Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1879 — Strange Events on the Danube [ARTICLE]

Strange Events on the Danube

From the Lower Danube alarming intelligence is brought respecting the strangely abnormal condition of the earth’s orust in those wild' but lovely region’s where the rugged Capa this urn constitute the Roumano-Huugarian frontier. These mountainous districts were terribly convulsed by the earthquake reported some days ago from Eastern Europe: and the Island of Babagal, which lies in mid-Danube off Moldova, not far from tbe Iron Gates, and in the close proximity to the tumultuous rapids that agitate the breast of the great river from Orsova to Drenkova, has been the scene of some extraordinary phenomena, which haye stricken its inhabitants with panic. During the earthquake a huge gulf was rent in the surfece of tbe island, and promptly emitted an enormous column of scalding water, by which a considerable portion of Babagal was, within a few hours, inundated. On Sunday, the 18th of October this destructive geyser ceased to spout as suddenly as it had commenced, but when the vast gap whence it had flowed was dried up. It was observed that several ragged edged craters hod formed themselves at the bottom of the rift These craters have ever since, at biles intervals, vomited hot earth and black sand in large' quantities, and apprehensions are entertained that either the Island will altogether disappear, or that it will become the site of a permanent volcano. A little further up the river the picturesque ruins of Golubaea Castle, an ancient feudal fortalice built upon the remains of a Roman stronghold, have been oompletely demolished by an earthquake, which has also filfed up tbe gloomy caves in the rocks beneath Golub&cz. These oaves were orediters or rather discredited, os the chief breeding places of the malignant mosquitoes that infest the Danube and its banks between Bosiasoh and Tumo-Severin. Their destruction, therefore, is a legitimate source of exultation to the river rain populations. Not so the development of volcanoes and boiling springs In the nelghbortiosd of countless Wal-