The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-02-21
Miscellaneous.
ERUPTION OF MOUNT ETNA.

Wount Eta, is from correspondent Oh the London
n.oatch The eruption took place, in the fore part
ofpccember iast.
ave started from Palermo, by the Messina road,
,balr past clock on monday morning, Deem
her s. and toward sunset on the following day arrived
=, Aderno, (144 Siclian, l15 English, miles
fom the Capita) and thence, while changing horses,
we had the Grst view Of the eruption We could
,any discern the frey stones rising and falling, but
/ Il that distance looking like sparks. A ball Of fire
seemed to roll up from the crater, swelling it rose
into the form OF vast balloon, from the top of which
proceeded blazing column, which at length burst
is summit fell in soft showers Of slowly decend-
N, fire. Next morning we arranged for our
sion up the mountain, and started at IL at night
The lava light grew stronger as we advanced, and on
aming projecting point of the mountain, the
and the upper part of the stream OTTAWA burst upon
oprsight in all its magnifcence. We were now
1900 feet up the mountain, and about six miles dis
nnt from the crater. do not think it looked grand
sat any higher point. The volcano spouting
4 adre and red hot stones to prodigious highth
\ Mly twice as great as that Of the cone, which is
100 feet high) in large column, apparently of the
size of marello tower at the mouth of the crater,
and dstending, to bulk, till, at its Mt
most hight it burst into myriads of fiery fragments,
those the left being particularly conspicuous, be-
cause there was lava there, and the red hot stones
cOntrasted with the dark side Of the mountain. As
they fell, they cast bright glow on the snow, and
each particular fiery fragment lighted up'ts por
ton of the snowy surface, while volume ofillumn
,pd steam arose wherever the Kissing balls of fire
sunk upon the ground.
'The higher we climbed the longer line we saw
Of lava and after another hour and half's ascent
We reached plain Of 2eming sand (being, in fact,
Pyerized scorim,) of about mile square in extent,
and studded with gcnisa or broom, the only plant
Arrows at this hight, which was above that of the
\ cade Bosco. Here the guides required us to
ABas it would be highly dangerous to proceed far
1sdurng the night. We were, however, well
aient to halt in the position we have attained,
swe enjoyed complete view Of the crater, and of
he whole stream of lava from its ce to the low
tdepth it had yet reached. The crater, thus seen,
esembed an enormous bowl trimming over with
molten metal, such sees in the cannon found
res, which streamed down in cascades OF living fire,
and it struck against some stupendous rock upon the
mountain side and separated into various currents
twisting and winding in rvulets of fire, snake-like,
along the surface of the mountain so tortuous in its
course that, where the stream of lava was full ten
miles long, no part oft had yet reached above two
miles from its source in the volcano Along with the
volume oNhume, necessarily vomited forth by the
Tae we now heard at every burst booming sound
+ ike the roaring the sea against an IRON bound
coast, gradually swelling louder and louder, as 1t
e!nning Ear down in the bowels of the earth, below
ing more fearfully it approached the outlet,
whence it issued ever and anon with fresh explosions,
ike terrific peals of thunder. IN the prodigous blaze
Gight we could not for some time perceive that the
ava did not us we at first supposed, brim over the
1.-THE cup, but burst a passage through the side
dhe cone some 800 feet below the top whence 1t
glhed forth in an impetuous food in bubbling run
nes Of liquid fire that along the ground, at hrst
marrow streams, as fine chains of forked light
ANsjnked together, flashing along the snow, but
Aee, as they descended, fell into one another, and
United one wide meandering lava flood
"inother current swept down the hillside with
seier march, the food of fire overfawng It's banks
&anging a golden glare upon the surrounding snow,
ill., at distance of about two miles from its source,
struck against tall rock overhangng shelving pre-
tCe many hundred feet deep, land splitting itself on
tie rock into two divided torrents, like the falls oil
The Rhine, at scheffhausen, it leaped in twin cas-
'ades of iery food sheer down into the gulf OF desc
alton that yawned below. Occasionally we could see
n1ge rocks spouted out from this fall OF re, aud sno'
away in separate masses into the ravine. thunderng
along the blocks of old lava in the Val del Bovent
Which this fresh stream poured, stretching hke
mnnss of burning beads, along the distant snow
When the first excitement which this sight, horripl'
sautful,' produced, had partially subsidized we De
gan to feel the pinching cold insufferabe. Our Zee
were Stony as if all circulation had Departed and OF
amounting from our mules it was with great diihcut
" that we could stand Indeed no wonder, Tor W.
were within few hundred feet of the line oil per
F'0al snow, and the wind, though happily very "ou
''"e' cut through like razor, bringing wafer u
eyes and freezing our But any temporary
''aerlnss, any toll, would have been amply repa''
the spIendor and magnifcence of the majestic
=" upon which we were gazing. IL IS pleasant u
'"'" that the eruption has not caused and Is no