VOLCANIC DISTURBANCES.

Timaru Herald, Volume IX, Issue 341, 2 September 1868, Page 5

VOLCANIC DISTURBANCES.

: Hitherto m Timaru shocks of earthquake :have been extremely slight- and of r.erj nre occurrence, «nd consequently the people diving here know only the> effects arising fromvolcanie. agency by. hearsay report. Certainly then were no signs previous' to Satur;dayla«t to justify the inhabitants ofTimaru to suppose that-theywere-abont to be brought to a more extended-knowledge of >the effects of volcanic action, and those who happened to be on the- beach eaTly on Saturday morning .were fortunate to- be- witnesses of the strange -phenomenon then exhibited— H>f the sea being, so to- speak, completely 'revolutionised as to its- ordinary tides; .rushing 'one instant Tip beyond spring tide mark, and 'then suddenly -falling' <&r below. - usual ! dead low water -mark ; this strange- -'sight ■ continuing for upwards of two' hours amid; at one stage, a calm- and solemn silence, at another amid the rolling of distant' thunder. Such -were the accompanying sign* which' attended the' effects of Tolcanic. action as shewn' oofn f the beach on Saturday. morning last,- and -those who saw it will doubtless long remember the sights and sounds they then witnesses and heard. Early on the morning of Aug. 15, at about- a quarter to five o'clook.it was noticed by the men employed m the Government Landing Servico that the sea stood >at an unusually low level, m -fact, lower than erer before known m Tifiiaro. The. buoy moored on the edge of the north reef about; fifty yards from the shore, was high and dry, and rocks never before', risible- were, well out of the water. They therefore .got the Slide ready for launching the cargo 'boats for the purpose' of discharging .the steamer Comerang Jyin£ m the roadstead. -When everything was ready for launching, and the men m their appointed places, the sea, without any -warning, rushed violently m, and "swept men and skids high up on to the lunding-stagr. Fortunately there no mishap, but- the 'men had a narrow escape of their Jives. \ Efuch-was ■ the strength of the, incoming current, that the surf-line ; bnoysi both, at the Government and Company's landing-places,^ 'were completely submerged. After 'remaining at high water "nark for about len minuteß, the water, again rapidly repeated to 114 iciwa. point as previously. Continuing at low water for. about half an hour/ the sea again', rushed m, but not with the' same amount of current as at first, and remained at high water for a/ew minutes, and then back to. low water. - Thus the strange phenomenon continued, the sea rushing forward and retreating, which it did four or fire times m the space, of two. hoars. - The sea rose and fell between- nine, and ■ ten .feet, while • ordinarily tbe r r.ise and fall on the Timaru beach is only about cix feet. . „<■ ' ■■-■■' ■ It was obserred that when the witer «v retreating,' and. -when -standing at low water, botheea and air were piJetematundly calm, so calm .and ..still -that, flier slightest noise, was beard *t '« csnsiderable distance'}' but when making m shore the sea was disturbed, and si few heavy breakers ' always' heralded - the adTancing waters. <At intervals 'between five and- seven aim.,; a load noiAe like distant 6hnnd*r.was heard-from the east and northeast, shewing plainly that -from- that' quarter we must look for the foens of the earthquake. Up to "}nctv\- 'i I 1 1?.*.? 1 **"""" of Saturday the sea continued m a moat disturbcC etaiej at times" irnshing tup to high water mark, and; in /avfetr \niinutes falling twenty or thirty feet, and, then back again to high water. After, that h^ur it jbecame comparatively still,' and the rise' ah3 fall of the tide .beo»m*'agnin' pretty" wgalar ;-althoi^h even as late, as Afonday. morning the sea. still {showed' Bgh* jof.-tjle.. disturbance- wkioh so jmuch effect^ it qajurday. ; . . , „ A* «ea we, hear that the effects of the earth* ! quake were, felt, foTrthe'steamer Stonnbird on her-, passage, from to. Timaru waa is^ruok suddenly by,- two -or, three heavy seas iearly on Sttturdayi morning, ,althongh the i water at tha ; tim« wascalm,andi the steamer \ra> »wept .ten miles .to the northward by • ! strong e«rreot,;again«t which 'there was no I making headtrajr. : Some* araiety-wat felt -as ;t0 th&.Comerang.lying m the roadstead ; but jbeyofld being whirled round several times a» if m- a whiAp6el,!Ba&*he!btetikmg of the surf-. ;line« attached -by ibot&shmoiog' services, no ' accideiit lisppeded. .' • • ! <Qn: .-Monday, a very slight movement of fhv ground was felt by a-feirpetsonsy bnt wtunot (generally/ fopenencedi -V :■■•■''