272 THE KEAKATOA EXPLOSION. 



■who reported that on his outward voyage to Java in June, 1884, 

 he found the sea covered with pumice stones of various sizes, 

 from 2 feet in diameter to mere ashes. These stones extended 

 from 600 miles south of Sunda Straits more or less up to the 

 said Straits. The fields of pumice with other debris, such as 

 broken wood and trees, at times covered the sea as far as the eye 

 could reach. A great variety of fish was seen amongst the 

 pumice. His vessel discharged the cargo at Samarang, and 

 loaded a fresh cargo at Sourabaya, and sailed from Sunda Straits 

 about the 26th August, taking a direct course for the Cape of 

 Q-ood Hope, occasionally passing through pumice, but not in 

 such vast fields as on the outward voyage. The size of the 

 stones varied from six inches in diameter down to ashes. The 

 last pumice seen was off Algoa Bay in the set of the 

 Mozambique Current about the end of September, 1884. This 

 last pumice was covered with barnacles, weed, &c., and was 

 floating low, as if the weight of the parasitical growth would 

 soon sink it. Captain Porter caught two fish in the pumice and 

 and preserved them. The fish were small and covered with 

 spines, which they erected when excited. The sailors called them 

 sea porcupines. 



These reports appear to prove: — 



1. That as the explosion was first heard on the 26th 

 August, the decks of vessels were covered with fine ashes 

 at a distance of nearly 1000 miles, within 48 hours of the 

 explosion. 



2. That the pumice covered the surface of the sea north 

 of Java for many months subsequent to the explosion. 



3. That vast quantities of pumice and ashes drifted during 

 the next 13 months towards the Cape of Grood Hope, gradually 

 sinking lower in the water, owing to parasitical growth and 

 to the absorption of water increasing the specific gravity. 



