The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-12-11

ground, shaking. heaving and rolling under me
began to crumble of into the dread abyss
Was thrown down, and, on my hands and knees
pra. ing God Tor mercy, was scrsmbling over i
and upward, to save IN, self from q most horribl,
tate whom ,.O b ocks. rolling tog.ther, caugh
NV feet and legs between them, and, without &C
tually crushing, held them as if in vice. Ther
came another crash and crumbe, the Law.
slid away from behind me, and vas left upor
The very verge Of the awful gulf now widening
to some fifteen or twenty feet, down into whict
| looked With horror-strained eyes, only TO Sc,
darkness and death below. aud breathe the al
most suffOcating vapors tha, rushed up from thai
seemingly bottomless pit.
On, the horrors OF that awful reslization, wha
pen or tongue can portray them :-,here is q
helpless bot conscious prisoner, suspended oveI
the mouth of black and heated abyss, 10 ts
hurled downwsru by the next great throe o.
trembling nature.
"Help help help TOR the love Of God. help,
| screamed in the veIy agony of wild despair
/ looked up aud around 10 Caleb a glimpse o.
my guide; but he was gone, and had nothing
10 rely on but the mercy OF Heaven: and
pray I'd To God, ss | never prayed before, forgive
ness OF my Sins, that they might lot follow me
iojudgement. IL might Be a second, i. nigh,
be All hour, that should have thus 10 undei 20
q living death, but, be the time long or short.
iet there VAS no escape from q doom that even
now makes ME grow pale aud shudder when
think of it. Above ME vas the clear blue sky
beneath me q black and horrible aoyss-arouud
me sickeuiug vapots that made my brain grow
dizzy. Rumbhug ana Kissing souuds warned IN.
that another convusion might occur al any mo
ment, and another would be the last OF NE.
Home and friends should never see again, anc
my tomb would be the volcanic Hecla | etroye,
with the nadn IS OF desperation. 10 dsengas-
my imprisoned limbs, but might as we'll have
attempted to move a mountain. There l wa
fixed tor the terrible death Was awaiting. Oh,
God of mercy! what fate
Suddenly heard 81 out and looking around
beheld, With feelings that cannot describe NV
faithful guide hastenisg down the rugged sides OF
the crater to NV relief He had fled in terror at
The FIRST alarming d, ,monsttstion, but had nool,
returned to save me, il possible, by risking his
life tor mine. May God reward him as he de-
serves
81 warned you. master, he said, as he came
up painting, his eyes halt starting from his head
AID h whole counteuance expressing conlmin
geled terror and pity.
"You did you did" cried I, ''bu' - '0fg''e
and save mel" !,
"Yon ar. already forgiven, master, and
v;p save you il csn-ssve you or perish With
you"
Instantly he set to work with his iron.pointed
stick to break the lava around my limbs, but had
scarcely made anv progress when agais the earth
trembled, and the blocks parted, one oi them roi'
ling down into the yawning chasm with duii,
hollos sound. sprang fsr~ard-seized hand
of the gude-se both struggled hard, and !he
next moment We had both sSa teiiah above. Iva.
others SSut still on the verge of the pit, and an,
momeut we mis hit both De huuled to destruction
..Ouick. master =" cried the guide "up, Up,
and run tor your life 2
l staggered TO my feet, with Wild cry o
hope aud tear, and half supported by my faith
full companion, hurried up the sloping sides OF The
crater. As We reached the ridge above, th'
ground shook with heavy explosion, and look
ing back, l beheld with horror, a dark, emokinl
pit. where We had so lately stood.
! And then, without waiting to see more,
aga d NSsT ao ta rSash s as
our horses in safety, and, hurrying down tn
mountain, gave the alarm TO the villagers, VII
safe distance was gained.
Here bade adieu TO my faithful guide, reward
ing him as man grateful for the preservation {
his life, might be supposed to do.
A few days later, when the long extinct Heel
was again convulsing the island and sending fort
it's mighty tongues of fire and streams OF melte
lava, | was far away from the sublime and awtl
spectacle, thanking God I was alive to tell III
story of my wonderful escape from q burniu
| tou,h