An Awe-Inspiring Sight,

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 94, 20 December 1913, Page 5

An Awe-Inspiring Sight,

THE AM3YRN ERUPTION.

“THE OCEAN BOILED.”

NATIVES FLEE IN TERROR.

THE LAND TRANSFORMED.

( By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] lL .iteu Pbebs association.] (.Received 9.45 a.m.) Sydney, December 20. Passengers by the Pacifique give a vivid description of the Ambryu eruption. The outbreak was not unexpected, excepting in degree. The volcano of Mount Marum, in ttie centre of the island, had been in eruption for some weeks.

On the morning of December sth, however, it was discovered that five new craters had opened in the range of mountains. The subterranean rumblings became more ominous. At times tiemendous exnlosions shook the earth and the whole island was trembling and plunging like a frightened horse.

The natives, who had hithreto regarded the volcanoes complacent! \, took fright and lied, panic-stricken, to the coast and entering canoes, took refuge on other islands. At night time the flames shot a thousand feet in the air, illuminating the whole scene of destruction. Streams of lava rushed down the slopes and the ocean boiled. Huge meteors, thrown from hthe volcanoes, plunged into the water. The air was filled with dust, reaching for a distance of ten miles from the scene of the outbread. A great black cloud; spread over the new craters, making a darkness that could almost be felt. The upheavals were so severe that the entire coast between Olai and Sessivi was devastated and transformed. Dip point and Craig’s Cove were annihilated. . At what was previously the anchorage at Dip Point there is a new peninsula. There was heavy loss of life among the natives. The steamer La France made, two trips to the island, rescuing over 400 but it is feared that between four and five -hundred natives perished. It [is reported that a large ; party of natives, was surrounded by) lava. Relatives who were unable! to Teach them saw them slowly roasting to death. >i r ; > '' : s '' The captain of the Payilique descries the eruption as magnificent but!D ghastly. There were continuous detonations. Great red-hot boulders were, .thrown into the sea—causing tho water to rise in columns scores of feet high. The air was filled with a choking dust. The whole island was lit with an unearthly Tight.