Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-12
A BAPTISM OF FIRE.
DESTRUCTION BY EARTHQUAKES
IN NSW ZEALAND.
Villages Submerged With Dust and
the Mountains Bathed in Fire
Great Loss of Life.
SPECIAL DIsrArcK TO THE groorp-usuos.l

San Francisco, July 1lth.-Particular
were received to-day from Australia, by the
steamer Alameda, of the terrible volcanic
eruptions which occurred in New Zealand
last month, a short account of which was
cabled through from there al the time. The
accounts received depict the disturbances as
the grandest, probably, ever witnessed in
the history OF the world. The first reports
of the eruptions came from Tarangua, in
the Auckland lake district The natives of
that village were suddenly awakened from
sleep at o'clock on the morning of June
9th by vivid flashes of lightning, which
continued at rapid intervals up to A. NJ,
when fearful subterranean roar, accom-
panied by tremendous earthquake. oc-
Cured, followed by other earthquakes. The
shocks were so violent that people jumped
from their beds, and, almost
PARALYzED WITH TERROR,
Fled for their lives, many of them naked,
others only in their night clothes. Their
terror was So great they made no attempt
to save anything except their young chill
dren. After reaching what they supposed
to be safe ground they turned to view the
scene from which they had fled, and beheld
Mount Tarawareta, one of the high
est of the Pareoa ranged of mountains, belch-
ing forth immense flames and strewing the
surrounding country with burning lava
and stones. Earthquakes continued to fol-
low one another in quick succession, when
an immense cloud was observed coming
from the south, and spread out until it
seemed to cover the entire sky, and then
suddenly burst with sound like
CLAP OF THUNDER
And shortly after showers of fine dust be-
gan falling. simultaneously with the
bursting forth of Mount Tarawareta the en-
tire range Of mountains broke out in active
volcanic action, presenting scene that-as
stated by those who witnessed tit is i'm
possible to describe. Accounts received
later show that the entire country, of the
extent of over 120 miles in length by
20 miles in breadth, suddenly resolved itself
into a mass of flame and
HOT, CEUMBLING SOIL.
The ground in places rose to hight of
over 1000 feet, boiling and bubbling under
immense flames from below seeking to OBJ
tain an exit, while streams of lava poured
down the mountain sides. During all this
time showers of dust continued to fall I'M
I'll they became so dense as to turn the day
into night, and not until the second day
did the dust cease falling. Hundreds of
new boiling springs boiled out In all direc-
lions, until the very atmosphere seemed
of nothing but dust and vapor.
An immense number of small native vii
lagos were entirely destroyed.
wAIRoA WAS COVERED WITH DUST AND
ASHES
To depth of ten feet. and Rahtomahana
was completely engulfed as were several
other small towns. All of 120 persons are
known to have lost their lives, among
whom were several English residents.
At Maketu an appalling scene Of desola-
ton was presented. The whole face of the
was in a few hours completely
changed. There, as at other points, earth
quakes of the most violent character sue
ceeded each other with great rapidly. The
natives were stricken down
with fear, and in their terror fell on the
not knowing in which direction to
fly.
No accurate details of the number of for
eign residents who lost their lives have
received from Wairoa. However, il was
learned that Mrs. Hazard had been dug
out alive, although four of her children
were found dead alongside of her.
WHAT A SEA CAPTAIN SAW.
The Captain of the steamer Southern
Cross, who arrived at Auckland on the 18th
of June, states that when out at sea he ex-
perienced the effects of the earthquakes.
He says that on the 10th inst, the day fol-
lowing that on which the volcanic disturb
ance broke forth, from o'clock until 10 in
morning they were envcloped IN intense
darkness, while balls of fire could be seen
playing in the rigging and around the
masthead Showers of sand fell, which
covered the deck of his vessel to depth of
several inches. The sandstone became so
violent that the sailors were unable to
stand up against it. He was therefore
obliged to put his steamer about and sail
away to the nor,h, and it was not until IL
o'clock the following morning that he got
clear of the sandstone. The loss of cattle
on land, starved to death from the destruc-
ton of pasture by the dust, is stated to be
enormous, and great distress prevails
among the inhabitants One old Maori
chief at Botona was dug out alive, after
having been buried in the ashes four days.
Every effort was made to save the lives of
others, but in most cases without avail.
at the date on which the steamer Ala
media sailed from Auckland for this port
the volcanoes were still burning fercely
and the temperature of the hot lakes was
increasing.