East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1862-01-07
Terrible Adventure on "A Volcano.

Mr.. Carl Steinman visited Mount
Hscls, in Iceland, just before its terrible
eruption in 1s45, and the following is
his narrative of fearful adventure
which happened to him upon that sub
lime and desolate elevation.
Having secured guide set of, at an
early hour, on the morning following my
arrival in Salsnn lat tho foot of the ex.
tinct volcano,) praying for fair weather
good luck, and safe return.
The scenery, even from the first, was
10 different from any had ever seen
outside of Iceland as to be worthy Of
better description than lam able to give.
Suffice it to say that, as you push on, as
cending summit after summit on your
way to the great awful centre of all, you
find the danger, dreariness and desolation
increase to the most terrible sublimity,
till at last when you do finally stand on
the highest point of this unliving world
of chaos, you instinctively pray God,
with shudder shivering through your
miserable frame, to restore you to the
life you seem to have left forever behind
you.
o how shall | attempt to convey to
any mind the awful scene Of desolation
that surrounded me when at last stood
more than four thousand feet above tho
level of the sea- on the highest peak of
tho barren Heca! Six mortal hours
had l been clambering up from the
world below; and now, among the very
clouds that rolled and swept around me,
stood in world of lava mountains, ice
and snow-the lava black as midnight,
the snow Of binding whiteness-and not
in oil that region tree, bnsh, shrub,
blade, or even solitary living thing,
excepting myself and guide. Far as the
eye could reach, when the moving clouds
permitted me to see, was succession of
black, rugged hills, glistening glaciers,
snow crowned peaks, and ice bound
streams, into whose inanimate solitude no
human foot had ever penetrated-a world
without plant OF life-the very desola-
tion--flled with yawning chasms, dread.
full abysses and midnight caves which
have never echoed any sound but the
thunders OF. heaven, and the groLnings
and commissions of earth So wild and
terrible was the scene that felt a strange
thrill, like madness, rush through my
shivering frame, and culver about my
dizzy brain, and l shouted, to break the
stiffness of death, and heard my voice
come dismally back in a hundred echoes
till it seemed to be lost in the very bowel,
Of the unproductive earth.
Wrapping one of the blankets about
me, to protect me from the freezing cold
and cautiously using my pointed stick tC
try every foot of ground before me,
now began to move about, over tn,
blocks and heaps, and hills of lava, anG
across chasms, and pitfalls, and patches
Of snow and ice, my faithful guide keep
ing near, and often warning me to b,
careful of my steps. In this manner
at length assembled ridge of consider
able elevation, stumbling my way on the
top, and now and then displacing frag
ments of lava that rolled crashing dowr
behind me. AS yet 1 had seen no signs
Of the mouth of the crater, which, eight,
years before had vomited forth its terrifi
and desolating streams of melted, blac
sand; but on reaching the summit Of thi
ridge, looked down into sort of basir
open at the lower side, and having som
lhrse or four deep seams or chasms i
" center, into which the melting sno,
and ice on its sides were running in sma
streams. A peculiar and not very agre,
able odor came up, with thin, smok
vspor, and fancied could hear di,
tsnt sound, something between gurgl
aud rumble.
~ suppose this is the original crater,
said, turning to the guide.
The fellow was as pale as death, an
every feature expressed surprise allied I
fear.
"Wbat is the matter ?" I quickly d,
manded; have you ever seen this spo
before?"
II have seen this place before master,
ne replied, "but never anything like thi
When was here last there was no ho
low here, but only level place Of SNOW
and ice."
"Indecd!" exclaimed I, feeling strangel
interested; "what, then, do you infer
that there is about to be fresh cru
tisn?"