
back with a whirr, crashing through the
matched roof Of some Chinese fisherman
hut. or crushing beneath its huge mass
the body of some native peasant. Fissure
after fissure appeared in the sides OF the
maintains. and here and there in the val
leys there came great yawning ehasms.
Much of the northern portion OF the
island, which was covered with tracts OF
forests, was soon III one great blaze. The
red-hot yomitings from the craters had
set the trees on fire, and the giants OF the
woods fell one after another, like so many
sheayes of wheat before gale. AS the
cruptions increased in frequency and vlo-
leucc the disturbance of the waters sur
rounding the barren coast became more
and more violent. Here the waves rushed
in terrific force up the steep, rocky i'll
cline. breaking upon the overhanging
craes and receding rapidly, leaving a lava
flow cooled just at the moment when IL
WAS about to fall over Il preclpicc, ana
there remaining, quickly hardened by
contact with the waters, and forming dls-
tinct strata of black and bright red, pur-
nile and brown, all thrown about i'll the
most eccentric masses, while huge peaks
Of basalt rose at frequent intervals. There
the waves came whelming over marShy
plain along the shore, suddenly enSuiiih%
| q hamlet of fishermen rude houses, and,
turning suddenly back, swept away al
most every vcstige Of what pOmcnt be-
fore had been a scene of bustlng activity.
What few hours before were fertile
valleys. covered with flourishing planta-
tons of coffee, rice, sugar, indigo or to-
bscco. the staples of the island, were now
but mud, stone and lava-covered fields
of destruction and ruin. Probably not
single crop in Java will be saved.
A special dispatch from London gives
4 graphic description of the eruption on
Monday from the Papandayang, noun
tain ,O34 feet high. Three distinct col
umns of flame were seen to rise from the
mountain to vast height, and its whole
surface soon appeared as if covered with
fairy lava streams. which spread to great
distances on all sides. The rise OF aqueous
vapor produced the appearance of a col
umn several thousand feet high based on
the edge of the crater, and appearing from
= distance to consist of mass of innumer-
able globular clouds of extreme white
ness, resembling vast balls of cotton roll
ing one over the other as they assembled,
impelled by the pressure Of fresh supplies
necessarily urged upwards by the contin-
ned explosion. At a great height the
column dilated horizontally. and spread
into dark and turbid circular cloud, hay
ing the figure of an immense umbrella.
Forked lightning of great vividness and
beauty continually darted from different
| parts of the cloud.
Suddenly the scene was changed. The
mountain was split into seven parts with
out a moments warning, and where Pa
pandayang had stood alone there were
now seven distinct peaks looming up to u
great height In the seams opened could
be seen great balls of molten matter, and