Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-06-21
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Tourists Who Walt batavia uowadays
are quite out OF the fAshioa II they fall
10 make the passage through sunda
strait and 80 al that u len of kraks-
tau aud the vestigcs Of the ruin wrvughi
by the terrible eruption Of iss5. II they
push up the bay Of l.ampong. on thu
Sumatfs aide of the channel, they are
likely 10 land on the low shores occupied
by The village Of Teiokh-I Ietong and hIrs
carts for o Jaunt Into the Interior, and
whom they have gone about two miles
they will pause to zee the curious scene
presented 10 View, for herr IL one al
the most Interesting results still Visible
Of the great wave Of krakatau.
There Was Just Que man amid all that
Wild scene of death and destruction who
Was not overwhelmed In the common
ruin. lie escaped, while t0,OU perish
ei. lie was the lighthouse keeper, who
lived alone on IN lsolated rock In the
strait. Il WAS broad daylight when
krakAtau burst asunder, but In 4 few
moments the heavens were 90 dsnsely
shroudcd by dust, mud and smoke that
the darkness Of midnight covered all the
channel. The guardian of the light
house WAS In the lantern 10 feet above
the sea level. Here be remained safe
anil sound In the midst of the terrible
cothmotion.
lie felt the trembling Of his light
house. but Il was so dark that be could
not see the threatened danger. lie did
not know that tremendous wave had
almost overw helmed the lighthouse and
that lie crest had nearly toucbci the
base % the lantern. lie dill not hear
Il because be- vas dcafened by the aw-
ful detouation of krAkatau.
Ia . few moments, however, the wave.
over 100 feet In height had swept along
a total coast line az nearly Q hundred
miles on both sides of the channel.
scorrs 81 populous villages we're
buried beneath the avalanche of water.
Great groves Of cocoanut palms werr
leveled To the ground. l'vmontories
were carried away. New bays were
dug out % the yielding liitcral. Every
work of human hands, except that light
house, Was destroyed aud t0.Ooo person.
persisted In the deluge that mounted
from the sea or beneath the rain of mud
that fell from the heavens. II will D.
remembered that for weeks before the
DIAL cAtaciysm II krskAtau the volcano
Was In q state 81 eruption.
Pleasure parties were made NJ nj
Iatayia "a Walt the volcano. Not few
people landed on the Island, little
dreaming that In the twlnkiins 81 an
eye two-thlris of Il wa. to be blown
Into the air as II shot from q gun. They
wished to get as near as they thought
they could safely venture to the growl'
Ing. stesmlng crater. 4 little steamer
on the day before the explosion carried
one ~ these parties Ia the Island,
There were only ~ on board beside. the
crew. They spent q couple of Nour'
around the Island, and then steamed az
the deep aud narrow bay ~ iampong
and Il .. supposed they anchored FOR ths
night In front of ia. big town of r.lokh
iietong which was Que of th. largest
settlements on the south coast 10 suma.
ira.
The Inflated pleasure party was never
hcani ~ again. u IL supposed that tbs
boat was turned over and over like an
egg she'll In the surf. II hal every ap-
p~srancc II such rough usage when u
va. found some months later. The
machinery aud furniture were badly
broken and wer. str-wn about la the
greatest confu.iou. Hut the vessel held
together, and WAS finally act down Ia
good SHAPE erect on her keel.
only two bodies were found In ihe
vessel. They were, 81 course, belos
deck. "a IL WAS morning when .hs
was picked up by the wave, II IL .uI''
posed that nearly everybody was ou
shore. No, ,estlgc remains 81 the
village. that lined the waterfront. ia,
the hulk IL this little boat stlll stands,
battered aud broken, though q. erect q.
when she plowed the channel, aud shs
!. the most curious and Interesting
relic 81 the greatest volcanic eruption
II modern tlmes.