Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-11-16
A LAKE OF FIRE.

WISH ~ AtiG NHlGs4tio AisAIEsts Afi tae 1stt4~
wieh Islands, thirty-six miles from dilo.
After saying that the crater Of this vol
lcano is a vast pin IN the midst Of an in.
mense plain having only a gradual rise
TO the center--and that within a quarter
OF a mile is the entrance to a great cave,
which be and bis guides explored--he
says;
Suddenly We came to high hank,
and looking down we beheld the lake Of
fire beneath US about seventy-iive feet.
This lake is something more than a mile
in circumference. There. in full view,
we're real waves Of liquid fire, Of bright
red color, splultering and splashing Ike
ocean waves 4 little island Of hard
lava stands in the middle Of the lake,
against the black sides Of which the
waves of fire dashed with tremendous
fury, and breaking on its jagged cliffs.
they would cast the red spray high into
the air. The sides Of this lake are solid
walls of red FIRE, glowing with fearful
intensity. We were Standing on the
windward bank, with a strong cold wind
blowing down, yet the heat was so in
tense that we could only look minute
at time, and then turn away to catch
the refreshing influence Of the cool
breeze. In addition to the hideous
: roaring and kissing Of the lake, We heard
d at short intervals, sounds much resemb-
ling that Of a steamer blowing off steam,
only infinitely louder. and ominous
growing of pent-up forces struggling in
subterranean caverns, at which the very
earth seemed to tremble. Occasionally
large masses of the cooled lava on the
lake became detached, and falling into
L the boiling cauldron, are instantly re-
, duced to liquid state.
Il After a few minutes silence, disturbed
only by an occasional Kissing and muir
muring, ] was startled by that awe-inspir-
t. ing sound Of escaping steam. In an in
slant faint glimmering Of red, Ike a
I sheet of lightning shot out from under
d the overhanging brink, where l wa:
&c standing, and ran across the lake. Thi;
&c was signal for a change in the whole pro
e gramme. Immediately the whole LAX,
'e became of bright red color, and foui
Ks fountains burst up in different parts o
le the lake.
y Ny eyes followed these With amaze
a. ment, as one after another they cast al
n great quantities of purely vermilhon
Id colored liquid. These were followed b.
~ others, in rapid succession, one Of whicl
I'd burst up near where was standing
Running back, covered under the up
Is per banks and witnessed the grandes
On pyrotechnical display Of which It is pos
u slble TO form any conception. These sil
ei fountains threw up jets from thirty t
IT. City feet high The fountain, from tn
y spray Of which SO hastily retreated
made large deposits Of molten lava o
TO the bank where bad been standing
De and when it ceased / procured some yer
" good specimens. A short period Of 10
activity ensued, and then the waves q
d. ERE commenced to roll and dash agains
We the little island, as We at first saw then
ID Native tradition says that this crater ha
N been burning from time immemorial
The most wonderful and mysterior
=. phenomenon we witnessed was on ii
= second day Of our visit to the crater.
was noon, and we were sitting on big
bank at lunch. ! had turned my face
the wind to avoid the intense heat of u
- lake. ] was startled BY a noise Ike Il
a: rushing together Of vast bodies Of waite
The natives jumped up Instantly, az
raising an uncarthly shout, seamper'
= off in an opposite direction. Tarnir
toward the lake, beLeld a scene whis
! shall never forget. ], 100, had 20 r,
off some distance to escape the gre
Of heat The whole surface Of the ial
em was in state Of the wiidest eommotia
Of Wave elashed on wave, and all was co
re- fusion. Tremendous billows of Gre 70
e a cd from every side of tie lake 10 TIE &c
art ter, and meeting in fierce conflict aro0
on the island 10 the eenter, broke With 70
IN over is black sides Then after recs
nis- ing again, they rushed 10 the onset o.
mil. more, with increased force, and meeti
Is. together, shot up into The air perha
one hundred ieet--one vast spiral b
The ol red liquid lava, ~lieh finally eoml
ther over and fed 10 graeelal spray kaek i
hey the lake again
L -