1G8 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



therefore be assumed that the wave did not originate 

 merely from the island, but from a wider submarine 

 upheaval. The hjdrographic surveys subsequently under- 

 taken show that over an area of 72 square miles the depths 

 were greatly reduced by the eruption. Over a large portion 

 of this there are now soundings of 12 feet only where 

 formerly there was an uniform depth of 120 feet. 

 Although, as has been stated, various seismic waves were 

 recorded on the neighbouring shores, most of them were 

 not of extraordinary height. The great loss of life and 

 property was chiefly occasioned by the single gigantic 

 wave which occurred at 1 o'clock on the morning of the 

 2 7th August. The destruction caused by it was immense. 

 It may be said, roughly speaking, that all the coast 

 villages and towns of the Straits of Sunda were over- 

 whelmed. The actual height of the crest of the wave 

 above sea -level has been variously estimated, and no 

 doubt varied greatly according to the locality. Mr. 

 Verbeek, in his plan, shows the hills of Merak to have 

 been washed by the water to the height of 115 feet, 

 and at Telok Betong, on the Sumatran coast, the water 

 reached within 6 feet of the Eesidency, which stands on 

 a hill 78 feet above the sea. A still better illustration 

 of its height and volume is afforded in the case of the 

 Dutch man-of-war " Berouw," anchored off this place, 

 which was carried more than one mile and three-quarters 

 inland, and left more than 30 feet above the level of the 

 sea. Tlie distance to which this wave was propagated is 

 very remarkable. It was felt not only in South Africa, 

 distant some 5000 miles from the scene of the eruption, 

 but also at Cape Horn (7500 miles), and, possibly, in the 

 English Channel (11,000 miles). In Ceylon even the 

 smaller waves were distinctly recorded. To the north 

 the numberless islands of the archipelago soon destroyed 



