The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1855-06-28
NAPLES. May 10, 1876


The lava has now advanced ten miles
from its source, and is now doing terrible
damage. / have before me the report Of
Cozzolino as to the latest changes which
have taken place about the cone. Just at
the base of it lake Of fire has been form
ed which looks like a red sea III an un-
dulatory state. In the very centre of this
has opened another crater, which is throw
inr out red hot stones.
On the morning Of the 18th the crater, at
the very summit, fred, as it were. two
heavy cannonadcs, and after sending
forth lightning, flames, and stones broke
up altogether. In the middle of the cone
ten craters have been formed, and from
these the lava pours forth like river land
runs on the side Of the Cavello as far as
the Minatorc; here four other craters have
been formed which throw up bitumcn in
the manner Of pyramids, and resemble
gigantic exhibitions of fireworks. The
whole Of the summit of the crater is, there
fore, like sponge, and must inevitably
fall in The thin crust trembles under
your feet; you may see the stones dance
with the tremulous movement. The part
Immediately round the crater looks like
the sides Of heated copper boiler. Such
Is q true statement Of what is going on On
the summit
There are reports Of an opening to-
wards Pompeii, which is not unlikely, and
Of another towards Resina but | have
not been up for some days, as the danger
Is now very great Before | write again
| shall make the attempt. Last night
went to the scene Of most stirring interest,
after an interval Of two days. The whole
length of this usually quic: road was like
a fair, and such was the throDg of carri-
ages which were moving on in three lines
that it was with difficulty We ever arrived
at our destination. As we approached
the menaced neighborbood the inhabitants
were removing their goods, and on a
bridge iu the middle Of the little town
ship of Cercolo, through which in the
winter time thunders down from the sum
nit Of Yesuvius one of those mountain
rivers SO well known in Italy, stood a
company of sappers.
Creeping under this solid, handsome
bridge into the bed of the river, we went
up in the face Of the lava, which was now
coming rapidly down. Here again were
sappers, raising mounds on either side to
divert the ruin from some private grounds
and keep the lava in one straight course
The smoke which rose over the heads Of
the multitudes told us we were close on
the spot, and, climbing up the bank and
walking along the top, we looked down on
this mighty mass Of fire. How changed
the neigbborhood in two days. Where
walked on Sunday night was now sea Of
fire. The side road by which had come
down into the main stream from Pollena
and Massi di Somme was now full of black
ened coke. The houses on the borders Of
the village had fallen-in one thirty poor
people lived; a small chapel was swallow
ed up, gentleman's villa, and sad ex-
tent of vineyard and garden ground.
On the other side Of the great lava bed
another stream was branching of to San
Sebastiano. We had hoped to have cross
ed it and ascended to the cascade again,
but it was no longer possible; for, as one
says speaking Of marsby country in the
winter, The lava was out. The fire here
had begun to enter the burial ground Of
the little town, but was diverted from it's
course by wall On the opposite side
Of the stream were the king and all the
royalfamily The banks on either side
we're tbronged with curious and anxious
multitu@ee, whose faces we're lighted w