The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-06-05
Miscellaneous.
The Buried Town.

,,or which was TO me one of the most
4 .,,,ostinr in all INV rambles, was where the
N w,ge ot Pleurs, with about twenty-five hun
Y I irhnbitants, was overwhelmed IN the
',, 1918. bv the falling ola mountain. This
"A ;6c avalanche took place i'll the night, X
.., so sudden. complete, and overwhelming
II .rpot only every soul persisted, but no trace
n ,ravpr of the village or any otthe remains
.ba inhabitants could afterwards be discov-
W cod The mOuntain must have buried the
v toyu 10 the depth Otseveral hundred ieet.-
4 vhouuu me ull-veiled genteness OF nature
t,s ,ogered both the mountain that stood and
,5,, rcilch fell with luXuriant vegetation, and
,rega forest of chesuuts has grown amid the
wilderness OF the rocks, yet the yastness OF
le wreck OF the avalanche are clearly dis
dnrushable Enormous angular blocks OF
-a,ks are strewn and piled in the widest con-
fson possible, some Ofthem being AT least
syry feet high. The soil has so accumulated
IN the space of two hundred years, that on the
,urtace otthese ruins there are smooth, gras-
~ fields. at intervals, and the chestnuts grow
ererywhere. A few clusters of miserable
blmiets. like Indians or gipsies wigwams,are
also scattered over the grave of the former
village. and there is forlorn-ooking chapel
mat might serve as a convent tor bandlttI.-
The mountains rise on either side to a great
height in most picturesque peaks Il outlines,
and the valley is filled up with snowy range
at the north.
Il was a solemn thing to stand upon the
tomb Oftwentv five hundred beings, all sep
n.chred alive. No efforts have ever discover
ida trace of the inhabitants-not bone, not
syestige. The mountain that covers them
.,l be thowu off at the resurrection, but new
l. 81. 4 fbor all
me halfthat was left behind, still rises abrupt
and perpendicuar over the mighty grave
tits singular enough that the town was stu
-ted itself on the tomb OF another village,
which had been previously overwhelmed by
q similar catastrophe. For that reason it was
1anad Pleurs. the town of Tears-tor the
tines OF old, as often as in Italy one city has
leen built uponth very same spot except,
indeed. in the case OF Pompeii, so that It Is
no uncommon thing for the same earth 20 be
eased to the dead and the living.
The town of 'Tenrs was one of the guyest.
richest, laughing, pleasure-lovlng, joyous lit
lie cities in the kingdom. II might have
leen named Tears because II had laughed Till
{ cried. 1t had palaces and villas of rich
nntlemen and uobles: for its lovely and ro-
mantle situation, and pleasant air, attracted
the wealthy families TO spend especially the
summer months, in SO delightful reireHt. /
wonder that no poet or romantic-wrlter has
made this scene the subject ola thrilling sto-
w. The day before the lid oftheir vast sep
uchre tell, the people were as happy and Sc
cure as those ofPompeii the night OF the YES
uylus eruption-and much more innocent
There Nud been great rains. Vast masses
OI gravel we're louseued from the mountains.
and overwhelmed some rich Vineyards
The herismen came hurrying IN TO give no.
ice hatStrange movements had taken place,
with alarming symptoms of some great col
rnson: that there were great assures and
rents forming in the mountuln,and masses Of
0Ck falling, JUST as the cornice of q building
might tOpple down in fragments before the
whole wall tumbles. The cattle were seized
with terror,und probably perceiving the trem-
Hing otthe ground beneath their feet, fed,
Glowing from the region.
Nevertheless, there was no dream of what
vas to follow. The storm cleared away, the
sun rose and set on the 4th of September as a
bridegroom; the people lay down securely to
rest, or pursued their accustomed festivities
ntO the bosom ofnight, with their plans for
tomorrow; but thar night the mountain fell
and destroyed them all. At midnight, great
roar was heard far over the country, and u
shock felt rs Ofun earthquake, and then Il
solemn stiffness followed: in the morning Il
cloud of dust and vapor hung over the valley,
and the bed ofMaira was dry. The river had
heen stopped by the falling of the mountain
lcross its channel, and the town of Celano
had disappeared forever. All the excavations
otall the lahOrers that could be collected to-
!ether filled to discover single vestige ofthe
inhabitants OF oftheir dwelling places. The
miners could not reach the cathedral tor its
gold and Jewels; and there they lie nj rest,
churches and palaces, villas and novels,
priests, peasants, and mobiles, where neither
gold, nor love. nor superstition, nor piety,can
raise them from their gruves,or have any pow
'g over them.-CheereT's pilgrim o the jung
.fuu"