Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-06-23

Ino 6reaI Eruption OF VT NesuNAus
We add some account Of the mighty fire.
works of vesuyius, as detailed by the cores
pOnGenis Ofthe London Times, the latest dates
being June Isl;
The lava is making considerable progress in
various directions. towards 0ttajanO, PompeT
and Resini, at which place many persons are Of
the opinion that it must arrive in a very short
time.
The one which deseends on OttaIano is per-
haps about a quarter Of a mile in width, and,
after proceeding through Attrio del Cayalio,
takes serpeDtine direction round the back Of
the Hermitage. lt passes over the stream Of
1850. 1t moves on in one mighty mass, and its
progress is marked hy the detaehing Of mighty
| fragments, which fall down by their own grav-
itatiOn, apparently not breaking the entirity OF
the stream, and opening up fountains Of living,
scorehing fire. The Resina stream is fed by
three new openings, not in the cone, but at 4
quarter of mile, perhaps from the base Of it,
which puff ard pump up continually the cease
less stream Of fire which is making rapidly for
Resina. The vineyards are burning up in all
directions, and while some Of the peasantFy are
looking sadly on n,others are kneeling 10 saints in
roadside oratoy.
Last night the spectacle was peculiarly grand
and imposing. The lava was poured in in
creased quantity along each of the streams al
ready established, and being in a high stale Of
incandescenee, presented peculiarly pleasing
appearance.
At about o'clock an immense torrent oflava
broke over the ridge which confines the basin OF
craters, in the direction Of Somma; it flowed
down the declvity of the Somma as an immense
torrent Of liquid FIRE, and with such extraordi-
nary rapidty that 10 less than an hour it had de-
scended through a considerable portion Of the
mountain Its progress was then retarded,
partly by the diminished steepness ofthe ground
and partly by transverse raVines which must be
filled before the fluid can advance Nothing
could exceed the splendor Of this torrent Of
liquid fire, forming the fourth principal stream
Of lava, but the most extraordinary burst of
splendor which has been presented since the
Commencement ofthe eruption took place soe.,
after 9 o'clock, when all the mouths seemed to
be simultaneously called into violent action. and
to vomit forth such torrents Of lava that the en-
tire mountain seemed one blaze Of fire; the va
ried cOlors produced in different parts, owing
probably in part to reflection, presented a beau
tlful and striking appearance. The lurid light
ditlused from this enormous burning mass rend-
cred visible the subjacent country, the towns,
the coast, and the bay.
AAe oiu cOhc seems lnueed, ike the ruined
chimney of a ruined house; II lifts up its black
mass above the lake of fire below, but scarcely
anything prOeeede from it-a few sparks only;
while the fiery matter issues forth from a num-
Der OF newly created mouths in the valley
around and below the cone. OF course, thou
sands of people on foot, OF in carriages, crowd
ed the roads leading TO the great spectacle, and
there was regular Babel of languages
JUsE The state Of the mountain last night
was nearly the same as on the preceding night,
the eruption, perhaps, being little less violent.
The great streams Of lava already described
continue TO flow steady in the same direction.
Part of the extraordinary splendor Of the
spectacle on Sunday night was due to the
burning of forests, over which the lava PASSED.
The Neapolitans congratulate themselves on
the circumstance Of the lava having been direct
ed into so many different streams; for if, as in
former eruptions, it had all been thrown into
one channel, the destruction which must have
eRsued would have been tremendous.