ERUPTIOX OF MOUNT TOMBORO. 109 



miles in a riglit line — as far as from New York to the 

 Keys off tlie soutliern extremity of Florida. Tlie ashes 

 that were pom^ed into the air dui'ing this eruption fell 

 to the eastward, or against the prevailing wind, as far 

 as the middle of Floris, about two hundred and ten 

 geographical miles ; and westward on Java, in the 

 mountains of Cheribon, about two hundred and sev- 

 enty miles from the volcano. So great was the quan- 

 tity of ashes thrown out at this time, that it is esti- 

 mated that on the island of Lombok, about ninety 

 miles distant, forty-four thousand persons perished 

 in the famine that followed. Dr. Junghuhn thinks 

 that, within a circle described by a radius of two 

 hundred and ten miles, the average depth of the 

 ashes was at least two feet ; this mountain, therefore, 

 must have ejected several times its own mass, and 

 yet no subsidence has been noticed in the adjoining 

 area, and the only change that has been observed is, 

 that during the eruption Tomboro lost two-thirds of 

 its previous height.* The captain of a ship dispatched 



* The Rajah of Sangir, a village from twelve to fifteen miles south- 

 east of the volcano, was an eje-witness of this fearful phenomenon, and 

 thus describes it: "About 7 p. m., on the 10th of April, three distinct 

 columns of flame burst forth, near the top of Tomboro Mountain, all of 

 them apparently within tlie verge of the crater ; and, after ascending 

 separately to a very great height, their tops united in the air in a 

 troubled, confused manner. In a short time the whole mountain next 

 Sangir appeared like a body of liquid tire, extending itself in every di- 

 rection. The fire and columns of flame continued to rage with una- 

 bated fury until the darkness, caused by the quantity of tailing matter, 

 obscured it at about 8 p. m. Stones at this time fell very tliick at San- 

 gir, some of them as large as a man's two fists, but generally not larger 

 than walnuts. Between 9 and 10 p. m. ashes began to fall ; and soon 

 after, a violent whirlwind ensued, which blew down nearly every house 

 in the village of Sangir, carrying their tops and light parts along witli 



