to
the depth of several inches. Suddenly the scene changed. At first it was
reported that Papandayang had been split into seven distinct peaks. This
proved untrue; but in the open seams formed could be seen great balls of
molten matter. From the fissures poured forth clouds of steam and black
lava, which, flowing in steady streams, ran slowly down the mountain
sides, forming beds 200 or 300 feet in extent. At the entrance to
Batavia was a large group of houses extending along the shore, and
occupied by Chinamen. This portion of the city was entirely destroyed,
and not many of the Chinese who lived on the swampy plains managed to
save their lives. They stuck to their homes till the waves came and
washed them away, fearing torrents of flame and lava more than torrents
of water.

"Of the 3,500 Europeans and Americans in Batavia--which for several
hours was in darkness, owing to the fall of ashes--800 perished at
Anjer. The European and American quarter was first overwhelmed by rocks,
mud and lava from the crater, and then the waters came up and swallowed
the ruins, leaving nothing to mark the site, and causing the loss of
about 200 lives of the inhabitants and those who sought refuge there."

The loss of life above mentioned was but a small fraction of the total
loss. All along the coasts of the adjoining large islands towns and
villages were swept away and their inhabitants drowned, till the total
loss was, as nearly as could be estimated, 36,000 souls. Krakatoa thus
surpassed Mont Pelee in its tale of destruction. These two, indeed, have
been the most destructive to life of known volcanic explosions, since
the volcano usually falls far short of the earthquake in its murderous
results.

The distant effects of this explosion were as remarkable as the near
ones. The concussion of the air reached to an unprecedented distance
and the clouds of floating dust encircled the earth, producing striking
phenomena of which an account is given at the end of this chapter.

The rapidity with which the effects of the Krakatoa eruption made
themselves evident in all parts of the earth is perhaps the most
remarkable outcome of this extraordinary event. The floating pumice
reached the harbor of St. Paul on the 22nd of March, 1884, after having
made a voyage of some two hundred and sixty days at a rate of
six-tenths of a mile an hour. Immense quantities of pumice of a similar
description, and believed to have been derived from the same