St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-07-22
THE EARTH IN THROES.
Great Physical Commissions i'm New Zea-
land.

Following are some of the particu-
lars of the fearful volcanic eruptiOns
at New Zealand last month, which are
among the most destructive in the
worlds history. The first report of
volcanic disturbances came from Tau
ragna. in the Auckland lake district.
The natives of that village were sharp
ly awakened from sleep at 2 o'clock in
the morning by repeated vivid flashes
of lightning, which continued at rapid
intervals up to o'clock, when a ire
mendous earthquake occurred, follow
ed quickly by others. The shocks
were so violent that the people jumped
from their beds and, paralyzed with
terror, fled for their lives in their night
clothes, making no effort to save or
take anything with them except their
children. The earthquakes continued
sion, up to o'clock, when leaden-
cOlored cloud was observed advancing
from the south spreading out until it
covered the sky. While still moving,
it burst with the sound of thunder and
shortly after showers of fine dust be-
gan falling.
ACCOulCS lIOll ObuOI pOiuCS SCdCc
that Mt. Taraweraw was the first vol
canO to break forth, and hardly were
flames seen issuing from its crater
than the entire Paersa range of noun
tains belched forth in sympathy, hurl-
ing flames of burning lava and stones
over the surrounding country. For
the first time in tradition the extinct
volcano of Ruapeha was awakened in
to activity. The entire country over
an extent of 100 miles long by 20 in
breadth was nothing but a mass of
flame and hot crumbling soil, which in
places rose to the hight of 400 feet and
capped the highest point of the Teko-
pha geysers, said to have been the
grandest in the world. During all this
time showers of dust continued to fall
until it became so dense as to make
day dark as night, and not until the
second day did the dust cease falling.
1t was noticed that the dust emitted a
strong sulphurOus smell. Numerous
small native villages were totally de-
strOyed. Wairsa was covered to the
depth of ten feet with dust and ashes.
RahtOmahOna was completely engulf-
ed, as were also some other small viii
lagos. Twenty-One persons are known
to have lost their lives, among whom
were several English residents. The
loss of cattle starved to death from the
destruction of pasture by dust is very
great, and great distress exists through
out all the Auckland lake district. One
old Maori chief at Ratama was dug out
alive after having been buried in ashes
IO4 hours. Every effort was made to
save the lives of others, but in most
cases where bodies were found they
were dead. At the date of the depar-
ture of the Alameda from Auckland
the volcanoes were still very active,
and the temperature of the hot lakes
was increasing.
Further details of the earthquake
state that the most violent disturb
ances were felt in the neighbOrhOOd of
ROtona. The severity of the shocks
led many of the people to believe that
the island would sink into the sea.
The sensation experienced is said to
have been fearful beyond description.
Immediately after the first shock the
inhabitants rushed frantically in all
directions. When the second shock
came the entire country for miles
around was lit up by the glare from
volcano which had suddenly burst into
activity. The scene was as grand as
it was awful. Huge volumes of smoke
Illuminated with flames, Simultaneous
ly burst forth from a range of noun
tains of 60 miles in length, and above
the smoke could be seen huge masses
of fire resembling meteOrs rushing
through the sky. The natives who
had escaped death, gathered in groups
and filed with abject terror, held re-
ligious services, but when another
shock would cause the earth to trem-
BILE they would fall with their faces to
the ground, quivering with fear.