L'ÉRUPTION DU KRAKATOA

Thème.

The island of Krakatoa lies in the strait which is between Java and Sumatra.

On the llth of August, 1883, éruptions began to break forth from a volcano situated in the island, and on the 25th an explosion occurred.

A thick column of smoke issuing from the erater, rose to a great height, then for eighteen hours a dense obscurity enveloped the island. Tremendous seas ran through the strait and rushed on the land, destroying everything.

When the sun shone again, it was seen that villages had been wiped out ; the force of the seas had been such that ships and locomotives had been carried two miles inland.

Almost the whole island was covered with ashes ; harvests had been destroyed, springs dried up, streams filled up; and thousands of inhabitants starved to death.

Geographical changes occurred also ; entrances to harbors became obstructed by pumice stone, and sixteen islets sprang up.