The Southern herald., 1899-03-31
EARTHQUAKE WAVES.
Vessels Carried Inland on
Their Crests.

In the great hurricane that swept
the southern islands of the Lesser An.
TILES in September last many ships
were torn from their anchorages in the
roadsteads and dashed by the wind anC
waves against the shore, where they
were completely wrecked, The waves
resulting from great hurricanes are
sometimes very high, but are hardly
comparable with the tremendous wave,
that occasionally result from subma
rine earthquakes.
The people Of Kingston, Jamaica
never grow weary Of telling tourists
Of the terrible disaster that over
whelmed the settlement near there
three centuries ago. The place was
called Port Royal, and stood on a sandy
spit south of where Kingston now
stands. An earthquake shock raised
waves mountain high, and every houst
in the sediment was buried 70 its roof
All the shipping in the roadstead was
carried on the top of the waves and
hurled against the town, helping te
make the destruction more terrible
Nearly all the persons who escaped
were saved by clinging to the wreck.
age, and as the water subsided they
were carried on board a frigate tha'
had been carried ashore and deposited
on the ruins Of lot of houses that baC
stood close tnqatheI.
Only 16 years ago a side-wheel steam
boat was L0rne three miles inland or
the coast of Sumatra by wave over
100 feet in height that resulted from
he terrible eruption that destroyed
most of the island and mountain Of
krakatau, in Sunda strait. Th vesse
bad on board about 90 excursionists
from Batavia, who were bound for tho
neighborhood Of the Krakatau volcano
which had been in mild eruption for
number of weeks. They landed on
the little island, little dreaming that
two hours later two-thirds of it would
be blown into the air as though shot
from a gun. After spending a couple
of hours around the island the party
steamed up the deep, narrow bay OF
Lampong, and it is supposed that they
anchored for the night in front of the
big town of Telokh-Betong, which is
one of the largest settlements on the
south coast of Sumatra. The Inflated
party was never heard of again, nor
were any of their bodies recovered. IL
is supposed that when the great crush
and the resulting wave came the boat
was turned over and over like an egg
shell as it was swept inland through
forests and jungles and deposited up.
right on its keel three miles from the
coast. 1t had every appearance OF
such rough usage when it was found
some months later. The machinery
and furniture were badly broken. and
were strewn about in the greatest con.
fusion. Not a vestige remained of
the villages that lined the water edge
Awhile ago the hulk of the little steam.
er was still standing battered and
broken, though as erect as when she
plowed the channel. She was still one
of the most curious and interesting
relics of the greatest volcano erup.
ton of modern times.
A considerable number of vessels have
been borne inland along the coasts Of
Ecuador and Peru by earthquake waves,
some of which have undoubtedly trav.
eled thousands of miles before reaching
the coast. In the deep ocean these
earthquake waves are so long and low
that their passage beneath a vessel is
sometimes almost imperceptible; but
when they reach shoal water as land
is approached the waves become short
er and higher, and their arrival at the
shore is Indicated by an abnormal rise
Of the water above the usual level.
which has occasionally reached height
of 200 feet and more.-N. Y. Sun.