The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1884-05-07

other after a short interval, bad neutralized
each other at the spots where these vessels
CHANGED to be az the moment? Issuing from
the narrow straits into the oceans east and
west these immense waves started OH on
their journey round the globe, and from the
records Of the tide guages which are now CON-
ing in, we have 4 most remarkable tale IN
folded. On the afternoon of the same day that
the greater Of them swept away the Jayan
villages, the undnlations were registered un-
mistakably in Mauritius, the Seychelles, in
South Africa, and on the shores Of the Pacific
Islands; but as Mr.. LOckyer informs US, they
did not vanish there, but proceeded UPWARDS,
and crossing each other oii the antipodes of
Krakatau, journeyed back to the spot whence
they had emanated. and this they they did no
fewer than four times before the equilibrium
Of the sea was restored SO far as to be insensi-
bic TO our instruments. While the tide guaces
have recorded their story, the delicate fingers
Of the barUmetricll registers Of the world have
also borne unihhuenced testimony of a similar
kind. The blow which hurled such 4 mass Of
matter into the air, which originated hurri-
cane there and caused the barometers in the
neighborhoOd Of the volcano to rise and fall
with unparalleled rapidly and a vessel distant
800 miles 10 tremble, started an atmospheric
wave also round the globe. 1t was first detec-
/ ted in the Kew registers, we believe by General
! Srachey, who has now examined . large num-
/ Der Of Paragraphs, from which he has been
/ able to fix the dates at which the atmospheric
uudulatioRs passed various places on the
earth's surface. As in the sea, so in the air,
I two waves, one to the east and one to the west,
started from Krakatau, whose rate Of progress
\ has been found to be that Of sound. One sur
| prising circumstance, Of which we have as yet
IL Il L.
which were near the volcano at the moment Of
the supreme explosions, Of the enormity Of
which they seem not TO have been coguizant,
notwithstanding that they were heard at such
immense distances, did not only not suffer from
the conoHssion, but were not blown off the face
Of the water altogether Almost cuincideHt
with the record Of the abnormal atmospheric
fluctuations, magnificent sunlight effects, uu-
usually1lurid skies, prolonged dawns, length
ened tvilights, and green or blue or mOnn-like
suns began 10 be Obsered. From the dates at
which these phenomena FIRST appeared in diff
ferent parts Of the world-on the east coast Of
Africa on the second day, the Gold Coast Oh
the third, Trinidad Oh the sixth day, at 1000
miles in the Pacific west Of Panama on tue
seventh, and at Honolulu on the ninth day-il
can be seen that the volcanic cloud followed a
straight path.
To what height the supreme outburst pro-
PEELED the smoke, dust, and the lighter portion
of matter, it is impossible at present to 'esti-
mate. Mr. Whymper saw Cotopaxi, in by n,
means one Of its extraordinary expirations
eject a column over 10000 feet in height bu
many multiples of this distance will doubles,
be required 10 measure the spire that was sho
sky-ward on the forenoon Of the 9th Of Au-
gust last At all events it rose so high tha
q 9, -
Those places situated below the direct west.
ward path of the cloud, which would be Gle
waited at first as anarrow column, as they wer,
carried under it by the eastward rotation o
the earth, were the first to have the usual ligE
Of the sun changed into ominous displays Of
delightful aiterglows, varying in intensity &C
! cOrding to their time distance away, and there
fore to the amount Of the Obstructing dust
which would also Condense moisture in lht
upper part Of the air, and give special ABSORB
tion effects, that had by the hour they wer
reached subsidized from the atmosphere. Thi
narrow band gradually spreading out nortl
and south enabled the inhabitants of all land
to obtain view of the gorgeous effects o
broken and absorbed sunbeams, and a demon.
straiion of the vastHess Of the power of impris
oned steam.
Many questions connected with the subjec
remain at present unexplained; but The Difficult
, ties will in great part disappear before on
fuller information. A committee of the Roya
Society, consisting of our highest authorities
in meteorological, volcanic, and light phenom
ena, has, as we have have said, been appointed
to fully investigate tie subject, and from tlei
labors We shall by-and-by be in possession o
the first really accurate and scientific examin.
alton Of the effects Of volcanic eruptons, which
in This case bids likely 70 result tn rpetaor,
logical science at least, in a gain whose i'm
mense importance it is impossible now to cal
culate. Nor is it unlikely that this ''bigges
terrestrial experiment" afforded US by Nature
: may ultimately prove to have been not tn,
loast Of her benefcent gifts to humanity
: Monthly Record Of Geography.