The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-01-31

low.
The present eruption is one of the most
terrible that has occurred during this CEN
fury. As the bells were ringing the hour
Of noon. on the 18th, an abrupt ard dread
full crash from the mountain, with a se
we're conclusion of the earth aud tremulous
noise in the air, alarmed all around it,
The reopcning of the fiery furnsce was
proclaimed in a moment by the vast col
lection Of thick, black, rnpy.smoke, like
that from an immense asshnuse, bursting
firth at once and rising 10 the sky, show
ering down sand, with gritty caleined par
ticles of earth and fapilla mixed, upon all
brlIw This, driven before the wind to
the south aud south asst. darkened the air
lise rain storm, and covered the woods.
bridges and huts with light gray lored
ashes. resembling sn-w when slightly
covered with dust. AS the eruption To-
creased this continued shower expanded
until it had taken into its destructive en-
brace every appearance of vegetation
At night very considerable degree of ig
nit was observed upon the lips Of the
crater but the two gentlemen before
mentioned, who visited it last, did not
notice any visible ascension of the fame.
The same awful scene presented itself
on Tuesday. The fall of favilla and cal
cined pebbles still increased, aud the COM
pact pitchy column from the crater rose
perpeudicularly to an immense height,
and was accompanied by noise at inter-
walls like the mutfsrings of distant thun-
der On Wednesday all these menacing
symptoms of horror aud combustion still
gathered more thick and terrific for miles
around the dismal, half obscured noun
tain. The proaigious column shot up
wi b quicker motion, dilatiug. as it became
elevar d, like balloon. The sun appear
ed 10 total eclipse, and shed meridian
twilight over US, that aggravated the awful
gloom of the scene, now completely pow
d'red over with falling sulpburous and
ferruginous particles.
II was evident that the crisis was yet to
cnme-that the burning fluid was strug-
gling for vent, and laboring to throw
of tue superintendent strata and obstruc-
tious which suppressed the fiery torrent.
At night it wa manifest that it greatly
disengaged itself from its burden by the
appearance of FIRE flashing now aud then
and taking around the mouth of the crater.
On Thursday, the memorable 2lst of
November, the reflection of the sun on
this majestic body Of curling vapor was
sublime beyond the power Of the imaeina.
ton TO conceive. Any comparison Of
the glaciers of the Andes, or of the Cor.
dilleras, with it can but feebly convey an
idea Of the feecy whiteness and brilllaDcy
of this awful column of mingled smoke
and clouds An hour or two afterwards
It assumed more sulphurous cast, like
what we c..ll thunder clouds and in the
course of the day ferruginous and san
guiue appearance, with much livelier ac-
ton 10 tue ascent and more extensive
dilatalion, as it almost freed from obssrae-
tipn.r ~
In the afternoon the. noise was inces-
SAINT, and resembled the approach of thun-
der, com ng nearer and nearer. As yet
there were no convulsiye motions or SEN
sible earthquake butterror and conster-
nation now seized all behoIders. The in
habitants near the base of the mountain
abandoned their houses, with their live
stock aud everything they possessed, and
fled precipitately to the nearest town.
The labnrers became confused, forsook
their work, looked up to the mountain,
and as 1t continued to rumble and shake,
they trcmbl,d with dread of what they
could not understand nor describe.
About four o'clock the noise became
more arming, and just before sunset the
clouds reflected bright copper color, suf
fused with fire. Scarcely had the day
closed when the fame burst at length,
conical in shape, from the crater, through
the mass of smoke the rolling of the
thunder became more awful and deafen
ing !; electric flashes quickly succeeded,
attended with loud clal@ add nov, in
deed, confusion began in earnest. Those
only who have witnessed such a sight
can form, any idea Of the magniEceuce
aud variety OF the lightning aud electric
flashes.
Some forked zigzagedly across the per-
pendicular column Of the smoke coming
from the cra,ers mouth, Ike rockets of
the most dazzling briillancy; others, like
shells with their trailing fuses lyingiin diff.
fereBt parabo.as, with tbemost vivid sciu.-
tillat ons from the dark, sanguine colnn o,
which now seemed .inAexible aud immova
BILE by the wind. =, - n. ,-'..,' {.
Shortly after seven the mighty cauldron
began to simmer, and the ebullition of
lava to break out over the northwes side.
This, immediately after boiling over The
,oriice aid Fl wing short way, was cp-
poseu by an activity of higher point Of
land, ever which twas impelled BY the i'm.
mepse tide Of liquid FIRE that drove it on,
forming the figure V 10 grand ilIumina.
-tiyn, Sometimes, when the ebpllition
slackenei or was insufficient to urge it
over ths obstructing bills, il recoiled back,
like a RI fueut biilow from the rock, and
then again rushed forward, impelled by
fresh supplies, and scaling every obstacle,
carrying rocks aud woods together in its
course down the slope of the mountain,
until it precipitated itself down some vast
fayiue. Vast globular bodies of fire were
seen projected from the fiery furnace,
and, bursting, fell back into it or over il