Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-08-20
FOREIGN SCENES.

Van RensSelaer, of Grrenbush in this
sia't--a yoIiHg gentleman NOW in Europe,
and whore he has been for several wears
To complete bs studies in the medical ART
AprH 20. 1919
l began my letter To You on ibe crater
ct Mount Nesu>ius. The extreme heal
Of The rlver"f lava, by the light of which
! wrote the above, prevented my couiinu
ing. We have descended about 100 te.I
our guides would go liza farther. Our
company have gone To Nap!ps-il. aud
my sci! have determined 10 pass this nigh,
here, and are NOW writing bl the light of
a torch on warm lava, HAT flowed seven
days ago. An eruption at some conse.
qu"nce took place last night, anl The lava
Is running ~ Il sirram of about seventeen
vide, al the rate at about iIlrre miles an
hour Nothing canpOssihiy be imagined
more subifms-the smoke issuing from
HE glowing torrent, is lii" ciUui OF
hre-part OF The mount seems on FIRE,
willie below II appears The very ccntfe oil
desoidlion and gloom. Al break OF tiay
we mount again, la descend further INTO
The craler, and src the sun rise from its
mouth. may perhaps try more experl-
nenis.--l have written your name in The
burning lava and il has cooled piece
~ beside me. also put IN a {, franc
piere-ihe impression !. good, and Won
shall one day ser it. Oar torch is about
gong out, and | tuusl STOP TO finish 10.
morrow al Naples. Two distinct ermp
tons have just taken place, and cast oar
heated stones to .he light OF 100 or $50
feet
" Naples, 22d.
scarcely know what YOU will think
when YOU open this letter. III IL vas loi
Tor HE sake OF the place where began it,
N0u should never srp it. We passed The
night very well an he mountain Our
gai'ieS cleared away the larger stones, and
leii ms none bigger than eggs-we spread
our great GOALS IN this link hollow, and
were comfortable enough. We required
no coverlng-at our feet issued small
column of heated ar-brneailI US TOO,
warm air oozed np ; bun the great Coats
prevented Our being steamed. III. found
That lie was TOO warm, and col up Ia walk
about. iaid quiet, TO enjoy HE superb
Sight before me. Some provisions were
sent TO us by the party Il arrived about
u O'Clock. fatigue was a good opiale,
and our sleep was sweet. Oar guId-s
slept on the bare stones beside us. At3
We took some bread and wine and began
again the ascent. Our route nuw laS III
another direction. Is was not 50 dItilruii as
what we had assembled the evening before.
Before we were al the Top. and waited
oniy lew minutes 10 secthe purple lIge
of the horizon gradually change into
frightened gold. A sea OF clouds fIodied
tar brneath uS-it rrsembled an uuduiat-
ed PLAIN ct cotton, whose edges we're
tihged and FURNISHED by The first rays of
the morning. Tie scenery below Was
lost-noughl appeared but the fiery sum
init on which we stood, aud The tops OF
lofty mountains around that rose above
the clouds thai settled on their sides.
4" We continued our labor and col near
The mouth of the cratcr-ihe wind drove
The smoke towards us, and we were OBJ
lIged io descend and Try the other side
We rose To The highest point and thence
a gradual descent took us to the mouth
"i lie largest crater. lis siiape constantly
varles-at present there are Two fountains,
whence issue the smoke and stones. We
could moi observe the bottom very plainly
10 descend was impossible. The small
er craIer has 8 of these nosiris or breath
ing holes, smaller than The first, biIi more
aciIVe. The wInh drove The smoke ia
such manner. that we saw the bottom
on The other side. Oar guides were urg
ing Hs 10 descenh--a show eT OF hUi stones
enireaiirs. The lava is seen In neither
crater, bat flows through subierrauean
canal, almost horizontal aud does noi
appear till il forces through The crust
about 100 Yards from the crater. II forms
al once a river about feet vide and flows
at The rate OF between p aud 8 miles an
hour; It's depth Caunut be- told. I'he
present stream ISSUED in this SPOT seven
days ago, aud continues still ruuning--Ti
resembles flowing liquid iron running in
Cutler, which n seems 10 have formed,
having on eiIher sidea perpendicular wall
of lava, about 3 inches thick, serving a.
kind of acPway. About nile irOal he
OrIiicc, IL spreads into a. large bed or
lake. and there Cools, gradually bccunlHs
black on the surface, aud SHii glowing
beneath. Occasionally Tive rivcr changes
lis CourSe-IlIs gave an opportunity OF
breaking several times the crust that
covers Tie stream, 80 see The bot lava
below. In some places, where all was
cold, we broke il and found n quite
hollow beneath, bY the Cxtucaiion 81 ihg
gas. Usually braVy Wind breaks the
crust aud lIcU they fall ID rVert direction,
giving lie whole mountain Il terrific APP
peaTanCe. Ala distance n LOOKS lhr new
plGughCd land, AMI ct Tire same colour
as We apprua, II, II Is much more tough
and liidcOus. Having taken some more
impressions in lie lava, We turned 10
sHivey il scene around us. The clouds
hung Oh Tie foot OF HE mountain, aud
only permitted us 10 see the gloomy conc
on which We stood. The genius OF des-
citation may be said 10 reign over This
dreary realm moi sign OF vegetation
relieves Tie eve, wearicd and sad It'll the
horrible and hlc ak eNpsnse llat environ
ed US. How melancholy are Tie feelings
excited ~ such a situation. How much