Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-06-30
THE xRuPTros OF vKsUvIus-urxxxsf
ING PARrIouLARs.

: THE xRuPTros OF vKsuvIus-ufxxxsz
ING PARfIouLARs.
ooussponcenoe Of ths Lsnass fsnes1
NAPLIs, Hay sf, foc3
Since Saturday the eruption has ptoeeede
with constantly violence, and ha
presented at night more and more msRni6eef
spectacle. In my last letter mentioned ths
there issued from the great basin Of FIRE In th
Atrio q single stream Of lava, which, after
tortuous course, was descending the deelisit
OF the mountain. This stream has continue
its course, varying in breadth according to th
accidents OF the ground, aud seens now to di
rect Itself 10 a point between Portiei and TORI
del Greco, but much nearer the latter than th
former. IL approaches close to the eeattefe,
farn-houses which lie above the towns at th
foot Of the mountain, many Of which 1t cal
scarcely fail to destroy.
In the afternoons Of Saturday and Scnda,
TWO other streams Of lava broke out Of th'
great basin, aud are descending the r1oantainl
towards the neighborhood OF Portiei. Thes,
streams seem to follow the direction cf rsvines
which run nearly parable. 10 the ridge on which
The Observatory and the Hermitage stand
These buildings have been hitherto saved from
sabmersien BY the lava BY their grea. elevation,
the euid naturally following the direction Of
the lower ground at either side Of them.
Last right the spectacle was peculiarly
grand and imposing. The lava was poured in
Increased quantity along each OF the streams
already estsblisher, and, being In a high state
o. ineandeseoee, presented peculiarly splen-
did sppearsscc. aaf
AT about o'clock ar imuense tsrfent Of
lava broke over the ridge which confines the
BASIN OF eraters IL the direction Of the Som
ma as an immense torrent OF liquid FIRE. AID
with such extraordinary rspidity that in less
taeh an hour II bad descended through a con-
s' 'ersole portion of the mountain. its pfo.
gress wes then retarded, partly BY the diibin-
lsnsd steepness Of the ground, and partly by
traverse ravines which must be filled before
the huid can advance Nothing could exceed
the spiendor q this torrent Of liquid FIRE, form
ing the Fourth principal stream OF lava but
me most extraordinary burst Of splendor
which has been presented since the commence
ment Of the eruption took place boon after
o'clock, when all the inouths seemed to be 81
nultaneousiy called into violent action, and 10
vomit forth such torrents Of lava that the en-
tire mountain seemed one blaze Of ere; the
varied colors produced In difereut parts, owing
probably in part to fsction, presented beau-
tifal and striking Appearance. The lurid light
difused ffon thus enormous burning mass rem
eered visible the susjaeent country, the town,
the coasi, aud the bay.
On each night several thousand persons OF
all ranks, from the poor to the peasant, urged
BY curiosity, repair to the scene Of this extra.
ordinary spectacle. The darkness being com
piete, and the route in many parts difficult,
each party is furnished With torch, and the
view OF these hundreds Of torches fitting about
between the strea ms Of lava is most curiour
presenting the appearance OF multitudes Of fire.
fies.
The Hermitage, which is close to the great
basin Of craters and rivsrs Of lava; ID sppfcsch.
~ H.. 49,. -
may be supBeeea, hundreds Of vehicles Of every
description. from the ealeehe Of the millionaire
to the humble coricol5, are collected there to-
ward midnight. Donkey parties abound, Of
which ladies do not fear to form q part
Part OF the extraordinary splendor Of the
spectacle on Sunday night was due to the burn
ing Of forests over which the lava passed. The
Neapolitsns Congratulate themselves on the
OF the lava having been directed
into 90 many different Streams for II, In FORM
er eruptions, It bad been thrown into one chan
nel, the destruction which rnuet have snsuei
would have been tremendous
JUNE The Eruption is splendid! There
are three streams Of lava, which begin Just be-
tween Yesuvius and Somma we went as near
as possible; we climbed to the top Of q ridge
Of lava which bad begun to cool, but it requir-
ed all the csrefulness oi our guides to prevent
our burning our feet of On our way down
We went to the .op Of the ,servatory, whence
The view Of the lava was splendid the middle
was flowing an fast ss water; there was q
fsyed reflection In the smoke which - said
vas just like the Aurora Bofealis in Scotland.
The eruption began last Wednesday, night the
ava begins whsrs Il did in 1855. There were
'hcusahds Of people on the mountain; 1t was
m extraordinary scene. At the end Of one Of
he streams OF lava, that on the Castellamare
side OF the Hermitage, there was ceremony,
suppose to stop the lava. There were q saint
and some priests In attendance.
NAPLES, June s, isse.
Vesuvius 10 still blazing away, and Since I
wrote the lava has made q steady progress
down the mountain. Sonetines on one point
il has stopped, but greater influence has then
been given TO the fluid on another point and
again the apparently tranquil mound has open
ed up There 10 no spparent evidence, there
fore, ss yet, OF disposition to stop on the
contrary, it seems to be gorged with the mat
ter which it throws out in all directions. Be-
fore give you any results Of my own Obserys-
tions az 70 it5 actual state, let me 60 80 Tar
back as Tuesday, when wrote. Two streams
were then flowing slowly fro. the north, fed
by i've mouths; one vent towards aosso
della Vettura, and roe other to the Fosso
Crspd,. Anothsr stream, fed by a mouth
uhlrh op.nsd' "a th. sodth flds, cut cff the old
road Issaiss 10 the Hermitage. This stream
Aes;fcyed many small portions Of lard, and
il ssas feared very early In the week that the
leW road TO the Observatory would have been
Interrupted Another fact to be noticed il that
he upper part Of the crater, 10 the depth Of
zoo palms, hae fallen in, in consequence, per-
1sps, OF the new mouths which have been
opened in the district Of Otteziano. The lava,
which was flowing through Fosso della Yetra-
no, passes into the Foseo Favsone, whilst that
-. = - - l.
stopping after short time, and then recover.
ing its course 60 rapidly, that In the space of
two hours It advanced FORTY PAGES. On Tues.
day the lava which had PASSED the Fosso
Grande divided into two streams, one OF which
advanced Oh tie road leading TO the Observa-
tory, thus preventing the adyaDae Of carriages
to that point. The other stream destroyed
some cultivated ground, and 10 still flowing
Reserving for later insertion the reports Of the
eruption in the interval from Wednesday to the
present moment, which the government has not
yet published, ! give my own impression OF
what 10 passing at this moment. I have iust
returned from Rssina. shd ths stream Is about
an bour's dlttanee from the city-that 10 to say,
l could crawl up to 1t in an hour In a oRe-horse
carriage. Its advance, however, 10 30 capri
eious, that it is impossible TO Say what amount
Of danger exists for this devoted spot were
the streams to unite ana fDw down without d.
verging from their presest path, danger there
would be. Il has already taken one or two
houses on the mountain, and the eye would say
that II would take many others-it seems to be
rolling down Upon them. Much land has been
destroyed, sRd one poor woman, who was re-
dueed 20 poverty, Fas enly prevented from
throwing herself into the lava by the guide,
vincenzo Cozzoriho, laying hold Of her by the
arm. Most who have suffered yet are small
proprietors, and many similar portions of land
are menaced.
The spectacle from Naples is ss grand as II
can be, Fesuvius is girdIed with ERE, and from
this girdIe seem to drop down jewels OF the
utmost brilliancy. At times one spot becomes
more brilliant than the others, and then deIse
cloud rises up; there has been either fresh
eush of lava or a msss has fallen of from the
blsckenec exterior. In the intervals between
the streams appear thousand little lights as
though they were glow worms These are the
torches which visitors carry with them, but
the tourney 10 now very limited Swiss guards
are on the mountain, and II is inpossibls to get
to the Hermitage. Palmieri, the director Of
the observatory, has hed, and the instruments
are removed, for destruction IL threatened to 1t
by the stream at the back which 10 flowing In
to the Fcsso di Favsme. 80 high 10 IL rising,
that q very little more will send it over the sb-
servatory. From Resini 70 Pompeii, the noun
tain makes no sign-that ID, no Doutl nss
opened in the aide. Iwent around it on Thurs
day, and people were getting in their fruit and
buying and selling within q short distance OF
the lava which was destroying the property OF
their friends, seemirgly as secure as though
they lived hundred miles from Yesuvius and
vet a crater may be formed in a moment In any
quarter. for the mountain 10 In labor. From
Ponpeii TO Ottzizno there 10 more activity ;
the lava has destroyed some woods belonging
to the prince Of that name, though 1t has not
advanced further. Continuing the circle, one
comes 70 what seems from Naples to be the
Ieft extremity Of the girdIe. Here the stream
coming down by the Fosso di Faysme. has Ia
ken the direction Of the stream Of 1855, which
flowed down towards the villages Of Massa d
Somns, San sebsstianc, and Pellena- Ins
right extremity Of the girdie ternin.fss ABOVE
Resin.. and appears 10 thre sten Il Inevitably
though efforts were being made to divert ~
course into some Of the deep valleys viii
which the mountain is traversed. some intel