Letter detailing the Krakatoa eruption

Letter detailing the occurrences on August 26th and 27th 1883 in the Straits of Sunda when Krakatau (Krakatoa) was erupting, from the vessel "Hope" bound from London to Anjer. Letter authored by J. Prautz. It reads:

1883 Aug 26
Sunday, Batavia Bay, lying at anchor about a mile from the shore. We are bound from here to Singapore. During the afternoon we heard a noise like the going off of a big gun. This kept on continually during the day and night. It must be a volcano we think, but where we cannot tell.

Aug 27
Monday. I've can still hear the cracking noise at intervals. During the afternoon it became as dark as night so that we had to knock off work. At the time it rained down ash as fine as dust or sulphur particles. Our decks, masts and rigging were covered with it. It continued this for about three hours and then both dust and dark: rifs cleared off it it was lifted again. The air isres (?) filled with a strong smell of sulphur. In the evening we heard a few more eruptions but not so loud as on Sunday, when the loudest was as loud as heavy artillery only not quite like that sither (?). I have laved (?) some of this dust to bring home and show you.