THE SUNDA ERUPTION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3790, 7 September 1883, Page 3

THE SUNDA ERUPTION.

The' Brisban- Courier of 25th July gives a graphic account of tho Sunda outburst, contributed by one of tho officers of the s.s. Alniora, which had just arrived at thatjport. Ho says:—" It was on the island of Kakatora, at the entrance of the Straits of Sunda, and one magnificent blaze of light was proceeding from its height. Higher and highor tho blaze seemed to mount as we drew closer to its base, while tho sound had now bocomo one continuous roar, like hundreds of blasts from some mighty furnace, and a volume of black smoke extended for miles from it, like a funereal pile. As we passed through, some of the fine dust and strong sulphurous fumes of the subterranean upheavals got into our eyes, and filled our throats, causing us to keep under the awnings till we passed— glad to icavo the island on our Ice. We could then admire its splendid upheaval and listen to its mighty roar without fear. There seemed to be a strange vibration in the water and ship while we were passing. The flames looked grand, as leaping high into the heavens with a mighty roar, they sent their sulphurous fumes apparently miles upward, and then dying out till they seemed expended, would leap up with renewed force and fury. This continued till tho ship took us farther and farther away, the sound got weaker, and tho light soon appeared like a lighthouse on the shore. We passed about three or four miles from it, and had the wind been blowing from the southward, I dare say wo should have felt some considerable annoyance from it. As it was it only gave us a grand volcanic spectacle that will never be forg-otten."