70 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



in the following article from Bar- 

 badocs, dated May 2nd. 



" Yesterday morning at four 

 o'clock, tile atmosphere was per- 

 fectly clear and light; but at six 

 thick clouds had covered the hori- 

 zon, from whence issued, in tor- 

 rents like rain and particles finer 

 than sand, volcanic matter ; and at 

 eight it was as totally dark as we 

 ever recollect to have seen the most 

 stormy night. It tlien became ne- 

 cessary to procure lights, not only 

 in the dwellings of families, but 

 lanterns were obliged to be used in 

 passing from one part of the street 

 to another. On the preceding 

 night, it however seems, that ma- 

 ny persons heard sounds like those 

 which follow the discharging of 

 cannon ; and some go so far as to 

 say, that they clearly observed the 

 flashes to leeward of us, the same 

 as if vessels were engaged at sea ; 

 therefore, as these clouds came 

 from the northward, it is much to 

 be dreaded, that some one of the 

 neighbouring islands has experi- 

 enced the dismal effects of a vol- 

 canic eruption. This awful state 

 of darkness continued until 20 

 minutes past twelve at noon, when 

 the glimmerings of Heaven's light 

 were gradually perceptible, and 

 about one o'clock it was so far 

 clear as to be compared with that 

 of about seven o'clock in the even- 

 ing. The eruptive matter, how- 

 ever, still continued, and as was 

 the case during the whole time of 

 its descent, numerous flocks of 

 exotic birds were heard warbling 

 the melancholy note of croaking, 

 as if they were messengers of past, 

 or presagers of future evil. We 

 shall, in common with our fellow- 

 i]ihabitants, feel extremely anxious 



for arrivals from the neighbouring 

 islands : should these fortunately 

 have escaped any convulsion of the 

 earth, this phenomenon will form 

 a subject of much philosophical 

 interest, and learned discussion. 

 To describe the feelings that per- 

 vaded the community during this 

 awful period, is impossible — it is 

 far more easy to be conceived.'* 



MAY. 



1. A young German of the 

 name of Kontgen, who left Eng- 

 land about a twelvemonth since for 

 Africa, in order to prosecute dis- 

 coveries in the interior of that 

 country, ha«, we are sorry to learn, 

 been murdered by the Arabs, be- 

 fore he had proceeded any great 

 distance from Mogadore, where 

 he spent some time perfecting 

 himself in the Arabic language. 

 He was a promising young man, 

 and an enthusiast in the cause in 

 which he was lost, and supposed 

 to understand Arabic better than 

 most who have entered Africa. 

 At an early age he formed the plan 

 of going to that country, and gave 

 up his connexions in Germany, to 

 prosecute his intentions. His fa- 

 ther was well known in Europe, 

 and raised himself from obscurity 

 by his talents for mechanics. It is 

 since affirmed in the German 

 papers, that he was not killed, but 

 has recovered of his wounds, and 

 intends proceeding on his travels. 



3. A shocking circumstance oc- 

 curred at Nottingham. Mr. Old- 

 know, a respectable mercer, in a 

 fit of insanity, took away the lives 

 of two of his children, by nearly 

 severing their heads, and afterwards 



placing 



