The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1862-02-05
Correspondence Of the London Tines.
THE ERUPTION OF vEsUylus.

NADleSs beCs lUs-rEbtu 4NapiCs htilIie lS
seen excepting those grand columns OF smoke
winch rise gganticaily into the air. and
which, according to as close measurement
as could be made, were caiculated--that
from the lower mouths at 10000 feet, and
that from the upper crater at 900 feet in
height. Our streets are free from the dust
of the mountains, and though for some time
after the sun rose it appeared 10 be in state
Of eclipse, yet to witness all the wonders of
the spectacle IT is necessary to leave the
capital and visit the site of the disaster.
From the confines of the city Of Tore del
Greco one passes between two lines of Gu
rious population who have turned out to see
the crowds who fiock down TO Tore del Gre
CO. The wind blows off The mountain due
North and South. SO that. until you get Just
under the column, you are not exposed TO
the shower Of dust which falls thickly and
constantly, almost binding one and certain
ly not conducting to easy respiration, On
arriving at the devoted little town, which
numbers. by-the-by, $4,000 souls, found
the place, except at the station, almost de-
serted. Every house was abandoned, and,
as proving how rapid was the flight, melons
and other articles still hung suspended out.
side the windows. At the station there was
a vast crowd OF persons, e.of the linger-
ing inhabitants, with beds and other articles
of furniture, anxious to be off.
The first thing which strikes the eve is
the Slackened appearance of every object,
the fine dust, which had fallen in heavy
showers. lying four and half inches in depth
in the streets and on the tops of the houses.
Some OF these were cracked horizontally a,
cross the fiat roofs. and others perpendcu-
larry, but il is not until you turn off to the
left, a little beyond the station, that the full
point, ascending the mountain, a number of
houses are passed which have been most ma
terislly injured, from 400 TO 500 in all, and
rendered TO certain extent unsafe. AT one
house in particular, a handsome building TOO,
the proprietor, who had returned for some
articles which he had left behind, was break
ing the windows to get in, entrance BY the
doorway beisg impossible.
On the 9Th instant, al about quarter past
IL, A. NJ, great trembling OF the ground
was felt at Tore del Greco, which continu-
ed at intervals Of from FIVE to ten minutes.
The population we're in great alarm, expect
ing an earthquake. At Resi- this tremulous
motion was felt, though not SO strongly, a
bout midday. Towards o'clock in the
afternoon large opening was made in the
ground above Tore del Greco, and half
mile lower than the crater If ia, and the
first cone was formed underneath the house
OF Francesto Cruel. This house was thrown
into the air, as we're four others. in Mese-
ria close BY. The lava has arrived, on the
morning Of the 9th, at about quarter Of an
hours walk above the Monastery Of the Cap
pucIni, which has been DESTROYED, and il
half mile in breadth. All Tie houses in
Norre have assures in them, and the popula-
ton have 1ei 20 Naples. At the time that
the new cones were formed. the top of the
mountain was tranquil, but about o'clock
10 the morning the grand crater at the sum
init burst OUT with tremendous noise.
throwing stones and ashes to a great height.
Every effort Of this kind is accompanied by a
sound as Of thunder. One of the guides.
called Genuarino Sannino. while attempting
to get piece Of the red hot lava il which
TO put coin, was killed or the spot by a
stone which fell upon his head.
The road and the streets By which You sp-
proach the proncipal point Of interest. are
IN many places opened; ia many places there
are indications Of the crust Of the earth CIV
ing way to the subterranean fires. The prin.
cipal Of these cones is an elipse, and both at
first sent out body OF lava, which threaten-
ed Tore del Greco with rapid destruction.
The opening Il the main crater, At 2 A. NJ.
Of Monday, diminished the violence Of the
lower stream, and, possibly, saved tie town.
Last night the view which presented itself
from nv windows was very grand; the black
column rose majestieally, and was then car
red of by the wind far over the sea, while
forked lightning, as IL we're, and brilliant
lights, such as those Of Roman candles, play
ed about the crater. This morning the vol.
umes Of smoke are rising and rolling one
over another in grand inyOIutions, while the
eastern sun behind them gives hues which il
is difficult TO describe. Beyond tie pail
which hangs over the sea il is impossible to
see anything except when an opening is made
BY gust Of wind, and then one sees pic.
ture Of Sorrento or Capri hung in the centre
Of deep black cloud.