Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-11-15
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Just -eminence. Renowned by past
and present history, sublime by its eleva-
ton, its form, and the awful secresy of
unknown terrors which lie concealed with
in its bosom, the Siclian volcano will al
ways be viewed with the deepest, the most
solemn awe.
1t was with such feelings and such
thoughts as these, that began to ascend
the volcano on the morning of the 5th of
May, 1889. 1 had left Catania on the
day before in order to visit this wonderful
spot did not wish to glance careIessly
upon it-no; for to me there was always
something revcrcd, something almost di
vine, in connection with the great mass of
upheaved lava, which led me to look car
nestlv at its rugged sides. l wished to
ascend, lofty from its summit the fairest
regions on earth; to glance down, down
inIo those unfathomabe depths, where
fire. fire in all its terror, forever struggles.
1t was with slow steps assembled the
scene after the patient and handy ponies
had been dismissed. had been an in
valid, and the fatigue of"clmbing up the
steep and rocky decliviLy might we'll have
daunted me. But after many restings and
many halLings, was able to attain the
summit.
The summit! Good heavens can 1
ever forget the delirium, the transport of
Joy, which boundless prospect there ava
kcned within me? Can l ever forget the
glimpse which first caught of all the glo-
res aud all the horrors OF nature min. led
together in such fearfnl unison ?
Far away on one side spread the fertile
II. a.,
lie valleys Of Sicily. There were streams
glancing and flashing in the sun as they
wandered to the sea, with ten thousand
labarinthan turnlngs; lakes whose glossy
surface showed not a -ruffle, not Il ripple;
there were groves of orange trees. amid
the flashes of phosphores cent light in a
midnight sea; there were long avenues Of
Expresses, of acacias, of noble trees Of
jlnany kinds, amid which kingly assem-
bage at times could be seen the noble
summit of some stately palm, as it tower
cd on high above the others.
And the sea- the wind, the boundless,
the deep,bue Medilerranean-there it
spread away on the other side, as far as
the eye could reach, spreading away as
far as thoughts could run-glorious as
''The dashing,
| Silver flashing
Surges of San Salvador"
But turn aside and there beneath, far
beneath, lies an abyss like thatof which
Milton has sung in sublimest mortal
strains.
paused upon the brink, and shudder-
ing, 1 gazed down down. The thick
and funeral volumes of torturously ascen-
ding smoke came seething upward as from
a cauldron. 1t escaped from myriad oI
crevices in the rocky, precipitous sides; il
poured forth from behind projections, and
united with the vast mass which came
sublimely upward from the unfathOmable
depths.
Here, upon the sandy rocky edge, where
sui phur, and crumbled lava, and pumice
stone wero all mingled together TO form I
horrid suiI-here sat and looked down
From the scene beyond, from that glimpse
of earth, which made it seem like heaven
from that vision of all that was most love
ly and all that was most powerful, to turI
and gaze into volcanoes awful depths
what change!
Involved in a thousand thoughts sa
there, thinking myself alone, when sud
den grating struck my ear. 1 was star
tied exceedingly, aud turned around
: The place where had been sitting was
peninsular projection of the cliff whic
) formed part Of this internal chasm. Upo
the narrow strip of land which. joined
to the other cliffs-upon the isthmus-
n saw mild-loOking, middle-aged gentle
S man approach me. He was dressed
plain black clothes, and in his hand b
d held light stick.
e 81 beg your pardon, signor.'' said h
II in polite manner, and with softness
tone, 81 beg your pardon for intrudir
myself upon your company. But it is n
often that I see any visitor SO far up