The Portland daily press., 1867-05-18
ssrlcc Jed story.
Terrible Adventure in Iceland

Nopnt Hecla on the island OF Iceland, is
slivhtly under a mile in height 1t has three
nsaks, a little elevated Al owe its body, and
along its sides are numerous craters, the seats
OF former eruptiOns. The crater of the prlnclpal
peak is about one hundred feet in depth IL Is
composed chiefly of basalt and lava. but sius-
sand and ashes cover great part OF ats surlaoe'
and obsidian is among its most remarKaoie p''
ductS. -. Of Mi
There have been forty three eruptlons oi Nc
Hecla recorded within the last thouS'nu; "
Eve nf which have been simultaneous WIN ~,
suvius four with those OF 4d1tn'' anu
those OF both. entamber Q 1915
The last eruption began Sep'en5ipeel a.. ., Dol ~
and lasted unfil April d, 1910. oii NY ~ ~ VI
%a',,Isor the torrent OF lava, two miles from
10 rnte vas mile i'll width, and from forty
to fity feet in depth ..-.,
W Gnry Steinman visited Hecla Just previous 10
+h;o tarrific eruption, and had one OF the mar
rnn5est escapes IRON horrible death that ever
hefelI an adventurous man -..a
We give his narrative in almost his own
On the next morning after my arrival at the
small village at the foot of the volcano, engage
ed guide, faithful, honest fellow, and set out
for a visit to the noted crater.
From the very first, it seemed as if / had
passed the confines and was entering new
world, 50 entirely different was the scenery. ,
AS you press upward toward the focus OF All a.
the horror OF burning stuff, you find the peril
dreariness, and desolation i'll ,reases uh.ll' a, ~
length, when you stand on the topmos1 PoI ~
of chaos, you lnstinctively raise your NEAR ~ y.
God, with a shudder of terror to restofe you W
the great living world that you nave iei' ''A'NN
you. horsabocl
and three on toot-I had been clamDering up
ward from the lower world, anu NV, "n, ,
the clouds and mists that rolled AROUND me, i
stood in a world of lava mountains. Ice ana
snow fine lava black as ink, The snow OF daz-
limo whiteness and not, in all the region, the
slightest brush shrub, plant, OF living creature
event the guide and myself
40 Tar as the eve could discern, when the sweep
loo clouds afforded a view, was a succession of
darn hills, glistening glaciers, snow capped
alrs and frozen streams-a world devoid OF life,
The awful solitude of death-flled with gaping
cayerns, terrific abysses, and Stygian caves,
which echoed only the sullen reyerberations OF
thunder or the groaning of the troubled earth
beneath. ~
So impressive was the scene that felt
strange chill creeping through me, and shout
ed 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 punching my limbs or conyersing
with my guide. .--.l 10
Drawing my blanket around me to 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 pitfalls and patches of ice and snow,
nv 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 ana as yet discoy-
cred no signs of the crater which 80 years be-
fore had yomited forth Its tremendous volumes
of melted black sand. AT length, however,
reached the summit, and looked down into q
sort of basin, open at the lower SIDE, and hay
ing several deep seams or chasms IN the center,
into which the melted snow and ice We're run
ming in small streams. A repulsve odor i'll
shape of thin, smoky vapor came up and
tancled heard distant rumbling noise that
sounded far down in the earth.
nae turned TO my guide, and was about to speak,
when observed that he was trembling and
was as pale as death.
Whats the matter?" asked; 'you seem to
be frightened. .a.,...s,
"Oh, my God! he gasped, there's going TO
- be another eruption. 800
How do you know that? Have you ever
been here before?"
yes; 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; and you
Judge that fact to be decisive with regard to an
eruption|'
"Oh, my MASTER" said he in the greatest
agony, what else could have caused this
change? There must be fire below, or what
has melted this glacier" You see the ice is
nearly gone, and what is left fast melting, and
will soon follow it"
"How is this?" / enquired.
He shook his head.
"An wrong; there's trouble brewing, mas
ter, as sure as you live. You had better
leave
L recalled the fact that the last eruption OF
Hecla occurred 80 years before, long previous
to the birth of my guide and consequently he
could know as little OF that as did. This TOOL
ish thought prevented me from putting the
faith in his words that ought to have done.
There is no hurry" lreplied, Il have been
so long finding my way to the top, that am
hardly disposed TO leave until have seen more
of the Volcano.
observed his paleness and trembling in
crease, if possible, buo still felt reluctance
to retreat oignominiously, after toiling SO hare
to make the summit.
He stood q moment in silence, and then ven
tured again:
LET us go while there is time. l am afraid
to remain here. We may be overwhelmed al
any moment
Hold on!" said l sensible of curious fas
cnat:on, such as sometimes comes over ont
when on the brink OF the most appalling peril
sit is true the ice has melted, but it has don,
SO very gradually. have spent great deal o
time to reach Iceland, and when 4 started il
was with the resolve to see Hecla.'
Heaven knows have seen too much al
ready, he replied; more than has ever beer
seen before by living man."
How do you know tbat?" | demanded
somewhat annoyed at the dogmatical manner
OF my guide.
"At least think So"
"And think you are mistaken l canno
consent to go back until have descended int
this basin and looked down into one of those
ehasms"
Let me beseeeh you, do not. 1t will be the
death of you!"
'Ifyou are afraid, you can return said l.
in an unfeeling tone, for which there was no
justification.
"Oh, no, my master, will not desert you"
"All ask then, is that you will merely wait
for me-"
slider the guide smpleton, because he needed
my request
Il Will wait" he replied; "but remembe,
when you go down, that kept entreating you
not TO do So.
Il hold you blameless, whatever should oc-
cur, so have no apprehensions upon that
score" ...st.. ID 1......--r ~, ~
the crater was about twenty yards in depth
with sides that slope SO gradually, that it could
be descended without difficulty if ordinary
care was only exercised. - ~.
first felt the lava and found it quite hot
but not unpleasantiy so, and using my stick
with great precaution, began the descent.
observed the temperature of the lava beneath
my feet constantly to increase, but had thicl
shoes and knew they would be unframed
1 noticed also, a thick, sulphurous odor, bu
considered this nothing unusual, although
it left a thick disagreeable, taste in my moutl
and gave an unpleasant twlnge TO my olfacto
ries. -..ll ~.
Inc ril of water made by the melting ice
flowed, kissing down, and was lost to view in
the dark chasm from which came puffs of hot
air, accompanied by rumbling and trembling
of the ground.
The place, the scene, and, wthal, the sense
Of danger connected with it, held me there by
magnetic fascination, and soon found my
self strongly tempted to make fatal plunge
into the awful abyss. Concious that reason
frequently loses her power at such times, /
forced myself backward few feet, but still le-
manned fearfully near the opening, needless OF
the frantic entreaties ofmy guide
Giving no heed, therefore, to his earnest So
licitations determined if possible To
sound the depths of the cavern before me, and
then proceed to examine the other
For this purpose pulled Oft small piece
of lava, and stepping to the very edge of the
chasn, dropped it down and listened to the
hollow reverberatons, it went bounding
from side to side, long after it was lost TO the
eys,
The depth was so immense that l heard it
tor fully minute, and then, the sound seem
ed rather to die out from distance, than to
cease from the block having reached its dest-
nation. IL was terrible depth, and as / drew
back with shudder, a Gust OF hot sulphurous
ar pulled upward, followed Immediately by
steam like yapor, and heavy, hollow boom as
If piece ofordnance had been DISCHARGED in
the bowels OF the mountain. r......
By this time had regained nv conmor
sense, and became impressed with the dancer
that hung over me. l turned to iy when al
Of a