Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-02-10
RALEIGH IN. c.) Feb. z.
TO he Editors of the Register.
Burke County, IN. c. Jan. 10.

Gentlemen,
herewith communicate TO you
brief account of the cause of those dreadful
shocks which have lately shaken the noun
tains tottt1eir base, whose foundations were
laid when the Almighty Architect first re-
duced chaos TO order.
On the morning of the 10Th ultimo, a great
smoke was seen to issue from the top of
" SPEARS Mountain" which is detached
from that range that extends from the Blue
Ridge to Swananoe River, and ends some
miles below its junction with French Broad.
The great noise that was heard through the
day, and continued smoke, left no doubt but
that it was VOLCANO that had burst
forth during the Earthquake. The noun
tain is conical and insulated its base is
washed on the west side by French Broad
River, On the east side it is separated by a
narrow valley (oyerhung IN some places by
large rocks) from that ridge called French
Broad Mountains their bare rocks. stunted
vegetation and arid surface, shew that they
long havefelt That. subterranean fire which
probably gave heat to the Warm Springs.
and has at last burst out with such dreadful
fury. 1t still continues to burn with great
violence. and throws up lava, scoria, ashes.
calcined stones and vitri6ed matter, in great
quantities, and with the most tremendous
noise. t,,s ,,...-
The quantity ofslava discharged at the be.
ginning of, the eruption was immense; it ran
down the mountain an stream of LIQUID fire for
more than a mile, and has formed dam across
French Broad river, so high as TO overflow A.
bout two hundred acres of prime bottom land
to the great injury of.the owners.
In the night time, the ignited stones, cinders
&c which are thrown two OF three hundred feet
IN the air, present grand appearance, & have
a great resemblance to artificial fireworks, such
as rockets, &c. During the day column of
whitish smoke issues from the crater at night
it has flameliKe appearance, and where It has
been driven by the wind, has witherct the small
dwarf pines which had taken root in the barren
soil ofthis and the nsiglbouring mountains !;
their bark and leaves are incrustcd with vel
loWIeh powder, which has an acrid taste and
strong sulpburc sInell
Noperson has had courage sufficient 10 ap-
proach the crater but those who were ac-
quaintcd with the top Of the mountain before
the eruption, say that it was uneven and We
ny rocky. The crater appears Gudging by
the smoke) to be twenty yards in diameter,
and is growing larger. Yesterday a large
mass fell in, with greater noise than the
ioudest artillery it shook the country round,
and was echoed from the mountains and val
Hes The lava, where cold, has the appear
""SC vi NlIthSu OaSalt-- ne stone on the
mountain Is hard and coarse grained, with an
uneven conchoidal fracture--5ut no appear
ancc Of basalt. The scOria are sonorous, have
ferruginous appearance, and shew strong
magnetic attraction.
Notwithstanding the terror which seized
me on viewing this awful sight, could not
help smiling at the credulous simplicity Of
the people who inhabit the mountains. They
new i with as much awe and terror as the
Children OF Israel did Nfoit1t SinQi. Some
say tie end Of Time is arrived, and think the
crater Is the mouth Of the bottomless pitt
the fantastic appearances Of the electric
huid, which Is seen dsrting in various shapes
thro' the smoke after night, by the help Of
fancy they transform into spirits, devils, &c.
hese wild IDEAS have been INCREASED by tic
declarations Of an itinerant preacher. who
calls upon them 70 repent, not in The language