Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1892-10-13
CARRIED UPON A WAVE
A Steamer High and Dry Over Two MIL,
from the Coast,


Tourists who visit Batavia nowsa,,.
are quite out of fashion if they failt>
make the passage through Sunda stro;t
and see ali that is left of krakatau ana
the vestiges of the ruin wrought BY tba
terrible eruption of 1883. Ifthev nnsS
up the Bay of Lampong. on the suma,,,
side of the channel, they are likelv "a I
land on the low shores occupied by tbs
village ofTelokh-Betong, and hire carts
for short jaunt into the interior: AMI I
wnen they have gone about two mile,
they will pause to take in mos,
curious scene. for here is seen one NJ
the most interesting results OF the Great
wave of krakatau.
There was just one man amid all ths
wild scene of death and devastatm
who was not overwhelmed in the com,
mon ruin. He escaped While 4O,WN
persisted. He was the lighthouse keen.
er, who lived alone on an isolated rocs
in the strait. It was broad daylight
when Krakatau burst asunder, but in
few moments the heavens were 81
densely shrouded by dust, mud, and
smoke that the darkness Of midnight
covered all the channel. The guardian
of the lighthouse was in the lantern lSl
feet above the sea level. Here he re-
maided safe and sound in the midst Of
the terrible commotion.
He telt the trembling OF his LIGHT.
house, but it was SO dark that be could
not see the threatening danger He
did not know that tremendous wave
had almost overwhelmed the Lighthouse
and that it's crest had nearly touched
the base of the lantern. He did moi
hear it because he was deafened by The
awful defamation of krakatau.
In a few moments the wave, overa
hundred feet in height, had sweep
coast line of 100 miles on both sides Of
the channel.
Scores of populous villages were buried
deep beneath the avalanche of water
Great groves of cocoanut palms were
leveled to the groond. Promontons
were carried away. New bays were dur
out Of the yielding littoral. Every work
of human hands except that Lighthouse
was destroyed, and 10000 persons per
ished in the deluge that mounted from
the sea or beneath the rain of mud that
filed the heavens.
There was a little siGewheel steamer
that was borne on the top of that wave
through forests and jungle, owes two
miles into the country, and was left s
the waves receded in the position de-
scribed. 1t will be remembered that
for weeks before the final cataclysm
krakatau, the volcano was in. a state
eruption. Pleasure1parties were made
up at Batavia to visi$ che volcano. No
a few people landed on the island, LITTLE
dreaming in the twinkling Of an cyl
two-thirds of 1t was to be blown int
the air as though shot from gun
They wished to get as near as the
thought they might. safely venture
the growing, steaming crater. Thist
tie steamboat, on the day before th
carried one of these parts
to the island. There were only twent
on board besides the crew. They spen
a couple of hours around the island
and then steamed up the deep and mar
row bay Of Lampong, and it is suppose
they anchored for the night in front
the big town of Telokh-Betong, whi
was one of the largest settlements
the south coast of Sumatra. The
lated pleasure party was never heard
again.
IL 10 puppOScu Cudl CilC UOdl WAS tulU
over and over like an egg shell in
surf It had every appearance of sud
rough usage when it was. found SON
months later. The machinery and
niture We're badly broken, and wei
strewn about in the greatest confusu
But the vessel held together and VI
finally set down in good shape, ere
and on her keel.
Only two bodies were found in b
vessel. They were, of course, be9
deck. AS it was morning when 81
was picked up by the wave, it is spl
posed that nearly everybody was
shore. Not vestige remains OF the
lagos that lined the water edge.
the hulk of this little vessel still stand
battered and broke, though as erect
when she plowed the channel,
she is the most curious and int
esting relic of the greatest volcsn
eruption Of modern times.