New-York tribune., 1868-01-31
BAYARD TAYLOR'S LETTERS.
TIE LAST ERUPTION OF vEsUUUs.

w hen l reached mere, week ago, lnC eIup-
ton Of November seemed to be rapidly subsiding
The last outbreak which occurred on the 10th Of
December ard seemed TO threaten Tore del Greco
finally sent its lava into tho volcanic gorge called
the Abio del Corollo, lying between Yesuyius and
Monte Somma and Prof. Pamieri announced that
the tormented mountain was relapsing into quiet
We saw the smodeIing fires Of the crater through
rain and cloud, by night, and the volumes OF ever
rising smoke by day, and imagined that all the
lIamdcr aspects of the eruption were at an end
As the sloppy New-Yeal's Day drew 10 a close IL
became evident that the mountain was burning
much brighter torch than the evening before for-
tunately the mists cleared away rs II gre" ua'h'
leaving the cone unObscured, except by us own
smoke through which strong flashes OF hght al III
toryas of twenty or thirty seconds made themselves
seen. fresh wind came from the sea and Dited
the curtain and we beheld Vesuyius again in full
activity. The smoke was blown nOrthward, behind
tbe foremost peak Of Monte Somma, leaving the
summit of the cone perfectly clear, and the Jets OF
fire thrown up from it so brilliantly defined
against BACKGROUND Of pitch-dark cloud, that we
could see the falling stones from our window in Ma
pcsl with the naked eye. By the aid of strong
feld-glass the wonderful spectacle was brought so
near that all It's features could be observed
The top of the cone resembled shallow basin with
Clipped and cracked edges. and the opening of the
crater lay behind it, apparently at some depth Out
of it and around it poured a steady glow. from the
stream of lava running over the further side and
descending toward the Atro del Cayallo. But at
intervals OF not more than half minute there were
thrown up columnar jets OF intensest flame, to
hight varying from 100 to 200 feet. Volumes of
smoke, dull veI1nilion at first, but sOen fading to
dark ash-c0or rolled oil the eeward side OF those
fiery pillars, they rose and whired away, broad
cning into the darkness. What seemed TO be pure,
solid fire as it issued from the crater, changed into
thousand scarlet sparks which turned outward on
all sides in Sheafke form, and showered down
again into and beyond tho crater ] could roughly
estimate the hight of the jet by the time which the
stones occupied in falling Some OF them were eFl-
IDENTIFY Of enormous size.
For hour after hour / watched the explosions,
which seemed TO threaten an impending cataStophe,
vet were as regular and unchanged in their action as
wave-beats on the scashore Indeed, there appeared
20 be ninth wave "a recurrence, after number
of moderate Jets of one grand. herco outbreak OF
oppressed force hurting lis dazzling sparkleS against
the red cloud which hung directly over the crater
These displays were ineXpressibly grand, L have
called the color scarlet but this only expresses ITS
general character. The cone Of the shaft was of
Iuddy gold, and its summit dissolved into heeting
roseblooms The darkness Of the night-the outline
of the mountain being barely visible against mass
uf clouds-lntensihcd the effect.
Next day the ton of the mountain was hooded in
smoke. and for "a hours my observations were very
fragmentary and imperfect. But on the morning of
the Sd the cone was again clear and saw two lines
of dense white steam rising from assures in the
side toward Naples They were not fLssures. how
over but rivers of lava, which had burst forth from
a new crater, opened a little below the summit
Their rapid march downward was very apparent
the guides have since said that they reached the base
of the great cone of Vesuvius in three hours. The
black promontOTy created by the lava of 1858 then
hid the stream from view for time, and provoking
olouds descended upon the mountain. when night
came the molten streams made themselves visible
can ONLY compare them TO forked streaks of light
ming caught and held permanently in their place
The color was as intensely transparent and dazzling
as that of the Jets from the crater There was SIN
gle stresm from the outlet which parted on the
shoulder of the cone, descended IN two irregular,
wavy lines and met again just before reaching the
bottom On either side Of these veins of fire were
occasional detached spaTkles where the lava, after
having crawled for some distance under the ashes
and scona, was forced again to the surface. Some
times a stronger food from above made these hidden
threads visible and attached them to the main cur
rents whereupOn other and similar fountains would
gush up at little further distance
Having reached the base of the great cone Ia dis
tance of about mile the lava encountered OBJ
stscles and marched more slowly. 1t came upon the
bed of 1855, which threw up great mound in front,
now serving as breakwateT, and forcing the stream
both 10 the right and left for distance before it
can find outlets 10 the lower slopes of the mountain
Late in the evening the fire appear at the top
OF the deep ravne which opens below the AstrOnOmi
cal Observatory but il did not to advance fur
ther. The next evening could see that it had
made considerable progress, and that branch had
gone Off to the right, toward Tore del Greco. The
left-hand branch, however, was much the stronger,
and had become threatening in its aspect. With
glass could observe the fall of PORTIONS of the burn
ing mass down the declivities of the old lava. 1t
seemed that a day or two more Of the same progress
would bring il 10 the edge Of the cultivated land
On the evening of the 9TH there appeared to be
diminufion in the outflow from the crater. The right
hand stream had almost ceased aud nearly the whole
body of lava was pressing down the TavIne partly
filed by the eruption of 1883 The weather up 70 this
time had been so stormy and changeable, that We
had little prospects of remunerative ascent OF the
mountain. Yesterday we went 10 Resina 10 have a
nearer view. and make inquiries of the guides. II
was too late for deliberate trip though Dr. Bellows
set out before we left and two OF three parties of
Americans passed us the return to Naples.
This morning, at sunrise, the mountain alone
out of lake of airy gold The windows of our rooms
in Santa Lucia look full upon him. and when wake
in the night my eyes open on the burning rivers of
laval few clouds along the west were hunying to
vet out of sight, and soon the sky shOne blue and
clear as that of perfect June day. All Naples
turned out of doors to enjoy the and the delicious
air. and as we drove along the Marina, Vesuyius,
towering so grandIy before us, more a store
house Of terror and ptess destructive force IL
rather, like a Titanic sun-gilded altar whereon
smoked offerings TO some peaceful and benehcent