The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-25

70 safer distance. The natives could he
seen running along the beach terror
strfckea. many OF the women with infants
strapped Al their hack. Elxhty odd OF
these we took On board ard carried fur
thsr dram the coast During the day the
sua was completely obscurest. and the
land. which was but = short distance OF.
MAS scarcely visible That day We steamed
refund Dip Point. and made for the other
side Of the Island, but getting a heavy
head SEA We returned TO cur anchorage.
Larry the next morning We succeeded in
steamlng right round tae island. bat
could not see where the eruption had
taken place. bat passed hundreds OF dead
fish floating on the surface Of the water.
ami. judging fram the number We saw.
should say thousands must have been de-
stroyed. There is a continual fall Of VOL
came dust and other debris going on
which Is completely covering everything
IL Is feared The natives will De reduced
20 q state OF starvation through the dust
destroying all taeir crops. ard should the
IAN continue maeta longer all vegetation
viii be killed from is effects On the
evening OF this day we proceeded to Port
Sandwich and experienced several shocks
during the passage. During the night we
experienced shock after shock In quick
succession. some Of them very violent.
causing quite sickiy sensation amongst
some of the men. On the 18th we steered
for Arnbryu. passed the spot where the
Lava had poured into the sea. The dow
had ceased. bus steam was still rising
from the mass OF lava cooling in the sun.
Where few days previous q consider
able depth OF water lay new stood an
immense space Of solid lava and rising
about six feet above the surface OF the
sea. The coast line has also fallen into
the sea in several places. more especially
at Dip point. where the coast line is now
about forty yards further back than 1t
afraid. VIII have 10 be resurveyed. On
the 21th a party OF officers ami men land
ed ar Dip point fer q march inland They
did not succeed In seeing the place of
eruption, but they came across streams OF
lava cooling. and it was evident that the
flow We saw from the ship was but q
branch stream from the main body OF
lava We were glad to get away. for the
ship and every man on board were
smothered in fine white sand. Another
attempt was made few days later TO
reach the crater. and the fields of cool
Ing lava were crossed. In places there
were cracks several inches wide, and In
looking into them the red hot lava could
be seen below the surface. This will take
weeks 10 cool because Of its great thick
ness. Several steam pipes were seen,
formed of lava and standing about six
feet high. The trees. with lava thickly
set around them. were stin standing. with
lava hanging from their branches like so
many dead leaves. The following day an
other expedition to the crater set out.
They passed through several villages en-
route and we're supplied with several
guides. The journey was a very trying
one. walking over beds Of lava not yet
quite. cold. over hills OF ashes and cinders.
passing through valley after valley, over
ridge after ridge. a distance OF sixteen
miles. until at last they came In view of
the iong-sought crater ard succeeded In
reaching its mouth. 50 as to enable them
10 look down IL. The mouth OF the crater,
which Is almost round and about three
miles In circumference, Is torn away in
ono part. where 1t is supposed lie lava
poured forth. The fireSand smoke came
from one side Of the crater only. and this
explains how they were Able 10 get SO
close as to look into it, Occasionally the
smoke and fire would burst forth fiercer
than at other times. and explosions would
follow like the cracking OF rifles. throw
ing out stones ali round. II was evident
the sides were continually falling In. SO
widening Its mouth and causing the ex-
plosions. At the bottom. a depth of sew
eraI hundred feet. could be seen the lava
In Its liquid state. The crater is 1000 feet
above the level of the sea: the barometer
az starting was 3O06; at the crater 8
mouth IL was 600. The descent from the
mountain WAS made under even more DIFF
iieuities than the ascent. and the party
the darkness. night coming on before
they had gone very far. The Dart left for
Penteeost, stcaming along the southeast
coast of Asnbryni. but at a considerable
distance. 50 as to escape the volcanic
dust. which continued To fall as thickly
as ever. dense volumes Of smoke stiil as
cending from the volcano. and the smoke
stretched away 10 Dip point and far out
10 sea. II was a beautifully clear day.
and objects were plainly visible at a
great distance, but the dull gray smoke
cloud completely obscured some parts OF
Ambrym, and for few miles at sea OBJ
liberated the sky. On the slopes around
about the volcano could be seen hills OF
ashes. the sun showing them up so plainly.
looking as IL snowfall had taken place.
A few days previous a trader had brought
Us the news that another lava flow had
taken place, and a few very severe earth
quake shocks had followed. From Port
Sandwich. a distance OF twelve miles.
Amerym looks like an island upon which
a heat-e TALL of snow had recently taken
place"
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