Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-07-01

ETN A..
A THRILLING STORY,

the volcano -Htna will always hold a lis
prominence. Renowned by past and pres
ent history. sublime by It's elevation, it
form and the awful secrecy of unknown
fterrors thai lie concealed within lis bosom
the olcIllan volcano will always be viewed
with the deepest and most solemn awe
1t was with such feelings and sucl
thoughts as these, / began 10 ascend tht
volcano on the morning OF the 9th of May
lS49. / had left Cantania on the 9Th da,
before, IN order to visit this wonderful
spot. | did not wish to glance carelessly
upon lt--no; for TO me there was always
something reyerent, something almost di-
Vine, IN connection with this grand mass
OF upheaved lava, which led me to look
earnestly at its rugged sides. | wished
to ascend, 10 view from its summit the
talrest regions on earth, to glance down
into those unfathomable depths, where
fire, fire in all It's terror, forever dwells,
forever struggles.
| 1t was with slow steps that ascended
the cone, after the patient and hardy po-
nies had been dismissed | had been an
invalid, and the fatigue of coming up the
steep and rocky dechvity might well have
! exhausted me. But after many testings
and haltings, was able TO attain the sum
nit.
The summit, Good heavens. can | ever
forget the delirum, the transport OF 10Y,
which the boundless prospect there awall-
ened within meg Can | ever forget the
first glimpse which, caught of all the glor-
/ les and the horrors of Nature, mingled
together IN such fearful union9
=. / l.
! plains, the green meadows and the gen.
tie valleys OF Sicily. There We're streams
glancing and flashing in the sun as they
wandered 10 the sea, with ten thousand
Ilabyrinthian turnings; lakes whose glas sy
surface showed not rutlle nor a ripple !:
there were terraces upon the sides of a
hundred hills, where the trellised vines
pass along, all greenland blooming; there
were groves OF orange trees amid the
dark green foliage OF which the golden
oranges pecprd forth ike the flashes of
phosphorescent light IN u midnight sea :;
there were long avenues of expresses, Of
acaclas, of noble trees of many kinds
amid which lhingly assembages at times
could be seen the noble summit of some
stately palm, as it lowered high above the
others.
And the seattle wide, the boundless,
the deep blue Mediterranean-there il
spread away on the other side, as far as
the eye could reach, as far as thought
could ruu-glorious as
The ,ashing
81 .vrr flashing
Sur-cs q san salvador
But 10 turn aside-and there beneath
/ far beneath, lies an abyss like that of which
Milton had sung in sublimest mortal
strains.
paused upon the brink, and shudder-
ing | gazed down-downt The thick
and funeral volumes Of notwithstanding
smoke came seething upwards, as from a
cauldron. Il escaped thro' myraid of
crcyices in the rocky precipitous sides; it
poured forth from behind projections, and
united with the vast mass which came
subIinely upward from the unfathomable
depths.
Here upon the sandy, rocky edge, where
sulphur and crtmblcd lava ana puInice
stone were ali mingled together to form
a horrid soil, here sat and looked down.
From the scene beyond, from that vision
/ of all that was most lovely, and all that
! was oyerpoWerlng, to turn and gaze into a
volcanoes depth-what a change!
Involved IN a thousand thoughts, | sat
there thinking myself alone; when a sud-
/ den grating struck my ear. | was star
tied exceedingly, and turned around
! The place where | had been sitting was a
pennsular projection Of the cliff which
formed part OF this Internal chasm
Upon this narrow piece OF land which
joined 1t to the other cliffs upon the 18th
mus, ! saw a mild looking, lniddle-aged
gentleman approach me.
tie was dressed III plain black clothes
and IN his hand ho held long stick.
i beg your pardon signor said he IN a
polite manner and with great softness of
tone. Il beg your pardon for intruding
myself upon your company. But it is not
often that see any visitors so far up
My dear sir! beg you will make no
excuses, replied; i was just admiring
this scene below
'Ah! yes, 1t is glorious sight
Glorious say rather Il terrible one
Terrible, perhaps to you; but do not
be surprised, if | say to me it is lovely,
absolutely lovely
As he spoke d smile Of bewitching beau
! y crossed his features.
4 suppose your tastes are different from
those OF many people, signor. | have
not such feelings. But may | ask if you
are often here!'
All. yes! | live here he replied, wa
wing his stick around. | live here
/ thought that he meant me to under
stand that his home was on the mountain,
where very many villas were situated.
And | suppose | continued, that you
are very often on the summit 2
Oh, yes; | am here always
always? What a strange facination
it has for you.'
1t has! il has!' said the genteman.-
oh. a fearful, and his voice grew low
and hollow-'a terrible facination
| was silent.
4 will tell yen said he sitting closely
by my side, and turning his eye full to-
I U-a ri me- Il do not wish Won tn inform