ture of this display of nature's powers was
the magnitude and range of the explosive sounds. Lloyd's agent at
Batavia, ninety-four miles distant from Krakatoa, reported that on the
morning of the 27th the reports and concussions were simply deafening.
At Carimon, Java, which is three hundred and fifty-five miles distant,
the natives heard reports which led them to suppose that a distant
ship was in distress; boats put off for what proved to be a futile
search. The explosions were heard not only all over the province of
Macassar, nine hundred and sixty-nine miles from the scene of the
eruption, but over a yet wider area. At a spot one thousand one
hundred and sixteen miles distant--St. Lucia bay, Borneo--some natives
heard the awful sound. It stirred their consciences, for, being guilty
of murder, they fled, fearing that such sounds signified the approach
of an avenging force. Again, in the island of Timor, one thousand
three hundred and fifty-one miles away, the people were so alarmed
that the government sent off a steamer to seek the cause of the
disturbance.

At that time, also, the shepherds on the Victoria plains, West
Australia, thought they heard the firing of heavy artillery, at a spot
one thousand seven hundred miles distant. At midnight, August 26th,
the people of Daly Waters, South Australia, were aroused by what they
thought was the blasting of a rock, a sound which lasted a few
minutes. "The time and other circumstances show that here again was
Krakatoa heard, this time at the enormous distance of two thousand and
twenty-three miles." And yet there is trustworthy evidence that the
sounds were heard over even greater distances. Thundering noises were
heard at Diego Garcia, in the Chagos islands, two thousand two hundred
and sixty-seven miles from Krakatoa. It was imagined that some vessel
must be in distress, and search was accordingly made. But most
remarkable of all, Mr. James Wallis, chief of police in Rodriguez,
across the Indian ocean, and nearly three thousand miles away from
Krakatoa, made a statement in which he said that "several times during
the night of August 26th-27th reports were heard coming from the
eastward like the distant roar of heavy guns. These reports continued
at intervals of between three and four hours." Obviously, some time
was needed for the sounds to make such a journey. On the basis of the
known rate of velocity, they must have been heard at Rodriguez four
hours after they start