Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

4 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

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... DREADFUL VOLCANIC ERUPTION.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

DREADFUL VOLCANIC ERUPTION. Manilla, Feb. 24, 1814. Thirty years had elapsed since the volcano of Albay, called by the natives May on, had remained in undisturbed siieuce so that it vvascontemplated without Ihose feelings wLich volt-anns gcnerally raise in the minds of the neighbours. The last eruption took phce ill the year 1S00, wh^n <jreat quantifies of sand, stone, and ashes were thrown up, and caused I great damage to the neighbouring villages,- Froin that period nothing occurred to mark a volcano, so that the terror which it had occa- sioned began by degrees to evaporaie. The lofty brow of Ihe mountain was converted info a pleasant and beautiful garden, and wag t ti- tivaled with hemp, cocoa nuts, and mnny kinds of fructiferous trees, with a great qtiai, tiiy of roots and leguminous plants, which at the same time that they afforded a delightfnl prospect to the eye, gave support to many in- dustrious families. On the first day of Jan. some slight shocks of earthquakes were felt, I but were hardiy noticed similar shocks hav- I ing become very frequent since the dreadful eruption in October, 1800, During the night the earthquake became more severe, and at two o'clock in the morning was more violent than had at any time been known. It was repealed at four o'clock and from that time continued without intermisslou till the erup- tion commenced. A morning more fair, or an horizon more serene than attended the ap- proach of the day, had never been known The hills contiguous to the volcano were, however, observed to he cov.e..ed with mist, which was supposed to he the smoke of some house that Ind ÍJeen hurnt during the ni¡:ht- No sooner, however, had the clock, Oil that fatal morning,struck eight, than the volcano began to emit tremendous quantities of stone, sand, and ashes, which were instantaneously thrown up into the air, higher than the eye could reach, and caused terror and consterna- tion amoll the inhabitants, who saw lile sum- mit of the lIIollntalll assume a lerriÜc appear- ance. The eruption was more tremendous II that: had ever before been known, and e\ery one expected instant death. The first effort was to offer up prayers to the divine mercy, and then to fly to seek shelter in the caves and remote parts in the mountains; but the efforts of many were fruitless, being overtak- en in their flight by showers of stones, and burning matter, which spread death amnng them.—The misery of our situation increased as the day became darkened, and the subterra- neous noise of Ihe vulcano more severe. Tlie eruption continued for ten days, and durin"* the first four was accompanied by almost to*- tal darkness About noon on the tenth day, the noise of the volcano began to lessen, and by two o'clock the horizon )?as entirely clear, and enabled us to sefe distinctly the horrid and lamentable destruction winch thedarknesshid concealcd from liS. Five populous towns in the province of Ctimarines, and the principal part of Albay, were destroyed: more than 1200 persons were reckoned among the dead, and many that survived were most dreadfully wounded and burnt. The mountain presents a melancholy picture; its brow which was be- fore cultivated, and otrcrcd a heautiful pros- i)ecl, is iiow a (iry and I)arreti t-icsert., The mailer thiown out by the volcano covers the ground in some places from 10 to 12 yards in depth, aud in others it reaches the tops of the loftiest cocoa-nut trees. Its ravages extend over the whole of the beautiful province of CîllIarincs, where scarcely a tree has been left standing or uninjured. The opening (yf lile mountain, which forms the crater of the vol- cano, has extended itself 20 fathoms below Ihe level, whilst on the southern aspect of the mountain three new apertures have been oper ed, out of which smoke and ashes slill conti- nue to be occasionally thrown. The popula- tion of the province was calculated at 20,000 souls and all who have survived the ernptioa have been ruined or deprived of every lhillg they possessed.. a

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