A SURVIVOR OF THE KRAKATOA ERUPTION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1215, 20 January 1886, Page 5

A SURVIVOR OF THE KRAKATOA ERUPTION.

On my way to Meraklhad for my companion in the ka-har a young man from Anjer — one of the few who had escaped on the fatal morning. He had been directed to meet us at Serang on the previous afternoon, and now acted as our guide for the day. The narrative of his escape was full of interest, and some parts of it, I think, are worth being repeated. "On the Monday morning on which Anjer was destroyed," he said; "I had a suspicion that something was likely to happen. Of course, I had no clear idea on the subject, and never for a moment supposed jthafc it would be a great wave that would do all the mischief. I had heard the deafening report from Krakatoa on Sunday afternoon, and hail seen later on the dense black smoka and the glare of fire resting on the summit of the volcano. Still we all hoped for the best. B,ut on the following morning, when the darkness remained instead of light, and the shower of ashes increased I grew more alarmed. It seemed to me that if matters grew much worse we should be completely buried by falling lava, like some of the places in olden times were, and that a dreadful death awaited us if we remained in the town. I therefore thought it best, to get away from Krakatoa as soon as possible, It was still quite clear when I decided making for tbe neighboring hills, several miles distant. J had a number of relations living in the town, but they seemed to fancy themselves safe enough at home, and they accordingly remained behind, I never saw them again alive. Five of them perished, and worst of all, i only two of their bodies warp recovered. . These were found buried beneith the house in which they met their end, and | v«ro hardly recognisable. The others must ' h»ve be#n 'carried out to sea, and probably ioraftd ? J?»| ®f the many, hundreds seem

later on floating in the Straits of Sunda by the captains of passing vessels. I had not proceeded a great distance from Anjer when the first volcanic wave broke on the coast. Of course even that one was terrible enough, but it was nothing to be compared to the second one, which followed a little later. I could see that the town had been seriously injured by the inundation, and no doubt Borne lives were lost in the overflow. Alarmed by what I had already noticed, I quickened my pace inland. The further from the coast, I thought, the safer I should be, aad so it proved. The site of Anjer is, for the moßt parr, very level ground ; but four or five miles away are some hills, densely covered with cocoa nut palmtrees. They formed a pretty back ground to the town. I decided to make to this rising ground as fast as I could. As I proceeded I found some of my neighbors from Anjer making for the same place. Some of them were fortunate enough to reach this place of safety before the final destruction came. Others whom I passed on the way were overtaken by the second wave or rushing torrent, and at once found a watery grave. Breathless with running, I came as fast as possible up the densely wooded slopes and was only just in time. The great wave sweeping all before it, was close on my heels as the rising ground brought me safely out of its reach. Its fury was much spent as it broke upon the hills, but it was very powerful even then. But the higher ground soon checked its force and sent it back again towards the sea. Of the actual destruction I saw but little. I was too much frightened to stop and watch the ruin it caused. My one idea was to get up as high as I was able, and of course, I thought of nothing else at the time. There were some terrible scenes afterwards on the roads leading into the interior of the island. All the natives in the neighboring kampongs turned against us, and refused those of us who had escaped the least help or food. Many of the Europeans— especially the women —exhausted with fatieue, and almost frightened out of their lives, were sinking down in a helpless state by the wayside. Although the worst was over as regards the volcanic wave, many sank down on the way and died from neglect. Not only did many of the natives refuse to help us in the least, but they actually drove us from their houses. The reason of this was that, like the Mahomedana, the Javanese are exceedingly superstitious, and attributed their misfortune to us. They said that we Europeans were the cause of all their troubles. We had offended Allah, and the outburst of Krakatoa with all its attendant horrors, was the result of his vengeance. When I had asked what we had done to offend their Deity, they said it was owing to the war wh'ch the Dutch Government are now carrying on against the Acheenese. We were fighting against their brethren unjustly on the neighboring shores of Sumatra, and Krakatoa was simply the medium of Allah's retribution. They refused to give us anything, and threatened to kill us if we did not move away at once."