Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-10-27
splendid Eruption of MT. Etna.


A PERILous JouRsEY.-The Maltese cores
pondent of the Morning Herald thus describes the
recent eruption, and the perils endured by party
of English travellers the night of the event:
ssThe great Festa Catania took from our island
several of its inhabitants, and not few officers
obtained short leave of absence on the occasion
The amusement afforded by the splendor of the
fireworks, &C., well repaid them, but, more than
all, magnificent eruption of Etna, which, since
1S43, had been reposing in tranquility, added an
interest to the voyage that none expected.
At eight P. NJ, on the goth of August, a party of
English ladies and gentlemen,with mule and mule
teers, left Ncoloni, with the intention of ascer-
ing Mount Etna, and taking shelter at the Ca
sa Ingiest, at eleven O'Clock the party in excel
lent spirits, reached the Bosco, where they put
ON their light clothing.
Passing the Bosco about two miles, the huge
crater below Etna, called the Colossi, glared
awfully, and shortly threw up large bodies of fire
and smoke. Immediately after, 4Etna vomited
forth its fire and ashes, and the wind set to-
wards the Casa Inglesi, it was not prudent to seek
its friendly SHELTER in all probability it would
be destroyed Their course was therefore chang
ed, the Colossi being now the point to which it
was directed.
The water, which had been very cold, was in
creasng in its comfortless intensity, and when our
travellers had got above the height of the Casa
Inglesi, in narrow defle, of which sand and
small lava were the component parts, they were
overtaken by hurricane SO violently strong, that
in an instant seven mules and their riders were
T blown over; and not only so, but to render the
scene more terrific, it was afterwards found they
were blown to the very edge of the crater !
For the gentlemen to descend in search of their
companions was the result of moments decis-
ion. At this time the scene was indescribably
grand Heaven and earth presented one magnif-
cent glare of light; Etna above, vomiting its
sulphuric flames; the Colossi below, belching
forth its dense masses of smoke, lurid from the
furnace beneath. The huge mountain poured out
from its interior, prolonged meanings; without,
the hurricane roared in all its might and majesty.
Crawling on their knees and hands, unable to face
the violence of the hurricane, the gentlemen
sought the ladies', who were not discovered and
collected together till after search of twenty
minutes. They were then placed under columns
of lava, their light clothing literally blown off
their backs, and pyramid of living beings
formed around them for their safety and protec-
tiont
As by magic the scene suddenly changed. An
earthquake shook the land; up jumped the guides,
bawling their unmuscal Auanti! Auanti! (Get
on Get on ( mules broke from their keepers,
and were abandoned to their fate: the hurricane
increased in strength; and in ten minutes the lit
tie party had fallen, from sheer exhaustion,
the pointed lava. To face the wind, charged with
sand and~small stone, was beyond their power
In this manner two hours passed away, and most
anxiously did they look for the approach of dawn.
Within the crater, which some of the party
courageously examined, forty small furnaces were
burning awfully; these, as they reached Catania,
seemed to amalgamate, and one vast issue appear
ed to carry destruction to villages and pas
ture lands, which, reported, have been serious
ly injured.
Often has the indomtable courage of the softer
sex, when tested, been proved to be greater than
that of man. Nothing on this occasion could
equal their more than herosm. On setting forth
their return, the sharp points of the lava pre-
scented no obstacle, courageously did they UNDER
venience, and reached the Bosco at 7 A. M, after
an absence of sixteen hours.
After hasty dejeuner, they continued their
journey by mules, and reached Nicolini by ten,
whence they started for Catania, which they
reached by halfpast two, P. M. The Italian par
ty which had preceded them, reported ther obsti !
macy in proceeding against the opinion of their
guides and this led to the natural conclusion that
they were numbered with the dead.
Their safety, indeed, is miraculous, for had rain
ensued, as often happens before an eruption, they
would have been washed away; had the wind
changed they would have died under the sulphur
impregnated air As it was, the Catanese turned
out and hailed the return of the brave party as
men and women miraculously saved from fearful
doom.
The Editor of the Malta Mail adds to the fore
going: "We learned on Wednesday that the Ca
sa Inglsi had been burned-the farm of Bronto
but slowly-and the affrighted peasantry were get
ting away as fast as possible from the danger by
which they were menaced.''
OLD AeE.-There is quiet repose and steadi-
mess about the happiness of age, if the life has
been well spent. Its feebleness is not painful
The nervous system has lost its acuteness. Even
in mature years we feel that a burn, scald, cut
is more tolerable than it in the sensitive pc
riod of youth. The fear of approaching death,
which in youth we imagine must cause inquiet-
ude to the aged is very seldom the source of much
uneasiness. We never like to hear the old re-
regretting the loss of their youth 1t is a sign
that they are not living their lives Alright. There
duties and pleasures for the aged, and the wise
will follow them. They will neither regret the