Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1868-02-05
vEsuvius AND ,iEcla.

vEsuvIus AND nEcLA. ~
For the sixth time. we believe. 10 bis.
tory. both these famous volcanoes are 10
grand operation at once. 'a't"& = :
The former, Vesuvius, though one Of
the most celebrated Of burning luoun.
tains, is by no means AMONG the largest,
1t rises in the midst Of fertile plain ia
Italy, and has a base, including its out.
lier Monte Somma of about so miles ia
circuit Its lower part is slope rising
1000 feet ia the course Of miles. Above
this cane Of black volcanic stone tow.
ers to a height Of about 4C00fcet above
the sea. Nor can it rie in historical an.
ti4uity with its sicilian rival. Etno. To
those times which short lived men cali
ancient, but which. when measured by
the vast cycles Of the material world,
seems extremely modern. 1t was chiefly
noted for it- fertility. Along With Capua
and oampania it tranked among the gar.
den spots of sunny Italy. Like Millions
Satan, whose +" face deep scars Of thun.
der had cntrencbed," " the mountain bore
traces of Il about its summit ut SO long
had they been past that even tradition
had no account to give .l@s4e'sa ".
How at last IN the year 79 of our era,
the trecherous peace was broken, and the
two cities of Hercuianeum and pompeii
were buried and cmbalrned iu volcanic
ashes, and how they have been disentoom.
ed and the first century brought face to
face with the nineteenth. has been too Of.
ten told to dtan us now.
FSsovius seems to increase from age to
age III the frequency and violence of its
eruptions. Its first recorded discharge Of
lava took place in the year 1898. Dur.
ing the long intervals, theimountain used
to loose much of its roughness, and veer-
dure woud creep over its SCARED and
blackened brow, But now more frequent
outbursts prevent any return of life, no
less than four having taken place within
the last half Of the present century. The
last eruption we believe closed in 1861.
The present. IL accounts are to be trusted,
promises to be tie most grand and ter.
rife which has been observed for centu.
ries. g
Iceland. where Hecla is situated, Is o
strange land Of fantastic con, rasts. liks
those regious where Fancy delights to
revel in dreams, when sleep has taken
away the restraints of reason. There IA
FAR north as Southern Greenland within
reach of the ice that drifts ia the Arctic
ocean. are wonderful springs that pour
out great jets of boiling water. as if laugh.
ing in defiance of latitude and climate.
There under wintry sky brilliantly cur.
tanned with auroras, are said to be thirty
volcanic cones, some of them almost side
by side with glaciers that reach down to
the sea. Eight Of these have been in &C.
tiop within about century. 1sg
In frequency aud violence Of these fiery
displays, Iceland might rival almost any
country on the globe Since the dawn OF
history about a thousand years ago. never
more than forty years have passed. and
rarely so many as twenty, without either
a volcanic eruption of which over 40 are
recorded, or else one ofthose great earth.
quakes by which the whole island has
sometimes been shaken at onec. In the
great eruption Of 1888. out Of a popula.
tiOn Of 90 oo0' 5000 persisted = fearful
CONSUMPTION for the armies Of the dead.
10 another outbreak, we believe The last.
in S45 6, the ashes were carried as far.
as tht Orkneys at the northern extremity
Of Scotland. about GOO miles from The
scene OF action. trN6ls 1Ns q
!. What must be the terrors of a litc "A
that strange land, 50 separated by a great )
ocean from ell other lands Yet in truth
i might be more pleasant home thar
the SUMNER lands Of Italy or Spain The
lcolanders are in truth noble race. I'm.
der somewhat cold exterior beats q
heart as true as steel and we doubt IL 4
more upright, purer society can be found
anywhere on the earth, our own loved
New England being no exception.
vi the present eruption Of Hecla We
know but little. II seems to have broken
out about the close of last August on
quite grand scale, in desert far from
the populous districts, and with little n
any earthqpake--warnings to commence
Its approach, In truth the present wear
ssecuslto be season Of great connections
in the earth Not only has the now Gel.
ebrated islara Of ST. Thomas been shaken
and swept. as well rs other tropical plaes1
but the trembling has even extended NJ.
self to our colo regions. as il to remind
Us Of our connection with the upcer,ain-
tiss OF our common humanity oil cyer
he world