August 26 - September 1: Krakatoa, a volcanic island, explodes, killing tens of thousands of people. - Jack the Ripper claims his first (known) victim, Mary Ann Nichols. - John Horrocks, early settler of the Clare Valley in South Australia, is shot by his camel!
August 26, 1883
Krakatoa erupts Beginning with a series of lesser eruptions between May and August, 1883, Krakatoa started off spewing steam and ash into the sky. Then, on August 26/27, four huge explosions rocked the region, and the planet.
Krakatoa is located in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra, Indonesia yet the most massive of explosions were heard as far away as Perth, Western Australia and Rodriguez Island in the Mauritius. That makes the explosion audible over a distance of 4000+ kms away. The shock wave reverberated around the planet seven times over five days and anyone within 16kms of ground zero will have gone deaf.
The explosions destroyed about two thirds of the island, ash and other material which fell created several new (temporary) islands and the volcano cone itself completely collapsed. All of this shifting earth and rock caused massive tsunamis, some with waves 40mtrs in height, sweeping along nearby coastlines, destroying hundreds of villages and killing more than 36,000 people, some estimates as high as 120,000 people.
However the volcano was not dead and even now has created a new island with the new volcanic cone growing at about 7 meters per year. This new island is called Anak Krakatau, Child of Krakatoa, itself a very active volcano.
Krakatoa is located in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra, Indonesia yet the most massive of explosions were heard as far away as Perth, Western Australia and Rodriguez Island in the Mauritius. That makes the explosion audible over a distance of 4000+ kms away. The shock wave reverberated around the planet seven times over five days and anyone within 16kms of ground zero will have gone deaf.
The explosions destroyed about two thirds of the island, ash and other material which fell created several new (temporary) islands and the volcano cone itself completely collapsed. All of this shifting earth and rock caused massive tsunamis, some with waves 40mtrs in height, sweeping along nearby coastlines, destroying hundreds of villages and killing more than 36,000 people, some estimates as high as 120,000 people.
However the volcano was not dead and even now has created a new island with the new volcanic cone growing at about 7 meters per year. This new island is called Anak Krakatau, Child of Krakatoa, itself a very active volcano.
August 31, 1845
The remains of Mary Ann Nichols Mary Ann Nichols, the first known victim of serial killer Jack the Ripper is found murdered in Buck's Row, Whitechapel. As was signature to the Rippers crimes she was found quite badly mutilated as this coroners report at the inquest states:
"Five of the teeth were missing, and there was a slight laceration of the tongue. There was a bruise running along the lower part of the jaw on the right side of the face. That might have been caused by a blow from a fist or pressure from a thumb. There was a circular bruise on the left side of the face which also might have been inflicted by the pressure of the fingers. On the left side of the neck, about 1in. below the jaw, there was an incision about 4in. in length, and ran from a point immediately below the ear. On the same side, but an inch below, and commencing about 1in. in front of it, was a circular incision, which terminated at a point about 3in. below the right jaw. That incision completely severed all the tissues down to the vertebrae. The large vessels of the neck on both sides were severed. The incision was about 8in. in length. The cuts must have been caused by a long-bladed knife, moderately sharp, and used with great violence.
No blood was found on the breast, either of the body or the clothes. There were no injuries about the body until just about the lower part of the abdomen. Two or three inches from the left side was a wound running in a jagged manner. The wound was a very deep one, and the tissues were cut through. There were several incisions running across the abdomen. There were three or four similar cuts running downwards, on the right side, all of which had been caused by a knife which had been used violently and downwards. The injuries were from left to right and might have been done by a left-handed person. All the injuries had been caused by the same instrument."
'Jack' would go on to murder and mutilate another four women in Whitechapel to make up what is known as the 'Canonical Five', before stopping after the horrendous murder and mutilation of Mary Anne Kelly.
There have been dozens of people suspected as being Jack the Ripper, from royalty, doctors, butchers... Many believe the crimes did not start with Mary Ann Nicholls (there were a number of close calls in regards to Whitechapel prostitutes leading up to the crime) nor that they stopped after Mary Kelly, with similar murders taking place in other parts of the world.
"Five of the teeth were missing, and there was a slight laceration of the tongue. There was a bruise running along the lower part of the jaw on the right side of the face. That might have been caused by a blow from a fist or pressure from a thumb. There was a circular bruise on the left side of the face which also might have been inflicted by the pressure of the fingers. On the left side of the neck, about 1in. below the jaw, there was an incision about 4in. in length, and ran from a point immediately below the ear. On the same side, but an inch below, and commencing about 1in. in front of it, was a circular incision, which terminated at a point about 3in. below the right jaw. That incision completely severed all the tissues down to the vertebrae. The large vessels of the neck on both sides were severed. The incision was about 8in. in length. The cuts must have been caused by a long-bladed knife, moderately sharp, and used with great violence.
No blood was found on the breast, either of the body or the clothes. There were no injuries about the body until just about the lower part of the abdomen. Two or three inches from the left side was a wound running in a jagged manner. The wound was a very deep one, and the tissues were cut through. There were several incisions running across the abdomen. There were three or four similar cuts running downwards, on the right side, all of which had been caused by a knife which had been used violently and downwards. The injuries were from left to right and might have been done by a left-handed person. All the injuries had been caused by the same instrument."
'Jack' would go on to murder and mutilate another four women in Whitechapel to make up what is known as the 'Canonical Five', before stopping after the horrendous murder and mutilation of Mary Anne Kelly.
There have been dozens of people suspected as being Jack the Ripper, from royalty, doctors, butchers... Many believe the crimes did not start with Mary Ann Nicholls (there were a number of close calls in regards to Whitechapel prostitutes leading up to the crime) nor that they stopped after Mary Kelly, with similar murders taking place in other parts of the world.
September 1, 1846
John Ainsworth Horrocks John Ainsworth Horrocks was an early settler in the Clare Valley, South Australia, when he arrived in 1839. However he was not one to sit about to mind his land, he wanted to head out and explore the region outside of his locale. In order to aid him he had nine camels imported from the Canary Islands but over the next five to six years all but one had died.
This last remaining camel was named Harry and was a bit of a temperamental beast who probably was not too keen on been treated as a pack animal.
Harry ended up being the death of his master, as Horrocks wrote in the following letter:
"My gun being loaded with slugs in one barrel and ball in the other, I stopped the camel to get at the shot belt, which I could not get without his lying down.
Whilst Mr. Gill was unfastening it, I was screwing the ramrod into the wad over the slugs, standing close alongside of the camel. At this moment the camel gave a lurch to one side, and caught his pack in the cock of my gun, which discharged the barrel I was unloading, the contents of which first took off the middle fingers of my right hand between the second and third joints, and entered my left cheek by my lower jaw, knocking out a row of teeth from my upper jaw."
The expedition was halted, one of Horrocks men walked over a hundred kilometres to get help after which Horrocks was taken back home. Unfortunately infection set in and no doctors were able to help. Three weeks later on September 23 Horrocks died but not before expressing his wish for 'Harry' to be executed.
John Ainsworth Horrocks is buried in St. Marks Anglican Church, Penworthman. Harry was not afforded a similar burial.
This last remaining camel was named Harry and was a bit of a temperamental beast who probably was not too keen on been treated as a pack animal.
Harry ended up being the death of his master, as Horrocks wrote in the following letter:
"My gun being loaded with slugs in one barrel and ball in the other, I stopped the camel to get at the shot belt, which I could not get without his lying down.
Whilst Mr. Gill was unfastening it, I was screwing the ramrod into the wad over the slugs, standing close alongside of the camel. At this moment the camel gave a lurch to one side, and caught his pack in the cock of my gun, which discharged the barrel I was unloading, the contents of which first took off the middle fingers of my right hand between the second and third joints, and entered my left cheek by my lower jaw, knocking out a row of teeth from my upper jaw."
The expedition was halted, one of Horrocks men walked over a hundred kilometres to get help after which Horrocks was taken back home. Unfortunately infection set in and no doctors were able to help. Three weeks later on September 23 Horrocks died but not before expressing his wish for 'Harry' to be executed.
John Ainsworth Horrocks is buried in St. Marks Anglican Church, Penworthman. Harry was not afforded a similar burial.
Ashley Hall 2013
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