The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-05-25
ERUPTION OF KRAKATOA.
Volcanic Explosions in East In.
dies the Most Terrific in
History.
Vast Volumes of Ashes Blown Twenty
Miles Above Earth - Decorations
Heard Three Thousand Miles Dis
By Sir Robert Ball.

If The folloWing description By s,
, Robert Ball of the eruption of Krdkt
l. t0G will be read aoith special interet
at the present time. 1t is taken fro,
his book, "The Earth's Beginning" r,
Gently published by d. Appleton & CT
8 Until the year 1883 few had eve
r heard Of Krakatoa. 1t was not in
habited, but the natives from the sur
2 rounding shores of Sumatra and Jaw;
+ used occasionally to draw their canoes
I up on its beach while they roamel
3 through the jungle in search of thu
| wild fruits. The island seemed to owe
it's existence to some frightful eruption
| of bygone days, but for couple o.
centuries there had been no fresh out
, break.
In 1883 Krakatoa suddenly sprang
. into notoriety. Insignificant though il
had hitherto seemed, the little island
was soon to compel by it's tones OF
thunder the whole world to pay it in
slant attention. 1t was to become the
scene of a volcanic outbreak so appall-
I ing that 1t is destined to be remem-
bered throughout the ages.
At first the eruption did not threaten
to be of any serious type In fact, the
good people of Batavia, so far from be-
ing terrified at what was in progress
in Krakatoa, thought the display was
such an attraction that they chartered
a steamer and went forth for pleas
ant picnic to the island. Many of us,
| am sure, would have been delighted
to have been able to join the party
who were to witness so interesting a
spectacle. With cautious steps the
more venturesome of the excursion
party clambered up the sides of the
volcano, guided by the sounds which
were issuing from it's summit. There
they beheld vast column of steam
pouring forth with terrific noise from
profound opening about thirty yards
in width
AS the summer of this dread year
advanced, the vigor of Krakatoa stead
lily increased. The noises became more
and more vehement. These were pres
emily audible on shores ten miles dis
tant, and then twenty miles distant,
until the great thunders of the vol
cano, now so rapidly developing, as
tonished the inhabitants that dwelt
over an area at least as large as Great
Britain, and there were other symp-
toms OF the approaching catastrophe.
With each successive CONFUSION a
quantity Of fine dust was projected
aloft into the clouds. The wind could |
not carry this dust away as rapidly as
1t was hurled upward by Krakatoa, and |
accordingly the atmosphere became
heavily charged with suspended parti-
clos nall IF do r1- th,,o
over the adjoining seas and islands.
Such was the thickness and the density
OF these atmospheric volumes of
Krakatoa dust that for a hundred
miles around the darkness of midnight
prevailed at midday. Then the awful
tragedy OF Krakatoa took place. Many
thousands of the unfortunate inhab-
ltants of the adjacent shores of Su-
matra and Java were destined never to
behold the sun again. They were pres
emily swept away to destruction in an
invasion of the shore by the tremen-
dous waves with which the seas sur
rounding krakatOa were agitated.
The development of the volcanic en-
ergy proceeded, and gradually the ter
ror OF the inhabitants of the surround
ng coasts rose to a climax. July had
ended before the manifestations of
krakatoa had attained their full vio-
ence. By the middle of August the
'anic was widespread, for the supreme
was at hand
On the night of Sunday, August 26,
1888, the blackness of the dust clouds,
low much thicker than ever in the
straits of Sunda and adjacent parts of
'umatra and Java, was only OCCASION
lily illumined by lurid flashes from
he volcano. The Krakatoa thunders
we're on the point of attaining their
omplete DEVELOPMENT. At the town of
Batavia, hundred miles distant, there
vas no quiet that night. The houses
rembled with the subterranean vio-
ence, and the windows ratified as if
eavy artillery were being discharged
q the streets, and still these efforts
eemed to be only rehearsing for the
upreme display. On the morning of
londay, August q, 1883, the rehears-
Is were over and the performance be-
an. An overture, consisting of two I
r three Introductory explosions, was
ucceeded by frightful CONFUSION
hitch tore away large part of the
'land of Krakatoa and scattered it to pr
Re winds of heaven. G
This supreme effort it was which 81
reduced the mightiest noise that, so be
IT as we can ascertain. has ever been la
card on this globe. 1t must have been DC
decd loud noise which could travel re-
ON Krakatoa to Batavia and pre- FRI
rive it's vehemence over so great a =
stance; but we should form a very a,
adequate conception of the energy h,
the eruption of Krakatoa if we n,
fought that it's sounds were heard by in
lose merely hundred miles off. This n,
ould be little indeed compared with 81
hat is recorded, on testimony which IN
Is impossible to doubt. nj
Westward from Krakatoa stretches nj
e wide eApanse of the Indian Ocean. 70
the opposite side from the Straits tn
Sunda lies the Island Of Rodriguez, Al
e distance from Krakatoa being al
ost 5000 miles. 1t has been proved th
evidence which cannot be doubted z
at the thunder of the great volcano tn
tracted the attention OF an intelli- M
Mt coastguard on Rodriguez, who 4,
refully noted the character Of the -
unds and the time Of theis occur