FRIGHTFUL ERUPTION IN THE MOLLUCCAS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 48, 29 May 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

FRIGHTFUL ERUPTION IN THE MOLLUCCAS.

{Singapore Free Press, sth February.) A frightful volcanic eruption had taken place in the Moluccas. It is thus described in communications from Ternate In the afternoon of the 28th December the sky to the south of Ternate gave signs of a conflagration, and continued to do so until the following day. About mid-day of the 29th the sky in that direction was very much overcast, and it blew a strong gale from the east. It was thought that there would be a speedy change of the wind, and that a heavy squall of wind and rain would take place ; but soon afterwards, both on Tcnete and the neighbouring islands, showers of ashes, and towards evening of sand, fell, while the night was so dark, that a person could not distinguish his hand held up before his eyes. The showers of ashes and sand continued to fall throughout the whole night, and at daybreak the tops of houses and branches of trees, as well as the ground, were found to bo covered with a layer of ashes and sand, two to three inches thick, while in some places beyond the town the ground was covered to the depth of six to eight inches. It was now conjectured that an eruption had taken place in the volcano on the island Makian (about seven German miles from Ternate) which had remained quiet for about 82 years. It was feared that the roofs ef the houses at Ternate would be broken down by the weight of the ashes and sand, but this was prevented by a heavy fall of rain, which swept the greater part away. In the afternoon of the 20th December, it began to get so dark at Ternate and the neighbouring islands, that it was necessary to light the lamps in the houses, and those who had occasion to go out of doors were obliged to use torches or lanterns, and to cover themselves by umbrellas from the showers of ashes and sand which continued to fail. By two o’clock in the afternoon the darkness was so intense that no person recollected ever having found it so dark even at midnight. Great damage was caused by the ashes and sand. Large trees were broken or destroyed, and toe vegetables completely buried, so that it was feared considerable scarcity of provisions would be experienced. The Islands of Makin was completly laid waste. Many of the inhabitants were killed, and the [rest fled to Ternate and the neighbouring islands. Many were killed and wounded in their flight from the island by the red hot stones which fell into their boats. One man who ventured back to seek his family, reported that he did not find a single living creature on the island. Everything was buried under the sashes, which were seven or eight feet in depth in some places.