Washington telegraph., 1856-02-13
The Lake of Fire.

The following description of lake Of
FIRE, in the crater of volcano of the Sand
wieh Islands will be read with interest:
But the whole had not yet been seen
Not having been able to reach the lake from
below, We resolved to approach and look upon
il from above. In the face Of a cola dri-
wing rain storm. Mr- HaSzey (my agreeable
travelling companion.) the guide and myself
set out on foot for a walk of five miles to
the desired point. The whole body of the
crater was full of steam and smoke. and
doubts we're expressed whether we could
get a view of the bottom; but on we went
trusting for better things. in which We were
not disappointed
Before reaching the bank above the lake
and while it was hid from view. We could
distinctly hear the sound of its splashing
waves so like, and yet so unlike the break
ing of the surf upon the oceans shore
There was a mingling of the sound of rush.
ing waters with Its own dead. heavy. Kissing
one. 4 moment more and We stood upon
the brow of perpendicular wall Of thsu-
sand feet, and directly above the lake. and
there we sat ourselves silently upon the
rocks to look down upon it. 1t differed
from all we had seen before. The lurid
light of the previous night was gone. and
the beautiful pictures which helped to make
up that scene were absent; but in their
stead were others more appalling and full
of terror. Here. In close proximity and
plain sight, was "a lake burning with fire.
may be unquenchable, and it only required
the walls of the tormcn:ed to complete the
dread description of hell
The lake was in size some half a mile
in diameter, ana one and half in circum-
ference nearly round its surface was ra-
ging with great violence, and was, when un-
broken, black and dark. but when agi;ated
.s the centre was continually, its color was
blood-red. Every few moments. the lava
would be thrown up at least fifty feet in jets,
and then as if lashed into fury, great waves
would chase each other boiling and foaming
red with heat. if not in anger. Strange
sounds saluted the ear. as well as strange
sights the eye. Occasionally loud reports
were heard then the peculiar sounds of
escaping steam, as If thousand boilers
were blowing off their pent up steam, at
once, and the dead heavy sound of the dis
turbed lava was continuous. Take it alto
gether, it was decidedly the most startling
scene had ever witnessed
Just beyond the burning lake was the
great cone now black as night, from which
the intensely brilliant light had shown the
night before. Fit chimney. indeed. for the
fire beneath. Its proportions were gigantic,
It's capacity, immense and it vas belching
forth, at intervals. vast volumes of smoke in
ft proportion to the mighty fire below
Tho roStloSS lov-, lei NTH
waves of blood, the great black cone beyond,
together with the hundred uprising columns
of smoke and steam, made up grand but
awful picture, impossible to describe, but
never to be forgotten
On our return from tie view of the lake,
We passed the sulphur banks. These are To-
Gated about a quarter of mile from the
upper bank of the crater, on slightly de-
pressed plain or valley. They are less than
half a mile in length. and are full of holes.
through which hot steam is Issuing. and
about which beautiful crystals of sulphur are
hanging In securing some specimens l
burnt my fingers in the steam. The natives
call this bank of sulphur Pols's Danghill.
All along the bank, and in some places
half a mile distant from the crater, are holes
aud fssures in the rocks. from which steam
ia constantly burning hot. The ground
near the crater is strewn all over with Poles
hair-a fine thread of glass OF melted sand
thrown up from the volcano and blown in
minute attenuated threads by the wind
They are in color brown. and much resem-
bling 6ne auburn" hair and hence the
name They cover the ground like cob
webs. but are very brittle. and it requires
care to gather them up.