Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-06-20
CHE gepublitan
ADVENTURE IN ICELAND.

and along its sides are numerous craters
the seats of former eruptions. The cratero
the principal peak is about 100 feet II
depth. 1t is composed Chiefly of basal
and lava, bat slagsand and ashes cover
greatpart of its surface, and obsidian il
among the most remarkable products
There have been 43 eruptions of Mt. Heel,
recorded within the last 900 years, five o
which have been simultaneous will
Vesuvius, four with those of Etna, ant
one with those of both. The last eruption
began September 2, 1915, and lasted unit
April G, 1916. On the % of November
the torrent of lava, two miles from the era
ter, was a mile in width, and from 40 to 81
feet in depth. Capt. Steinman visited
Hecla just previous to this terrific eruption
and had one of the narrowest escapes from
horrible death that ever befell an adyen
turous man. We give his narrative in al
most his own words:
On the next morning after my arrival al
the small village at the foot of the volcano
1 engaged a guide, a faithful, honest fellow
and set out for visit to the noted crater
From the very first ii seemed as If | had
passed the confines and was entering a
new world, so entirely different was the
scenery. As you press upward toward
the focus of all the horror of burning
stuff, you find the peril, drcarines, and
desolation increases until, at length, when
you stand on the tOpmOst point OF chaos,
you instinctively raise your heart to God,
with a shuddcr of terror &c restore you
to the great living world that you have
left behind you.
For six mortal hours-ihree on horse
back and three on foot had been clam
bering upward from the lower world, and
now, among the clouds aud mists that roll
cd around me, / stood in world of lava
mountains, ice and snow, the lava black as
ink, the snow of dazzling whitencss, and
not in all the region the slightest bush,
plant, or living creature except the guide
and myself As far as the eye could dis
Germ, when the sweeping clouds afforded
view, was n succession of dark hills,
glistening glaciers, snow-capped peaks and
frozen streams-a world devoid of life, the
awful solitude ofdeath-filled with gaping
caverps terrible abysses, and Stygian caves,
which echoed only the sullen reverberations
of thunder or the grooming of the troubled
earth beneath. So impressive was the
scene that | felt strong chill creeping
through me. and shouted to break the
horrible stiffness, which was more awe
inspiring than the thunders of a thousand
Niagaras. l frequently found myself
imagining that was dreaming, and was
only assured by pinching my limbs OF con-
versing with my guide.
Drawing my blanket around me Ia
shelter from the chilling atmosphere, and
carefully puncturing the ground with my
sharp pointed stick before me to make
sure of my footsteps, began to pick my
way over piles and heaps Of lava, and pit
falls and patches of ice and snow, my
guide keeping near me, and often warning
me when he thought my footsteps were
leading me into danger. Occasionally
struck the fragments Of lava that rolled
down behind me and as vet discovered nc
signs of the crater, which so years before
had vomiied forth its tremendous volumes
of melted black sand At length, however,
l reached the summit and looking into a
sort o basin, open at the lower side, and
having several deep seams or chasms in
the center, into which the melted snow and
ice were running in small streams. A
repulsive odor in the shape of thin,
smoky vapor came up aud / fancied
heard distant rumbling noise that sound
ed far down in the earth. | turned to my
guide, and was about TO speak, when
observed that he was trembling and was
as pale as death.
whats the natter" l asked, "you seem
to be frightened"
"Oh, my Cod" he gasped, "thcre is go
ing TO he another eruption"
How do you know that? Have you
ever been here before?"
Eyes; but | never saw it like this
When was here last there was no hollow
there, but only level piece of snow and
ice."
Indeed" | exclaimed, with interest,"
land YOU Judge that fact to be decisive
with regard to an eruption?'
"Oh, nv master" said he in the greatest
agony, "what else could have caused thi:
change? There must be fire below, OF
what has melted this glacier? You see the
ice is nearly gone, and what is left 10 fast
melting, and will soon follow it,"
"How is this:" enquired.
He shook his head.
"All wrong; there's trouble brewing
master, as sure as you live. You had bet
ter leave.
/ recalled the fact that the last eruption
of Hecla occurred so years before, long
previous to the birth of my guide, and
consequently he could know as little OF
that as did This foolish thought pre-
vented me from putting the faith in hii
words that l ought TO have done.
"There is no hurry" replied, IL have
been so long finding my way to the top
that am hardly disposed to leave until
have seen more Ofthe volcano.
i observed his paleness and trembling in
crease, if possible, but still felt reluctance
to retreat so ANONYMOUSLY, after toiling sc
hard to make the summit. He stood q
moment in silence. and then ventured
again:
LET us go while there is time. l an
afraid to remain here. We may be over
whelmed at any moment"
"Hold on" said |, sensible of a curious
fascination, such as sometimes comes over
one when on the brink of the most ap1all-
ing peril. at is true the ice h as melted
but 1t has done so very gradually. have
spent a great deal Of time TO reach Iceland
and when | started it was with the resolve
to see Hecla."
Heaven knows have seen too much
already" he replied more than has ever
been seen before by living man."
"How do you know that?" demanded,
somewhat annoyed at the dogmatical man
ner of my guide.
"At least / think So"
"And l think you are mistaken. | can
not consent to go back until Ihave descend
ed into this basin and looked down into
one of those chasms."
"Let me beseech you, do not. 1t will be
the death of you'll"
"If you are afraid, you can return, said
|, in an unfeeling tone, for which there was
no justification.
"Oh, no, my master, l viii not desert
you"
''aIl 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" he replied; shut remember
when you go down, that kept intreating