The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-07-04
have seen more of the volcano ~
VOLUME 28.7

ventured again.
'Let US go while there is time. an
afraid to remain here. We may be over
lwhclmed at any moment
''Hold on" said |, sensible of a curious
Fascination, such as sometimes comes ovel
one when on the brink of the most appaIl
ling peril 1T is true the ice has melted
but it has done SO very gradually. | have
Ispent a great deal of time to reach Iceland
and when [ started it was with the resolve
to see HecIa.'
Heaven knows have seen too much al
ready" he replied; More than has ever
been seen before by living man"
How do you know that?'' demanded,
somewhat annoyed at the dogmatical mau
ner Of my guide,
cat least think so
''And think You are mistaken. can
not consent to go back until have descend
ed into the basin and looked down into one
of those chasms
'Let me beseech you, do not. 1t will be
the death of you!"
''lf you are afraid, you can return" said
| with an nnfeelipg tone, for which there
was no justification.
''Oh, DO, my master, will not desert
you"
''All ask then, is that you will merely
wait for me"
had no right to ask even that, and |
consider the guide simpleton because he
needed my request.
II will wait, be replied; "but remember
you not to do 500
Il hold you bameless, whatever should
occur, so have no apprehension on that
score"
The crater was about twenty yards in
depth, with rides that slope SO gradually
that it could be descended without difficulty
f ordinary care was only exercised
first felt the lava, and found it quite bot
but not unpleasautly so and using my stick
.,ith great precaution began the descent.
observed the temperature of the lava be
eath my feet constantly to increase, but
ad thick shoes aud | knew they would be
uuharmed.
noticed, also, thick sulphurous odor.
hut considered this nothing unusual, al
though it left thick, disagreeable taste i'll
my mouth ana gave an unpleasant twinge
to my olfactories.
The rils Of water made by the melting
ice flowed kissing down, and was lost to
view in the dark chasm, from which came
putfs of hot air, accompanied by rumbling
aud trembling of the ground.
The place, tue scene, and, withal, the
sense of danger connected with it held inc
there by a sort Of magnetic fascination, and
soon found myself strongly tempted to
make fatal plunge into the awful abyss
Conscious that reason frequently loses her
power at such times, forced myself back
ward few feet, but still remained fearfully
near the opening Needless of tue frantic eli
treaties of my guide.
Giving no heed, therefore, to his earnest
solicitations, | now determined, if possible,
to sound the depth of the chasn before me,
and then proceed to examine the other
For this purpose pulled off "a small piece
of lava, and stepping to the very edge of
the chasm, dropped it down and listened to
the hollow reverberations, as it went bound
ing from side to side, long after it was lost
to the eye.
The depth was so immense that | heard
it for fully minute, aud then the sound
seemed rather to die out from distance than
to cease from the block having reached its
destination 1t was a terrific depth, and as
drew back with shudder a gust Of hot,
suIphurous air pulled upward, followed i'm
mediately by steam-liKe vapor and a
heavy, hollow boom, as if a piece of ord
nance had been discharged in the bowels of
the mountain.
By this time bad rogained my common
sense, and became impressed with the dan
ger that hung over Inc. | turned to fly
When all at once there came rumbtng
crash and the ground, heaving and shak-
ing and rolling under me- logan to crumble
off into the dread abyss.
was thrown down, and on my hands
and knees praying to God for mercy, was
scrambling over it, and upward, to save my
self from a most horrible fate when two
blocks rolling together, caught my feet and
legs between them, and without actually
crushing, held them as in a vice. Then
came another crash aud crumble, the lava
slid away from behind me, and | was left
upon the verge of the awful gulf now wild
ened to some 8 or 90 feet, down into which
| | looked with horror strained eyes only to
see darkness and death below, and breathe
tue 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 over the mouth Of black and heated
abyss, | was held suspended, a helpless aud
conscious prisoner, to be hurled DOWN. ard
bv the next great throe of trembling nature.
''Help! help help! for the love Of God,
help" | shrieked in the very agony Of my
despair
| looked up and around to catch sight Of
my guide, but he with commendahle
prudence could hut adult, in my dire ex
lreInity, had sought his own safety in flight
bad nothing to rely on but the mercy
of Heaven, aud prayed to God as | had
never prayed before for a forgiveness of my
SINS that they might not follow Inc to judg
rnent.
1t might be second, il might be min
ute. it might be All hour that should have
to undergo living death; but, be the time
long or short, felt that there was no escape
from doom which even now makes me
grow pale aud shudder when think OF II
Above me, a clear blue sky-beueath me-
a black and horrible ahyss-around me,
sickening vapors that made my brain grow
.lizzy Rumbling and kissing sounds warned
line that another CONFUSION might take
MACE any moment, and another would bt
the last of me- Home and friends shouIc
never see again, aud my tomb would be th'
volcanic Hecla
= strove with the madness of desperation
to disengag. my imprisoned limbs, but
might as we'll have attempted to move tht
mountain itself There | was fixed anC
fastened for the terrible death | WAS await
ing. Oh God of lie ven! What a tate!
All - once ! heard shout an1 booking
around, beheld VIII feelings lhat canno
he described my faithful guide hastauiug
down the sides Of the critsr to my relief -
tie had fled Ia terror at the first ornirou
demonstration, but had nobly returned t,
save me, if possible, by risking his life 70
mine.
: Il warned you, MASTER said he, as h
came up his eyes starting and his coun
tenauce expressive of commiseration a.
! terror
lyon did you did!' cried I, "hut fo,giv