AN ISLAND BELCHING OUT HOT WATER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 234, 10 February 1880, Page 3

AN ISLAND BELCHING OUT HOT WATER.

From .the -Lower Danube alarming intelligence reaches us respecting the strangely abnormal condition of the earth’s crust in those wild hut l.vely regions where the rugged Carpathians ’constitute - the liuunano-Hungaricn frontier. These mountainous districts were terribly convulsed by the earthquake "reported some days ago from • Eastern Europe ; and the Island of ■ u \ Babagai, which lies in mid-Danube, off Molaovia, not far from the Iron Gates, »nd in close proximity to the tumultuous rapids that agitate the bra t of the great river from Ursova to Drenkova has he’d the scene of seme extraordinary 'phenomena, which nave stricken its inhabitants with panic. Duringthe earth- 1 quake a huge gulf was rent in the surface of the island and promptly emitted an immense column' of scalding water, by which a considerable portion of Bobagai was within a few hours inundated. On Sunday, the 18th instant this destructive geyser ceased to spout as suddenly as it commenced, but when the vast gap whence it had flowed was dried up it was observed that several rigged-edged craters had formed themBrfves at he bottom of the drift. These craters have ever since,at brief intervals vomited hot earth and black sand in large quantities, an 1 apprehensions are entertained that either the island will altogether dissappear, or that it will become the site of a permanent volcano. A little further up the river, the picturesque ruins of Gacubacz Castle, an ancient feudal palace built upon the remains of a Roman stronghold, have completely demolished by the earthquake, which has also filled up the gloomy caves in the rocks beneath Galubacz. These caves were credited, or rather discredited, as the chief breeding place of malignant mosquitos that infest * the Danube and its banks between .. Rasiasch and .Turna-Soverin. _ Their destruction, therefore, is a legitimate gource of exultation to the riverian pomr’ations. Not so the development of volcanoes and boiling springs in the nei ghbourhood ol countless Wallacihan and- Servian, hotiaessead,