Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-05-06
miscellaneous.
THE BURIED TOWN.

a SPOT, which was to me one of the most
interesting in all my rambles, was where the
village of Pleurs, with about twenty-five
hundred inhabitants, was overwhelmed in
the year 1918, by the falling of mountain.
This terrific avalanche took place in the
night, and was SO sudden, complete, and ov-
erwhelming, that not only every soul perlsh-
ed, but no trace whatever of the village or
any of the remains of the inhabitants could
afterwards be discovered. The mountain
must have buried the town to the depth of
several hundred feet. Though the all-veiled
gentleness of nature has covered both the
mountain that stood and that which fell with
luxuriant vegetation, and even a forest Of
chestnuts has grown amidst the wilderness
of the rocks, yet the vastness of the wreck
of the avalanche are clearly distinguishable.
Enormous angular blocks of rocks are
strewn and piled in the widest confusion
possible, some of them being at least sixty
feet high. The soil has so accumulated in
the space of two hundred years, that on the
surface of these ruins there are smooth,
grassy fields at intervals, and the chestnuts
grow everywhere. A few clusters of mise
rable hamlets, like Indians or gipsies' wig
vans, are also scattered over the grave of
the former village, and there is a lororn-
looking chapel that might serve as a convent
for bandltti. The mountains rise on either
side to great height in most picturesque
peaks and outlines, and the valley is filled
up with snowy range at the north.
1t was solemn thing to stand upon the
tomb of twenty-five hundred beings, all sep
ulchred alive. No efforts have ever dis
! r. l., Ill
bone, not a vestige. The mountain that
covers them shall be thrown off at the re-
surrecton, but never before. 1t was the
! Mount Conto that fell the half that was
left behind, still rises abrupt and perpendic-
ular over the mighty grave. 1t is singular
enough that the town was situated itself on
the tomb of another village, which had pre-
viously been overwhelmed by a similar ca
tastrophe. For that reason it was named
Pleurs, The Town of Tears For the times
of old, as often as in Italy one city has been
buried, another has been built upon the very
same spot, except, indeed, in the case OF
Pompeii, so that it is no uncommon thing
for the same earth to be leased to the dead
aud the living.
The Town of Tears was one of the gay
est, richest, laughing, pleasure-lovng, JOY
Gus little cities in the kingdom. 1t might
have been named Tears because it had laugh
ed till it cried. 1t had palaces and villas OF
rich gentlemen and mobiles for its lovely
and romantic situation, and pleasant air, at
tracted the wealthy families to spend especial
" the summer months, in so delightful re-
treat | wonder that no poet or romance
writer has made this scene the subject of q
thrilling story. The day before the lid Of
their vast sepulchre fell, the people were as
happy and secure as those of Pompei the
night of the Vesuvus eruption-and much
more innocent, There had been great rains
Vast masses of gravel were loosened from
the mountains, and overwhelmed some ricl
vineyards. The herdsmen came hurrying
in to give notice that strange movements
had taken place, with alarming symptoms
of some great CONFUSION that there were
great assures and rents forming in the noun
tain, and masses of rock falling, just as the
cornce of a building might topple down in
fragments before the whole wall tumbles.-
The cattle were seized with terror and prob
ably perceiving the trembling of the ground
beneath their feet, fled believing from the
region.
Nevertheless, there was no dream of what
was to follow The storm cleared away,
the sun rose and set on the ith of Septeni-
Der as a bridegroom; the people lay down
securely to rest, or pursued their accustomed
festivities into the bosom of the night, WIN
their plans for tomorrow; but that nght
the mountain fell and destroyed them ALL
At midnight, a great roar was heard lar over
the country, and shock felt as OF an earth
ouake. and then solemn stiffness followed ;
in the morning, cloud of dust and vapor
hung over the valley, and the bed of the
Mara was dry. The river had been stop
ned by the falling of the mountain across
its channel, and the town of Celano had dis
appeared forever. All the excavations OF
all the laborers that could be collected to-
gether failed to discover single vestige OF
the inhabitants or of their dwelling-places:
The miners could not reach the cathedral
for its gold and Jewels; and there they lie
at rest, churches and palaces, villas and how
els, priests, peasants, and mobiles, where nei
Their gold, nor love nor superstition, nor pie
ty, can raise them from their graves, or have
any power over them.-Cheeper'S " Pilgrim
lof the Jungfr0u"