the extremely violent nature of the volcanic eruption in krakatoa in 1883, the peculiar beauty of those parts of the eastern seas where the event occurred, the wide-spread influences of the accompanying phenomena, and the tremendous devastation which resulted, have all inspired me with a desire to bring the matter, in the garb of a tale, before that portion of the juvenile world which accords me a hearing.

for most of the facts connected with the eruption which have been imported into my story, i have to acknowledge myself indebted to the recently published important and exhaustive "report" of the krakatoa committee, appointed by the royal society to make a thorough investigation of the whole matter in all its phases.

i have also to acknowledge having obtained much interesting and useful information from the following among other works:—the malay archipelago, by a.r. wallace; a naturalist's wanderings in the eastern archipelago, by h.o. forbes; and darwin's journal of researches round the world in h.m.s. "beagle."

r.m. ballantyne.

harrow-on-the hill, 1889.