Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-04-15
A THRILLING DESCRIPTION.

; A THRILLING DESCRIPTION
Rome was an ocean of fame
Height and depth were covered will
red surges, which tOlIed before tn,
blast like an endless tide. The biIlow
burst up the sides Of the hills, which
they turned into instant volcanoes, e.
plodiOg Vold mes of smoke and fire
then p!dnging into the depths in hu,
dred ca'aracIs, then climbing and col
Sumed again. The distant sound O
the city in her convuIsion, went to tb,
soul, The air was filled with the stet
dy roar Of the advancing fame, tht
crash OF failing houses, the hideous ou
cry OF myrlads that were flying
through the streets, or surrounded by
and Perishing in the conAagration,
All was clamOr, violent struggle, and
needless death. Men aud women o
tie highest rank we're on foot, tram
ptedu2en by the rabble, that had 'heu
los; all respect Of conditions. 0ue
dense mass of miserable life Hrestible
from lis weight, crushed by the mar
row streets end scorchea by The dame,
over their heads, relied through the
gates like an endless stream of black
lava. The Are had originally broken
out upoa the PaIatine, and the hot
smoke that wrapped and halt bIiaded
US, huaI as thick as night upoa the
wrecks OF all paVillioAs and palaces;
but the dexterRy and knowledge OF
nay inexidtcable guide carried US on.
1t was in vain that insisted upen
knowing the purpose of hrs terrible
traverse. tle pressed his hand upon
his heart in reinsurance Of his fidelity
aud still sPurred on. We now passed
under the shade Of an immense range
OF lofty buildings, whose gloomy and
solid strength seemed to bud d, Rance
10 change and time. A sudden veil
appalled, me. A ring Of Are swept
rodnG ITS sammiI, burning cordsge,
sheets of canvass, and shower Of all
'hings combu ,lible few lnto the air a.
bove our heads. AN uproar followed
unlike all that ever heard a hideeus
mixture Of bowls, shrieks and greens.
The Almes rolied dowH the narrow
streets before as, & made The passage
next 10 impossible.
While we hesitated, a hugo rrag
ment of The building heaved as if an
earthquake had passed, and fortunate
Iy for US fell inwards. The whole
scene OF teTror was then open The
great amphtheatre of Statilous Taurus
had caught fire; the stage with its in.
a,nmabIe furniture, was intensely
blazing below. The l,meS were wbee
ling up, circle above.circle, through
the seventy thousand seats tha, rose
from the ground 10 the roof. stood
in unspeakable awe and wonder on
the side Of this colossal cavern, this
mighty temple Of the city offre. A,
length descending blast cleared away
the smoke that covered the arena.
The cause of those horrid cries was
now visible. The wild beasts KEEP.
for the games had broken their dens.
Maddened by the alright and pain,
lions, tigers, panthers, wolves, and
whole herds Of the monsters Of India
and Africa, were inclosed with an i'm.
passable barrier Of fire. They boun.
ded, they fought, they screamed, they
lore; they ran bowling round & round
The circle, they made desperate lea ps
upwards through the blaze; they were
lung back, and fell only to fasten their
angs in each other, and with their
parching jaws bathed in blood, die ra
sing. ! looked snxiously TO see whelh
sr any human being was involved in
his fearful catastrophe; TO my great
'elief could see none. The keepers
lad attendants had evidently escaped.
As expressed my gladness, was
startled by loud cry from my guide
he Grst sound that 1 had heard him
utter. He pointed TO the opposite
side Of the amphitheatre. There in.
deed sat an object of melancholy inter
est, a man who had either been una.
Bile TO escape, or had determined TO
lie. Escape was impossible. He sal
ia desperate calmness on his funeral
pile. He was gigantic Ethiopian
slave, entirely naked. He had cho'
sen his place as if in nOckery, on the |