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THE KRAKA.TOA EXPLOSION", of 26th Actotjst, 1883. 

 By HOWARD FOX. 



The following reports of Masters of vessels arriving at 

 Falmouth., from the East Indies, subsequent to the great 

 Krakatoa Eruption, throw considerable light on various points 

 connected with it. 



Captain Robert Williams of the barque "Arabella," stated 

 as follows : — on Tuesday morning, August 28th, I was in Lat. 

 5.37 S., Long. 88.58 E., when showers of fine sand or ash rained 

 on the deck, and continued to do so during the remainder of that 

 day and all the following day. The wind was light from the 

 W.S.W., Java Head bearing E ^ S, distant about 970 miles. 



A bottle of the ashes collected by Captain Williams was 

 sent to Mr. Norman Lockyer, and acknowledged by him in 

 "Nature," for December 13th, 1883, p. 152. 



Captain M. Park, of the barque " Sinquasi," reported 

 that :- 



" On August 28, '29, and 30, while in Lat. 6° S., Long. 

 93'' E., quantities of fine white dust fell continuously, covering 

 the decks and rigging until the vessel reached Lat. 12° S., Long. 

 86° E. Quantities of pumice were floating on the surface of the 

 water, some of which I dipped up in a bucket and used to scrub 

 the decks with." 



The large fragment of pumice stone in the Museum of 

 the R. C. Institution, was picked up floating on the sea in Janu- 

 ary, 1 884, in Baly Straits, 600 miles from Krakatoa, by Captain 

 Seymour, of the barque " Oxford," who reported sailing through 

 fields of pumice stones and ashes all the way from Pekalunga 

 to half way through Baly Straits, the stones varying in size 

 from 2 feet in diameter to mere dust. 



The extraordinary length of time the pumice remained 

 afloat is certified by Captain Porter of the barque " Harrington," 



