Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-06-04


Everything in Naples is Tor the present,
extinguished by one great fact--the eruo.
ton oi Vesuyius. King, ministers and DO.
liesmen. in their several spheres, are all
scorched and shriveied up into nothnpness.
! am disposed to think that Neapolitsn
might now wear glrdle round his waist, or
a beard, or a wide-awske, SO all-absorbiog
is the Eruption Of Vesuvias. We have
been expecting and longing for it for some
time. The wells at Reslna had been dried
up More than once since 1850 the noun
tain has Numbered and smoked, and in the
beginning OF the year portion OF the era
ter fell in. Great numbers OF strangers
have. therefore, waited till very late in the
season, in the hope Of seeing this extraor-
binary spectacle, and have just taken their
leave, when the mountain, AS in "despetto,"
breaks out. The principal guide, who is
called Cozzalino., reported ON the morning
otthe first OF May, that he had just ascend
ed the mountain, and that on arriving at
the summit there were thousand reports
as of cannon, and then there was thrown
up discharge Of red hot stones. The rain,
mist, and smoke, however. all mingled to-
gether, prevented q near approach or near
or observation, and we are therefore left to
our unaided observations.
During the whole Of yesterday, nothing
WAS to be seen but smoke and cloud, which
enveIoped not only the mountain but the
whole coast, and then swept away in i'm.
mense volumes toward Capri. In the very
centre OF the cloud, however, might be
seen an ashy, sulphurous- colored plain,
which by shade difference in the color,
and the well-marked outline, indicated thut
IL 4, l.
ing down.
As evening came on, the heaven were
in bright glow, and the whole population
aocked down TO the mole oil Santa Lucia to |
see the magnificent spectacle. II was one
of those underlined scenes which give the |
Imagination iuil play. The form Of the |
mountain was undlstingui hal Bile nothing |
was 10 be seen but clouds, smoke and fire. |
Up to the very zenith the sky was covered |
with large dubious clouds, black as ink and |
fringed with white; underneath, and half
way down the mountain, everything was on
fire, while right in the centre OF it shot up
cone of black smoke. Still lower again,
dark clouds covered the bare of the noun
rain, having, too, as their centrepiecc and
contrast, the river OF lava which is running
down towards Resina.
A few days since, | was exploring with
the miners, among the ruins which still lie
buried under the modern city. The neigh
boring mountain was rumblng and smoking
ana referring the inhabitants as It were, TO
the h story % the past, but they took no no.
tice Of it, aud doubt whether they now do
-, exceptto calculate the amount Of profit
il may bring in 10 them; Tor an eruption OF
Vcsnsius is to hem rs good as fire to the
London thieves During the Whole of last
night there was a perfect procession OF car
riages toxa ds Rrsina. contentcd myself
with remain ng here for the fret view, but
Or .ba aiy shall 60 over Tonight, and will
.end YOU il 'her details by Saturdays boat.
Tn, se,nc was rendered siili grandsr by an
ecIip,e OF III, moon. v .ieh took place about
two hours after miGaght