Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-01-15
Mount VeSuViuS.

Mount VeSuyiuS.
ACCOUNT OF THE ERUPTION BY AN AMERI-
CAN PROFESSOR.
PARIS, December 20, 1867.
On the afternoon of the Sd instant L set
out from Naples in company with a friend,
for the purpose of ascending Mt. Nesuvius,
which was then in full eruption. We took
horses and a guide near Herculaneum, and
followed the accustomed route up that side
which faces toward the Neapolitan harbOr
While vet not far above the base of the
mountain, we crossed the terminal heaps OF
a large stream of lava, emitted during the
eruption of 1858, but still black and bill
lowy, as if newly hardened from fusion.
Half way up from the base TO the summit
is the Hermitage of St. Salvador. He who
looks back from this commanding point to-
ward Naples, across the head of the beau
tiful bay, can enjoy charming view, If
his mind be not too much preoccupied with
the grandeur of the scene ahead, now be-
ginning to approach the terrific. Proceed
ing upward from the Hermitage we cross
lavas of many different stages of disinte-
grafton, till We finally arrive at that which
is only FIVE days old There We leave our
horses, and then walk about third of a
mile up the narrow valley or gorge sepa-
rating the two SUBMITS of Nesuvius.
On our left, as we still look away from
/ Naples. stands MonteSomma, which is part
of an ancient volcanic cone supposed to
have been disrupted by the terrible convul-
sion of the year 10, when Herculaneum
and Pompeii were buried up by clouds OF
ashes and cinders. On our right is the
modern volcanic summit, now tho higher
of the TWO it is the accumulated product
of the eruptions of eighteen centuries-a
truncated cone rising 1000 feet above tide
water Into this valley, where we stand,
the lava of the present eruption is descend
ing in three principal streams-each pur-
suing its own channel, which it has in part
scooped in the mountain side, carrying
loads of the loose scori3 along with it
Upon reaching the valley, the lava has ac-
cumulated in large heaps or embankments
which are already incrusted over and black
but still reeking, cracking, groaning, and
now and then starting convulsively for.
ward. Down the steep declivity the flow
of the streams is rapid; but, seen by
daylight, they exhibit very little of the
gleam of fire. Above the brow of the
mountain Is dense, black, lowering cloud
rising with fearful puffs, and raining darl
showers of stones.
We have now gone as far as most trav-
elers venture but as the eruption is more
remarkable for its uniform flow of Law;
than for the violence of its commissions, W,
conclude it is safe to approach 1t nearer
we resolved to see Vulcan in his own work
shop. 1t is already sunset we have still
over thousand feet to climb, up slop,
of 80 degrees; we take additional guides
who help us along with leading strings, ant
in three-quarters of an hour we are on tn,
summit. What with our changed position
and what with the change from day t
night, the scene has increased fearfully il
grandeur The streams of lava are nov
all aglow and fiery, lighting up the who'll
of the mountain. Within the central de
preston of the main cone, the presen
eruption has built up a sort of conica
chimney, through which, at intervals o
from nine to ten seconds, with roar lik
that of a rushing storm, there is belche
forth prodigious column of what from ap
pearance would be described as mixed fam
and smoke. Far above this, "a myriad G
red-hot stones shoot simultaneously upwar
in slightly diverging lines, and, as the
reach their maximum hight, remain poise'
moment, then turn gracefully outward a
they fall, forming pyrotechnic fountai
!, in comparison with which the finest imita
tions of art are contemplate.
I Cit doun an1 uafoh tho rhannmana =,
leisure | count the seconds occupied b
the stones in falling, and estimate the max
imum distance as about 1000 feet. A
: they come tumbling down the sides of tn
inner cone they break and scatter, an
sometimes undergo a change of form tha
seems to show they are in half mete
condition Two or three seconds befor
each main explosion from the crater ther
! is short premonitory puff, accompanie
with Il low rumbling sound and sligt
: trembling of the mountain.
The air is hot and sulphurous, but NJ
: smoky. What appears to be smoke iss,
ing from the crater, is really the vapor
condensing steam, thickly charged wit
e ashes and cinders, the source of the ince
J SAINT shower of Lapilli, and the occasions
e drops of rain that are falling about US. b
e watching the lights and shadows Of Il
z picture one may also see that what seen
e to be flame is only a reflection upon IL
II rising vapor from the glowing lava in Il
n crater. Once or twice, however, | noti
IS true flash of lightning in the cloud owe
y head, accompanied by a sharp cracklil
n of thunder. The streams of lava all iss1
E from the summit of the mountain, but on
he one of them from the crater. The othe
have their sources outside the base of Z
a new cumulus thrown up around it. o
L of these shows a tendency to form secol