Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-11-28

such cases, forced myself back few feet,
but still remained near the opening, deaf 10
the entreaties Of my frightened guide, who
now began 10 implore me TO return before
it should be too late. As the dread volcano
had not been in action for more than thirty
years before his birth, | believed that he
conld know no more Of the danger than my
self, and therefore psrferred TO act from the
dictates Of my own feelings rather than his
fears and as / was 10 pay him well for his
services, felt but little disposed to be hur-
ricd from a place which had cost me 90 much
time, money, and trouble to visit.
Giving no heed, therefore, TO his earnest
solicitations, now resolved TO sound, IL
possible, the depth Of the cbasm before me.
and then proceed to inspect the others; and
for this purpose pried of from larger
one, small block of -aya, aud advancing To
the very edge of the chastn, dropped II
down. and listened to the hollow reverbe.
rations. as it went bounding from side 10 side
long after it was lost to the eye. The depth
was so immense that heard il for more
than minute, and then the sound seemed
rather to die out from distance than to cease
because of the block having reached its
destination 1t was an awful depth. and.
fearfully impressed me with the terrible
and as drew back with shudder, gust
OF hot, sulphurous air rushed and roared
upward followed by steam-like vapor, and
u heavy, hollow sound, as If cannon had
been discharged far down in the bowels Of
the earth.
This new manifestation of the powers Of
Nature fairly startled me into desire for
flight, and had already turned for the pur-
pose. when suddenly there came sort Of
rumbling crash, and the ground, shaking,
heaving and rolling under me, began to
crumble off into the dread abyss. | was
thrown down, and, ON my hands and knees,
praying God for mercy, was scrambling over
it and upward, TO save myself from most
horrible fate, when two blocks, rolling to-
gether, caught my feet and legs between
them, and, without actually crushing, held
them as if in vice. Then came another
crash and crumble, the lava slid away from
behind me, and | was left upon the very
verge Of the awful gulf, now widened to
some fifteen or twenty feet, down into which
l looked with lrror-strained eyes, only to
see darkness and death below, and breathe
the almost suffocating vapors that rushed up
from that seemingly bottomless pit
Oh, the horrors Of that awful realization
what pen or tongue can portray them p
there, helpless but conscious prisoner. sus-
pended over the mouth of black and heat
ed abyss, to be hurled downward by the next
great throe Of trembling nature.
Help! help! help! for the love of God,
help" | screamed in the very agony of a
wild despair a i
l looked up and aronnd to catch glimpse
of my guide; but he was gone, and had moth
ing 70 rely on but the mercy of Heaven;
and l prayed to God, as never prayed be-
fore. for forgiveness Of my sins, that they
might not follow me to judgment. 1t might
be a second, it might be minute, it might
be an hour, that l should have thus to un-
dergo living death; but be the time lorg
or short, felt there was no escape from a
doom that even now makes me grow pale
and shudder when think of it. Above me
was clear blue sky-beneath me a black
and horrible abyss-around me sickenine
vapors that made my brain grow dizzy
Rumbling and Kissing sounds warned me
that another convulsion might occur at any
me. Home and friends should never see
Hecla strove, with the madness of des-
peration, to disengage my imprisoned limbs.
but might as we'll have attempted to move
Il
ed for the terrible death was awaiting
Oh, God of mercy what fate
| Suddenly heard shout; and, looking
around, beheld, with feelings that l can
not describe, my faithful guide fastening
down the rugged sides of the crater to my
relief. He had fed in terror at the first
alarming demonstration, but had nobly re-
turned to save me, it possible, by risking
his life for mine. May God reward him as
he deserves! i nIriH
II warned you, master" he said, as he
came up painting, his eyes half starting from
his head, and his whole countenance express
ing commingled terror and pity. rsL Z.
HYou dbl you did !" cried l, tout oh
forgive and save me !" H ~
| You are already forgiven, master, and
will save youif l can-ave you or perish
with you. IsialH HI
/ Instantly he set to work with his iron
pointed stick to break the lava around m,
limbs, but had Sc freely made any progres
when again the earth trembled, and tn,
blockslparted, one of them rolling down int,
the yawning chasm with a dull, hollow
sound. | sprang forward-I seized a hanC
of the gui1e-we both struggled hard, anC
the next moment we had both fallen, locked
in each other arms, upon the solid eartl
above. was free, but still upon the verg!
of the pit, and any moment We might botl
be hurled to destruction.
Quick, master! cried the guide; up and
run for your life = ..-f.
I i staggered to my feet, with wild cry 0
hope and fear, and; half supported by m.
faithful companion hurried up the slopin!
. sides of the crater As we reached tn
ridge above, the ground shook with heay,
explosion; and, looking back, ! beheld witt
horror dark, smoking pit, where We hai
SO lately stood. '' 7
Aud then, without waiting to see more,
turned and fed over the rough ground a
fast as my bruised limbs would let me. W
reached our horses in safety, and hurryin
down the mountain, gave the alarm to tn
villagers, whojoined us in our flight acros
, the country till a safe distance was gained
Here babe adieu to my faithful guide
rewarding him as n man grateful for the pre-
servation of his life might be supposed to dc
!, A few days later, when the long extinc
|, Hecla was again conyulsing the island, an
sending forth its mighty tongues of fire an
, streams of melted lava, was far away frol
, the sublime and awful scene, thanking 90
| was alive to tsll the story of my wonder
ful escape from burning tomb. iio.g,
LIEUT.. FArRFAx, who arrested Mason an
Sl;dall 10 n loval Virrinian. n kinsman n