Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1868-01-04
Mount VcsuV;l;g,


Mount FGSuTiHs.
SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ERUPTION.
INapIe, CNov:aoJ Correspondent. rthc Loraon Tmc,
AS yet | have done scarcely NOR
than note the fact Of the eruption
OF Vesuvius, but so much has it in
creased since Wednesday last, ant
so marvclously beautiful is the spec
tacle, that it merits more dctaiIct
report. Unlike those terrific dis
plays which we have had at times
and which cease with one great cr-
fort, this is Il lava eruption increas
ing even in force and beauty. and
promising a duration ofsomc weeks
if not months. If so-and it is the
opinion Of those most experienced
in these matters-alI The world may
see it as soon as the groundIess
Fears as to the State OF Naples have
vanished. For the iirst one or two
nights the mountain was modes:
enough in its demonstrations ton
gues Of fire shot up to announce its
internal agitation, and thin stream
OF lava trlckled down behind in the
direction OF Ottajano, which lies on
the southeast 3 d G of Vesuvinc.
Some friends who went up there
carly gave Il vague idea OF the sceEe,
and spoke OF eight or ten new era
ters, being no more than so many
assures opened by the explosive
force Of the mountain, and which
change in number and character
from day to day. For tho last two
or three nights, however, the scene
has been as grand rs can well bs
conceived; but, before giving details,
let me describe the actual state and
appearance Of the mountain. Since
December, 1861, it has beer almost
quiescent, with the exception of one
or two sullIy and uncertain puls,
and our clear atmosphere has ceased
TO be marked with the spiral COL.
umns Of smoke. On the very sum-
nit has gaped the huge crater
nearly seven hundred
feet in circumference, around which
even children mirht have plnvcd
being careful only to avoid certain
cxhal'ations which were
omitted at intervals. Durine the
last two years Il su.all conc has hecn
formed b V the matter gradually
elected from this sulphurous hole.
We could scarcely &c its head
above the walls of tn, large crater.
but within the last week, like some
presumptuous stripping, it has shot
up above its venerable parcat, and
this it is which has been tuming and
spluttering and stormiAg with all
he arrogant impaticnce of youth
since last week. 1t has sent forth !
IN immnnsc quantity of lava, con-
,erting the surrounding crater into
/ lake of fire. At first the high cir +
,ling walls kept it within bounds .
,ut gradually it has risen and risen. /
until it is now flowing down in scv.
'ral directions whore The abrupt and
irregular wall admits of u passage.
Ihe result has shown that 1t is low
n in tho direction Of Ottaiano, on
he southeast, and those who do
Iot care to make the ascent may
ave a glorious view of it from Syr.
ento. Still, there is nothing like
mountain to tho top, so let rs bu
if; vet, better still, suppose it to
ave been done, and the last night
tiovann Cozzolino was our guide.
Who, by virtue Of having acc0mpa-
led Humboldt and many OF the
cientifc and literary men of the
re, expects his own name to be en-.
oiled in literary annals. He is,
owever, very safe and intelligent
uide. There was no incident to
larll until we came to the main
one, when we heard the thunder
f the mountain and felt the shocks
3 of an earthquake at every effort
,ade to disgorce the LIQUID fire.
.sccnding BY the usual road, we
,ere compelled, ON approaching the
ummit, to skirt a little round to
he southeast. for tNo reasons-first
, get on the blind side of the wind,
,hich might have brought down
non rs an incouveuient shower of
ZONES. and secondly. TO obtain n
etter vicw q f tho main stream
.bich was fed net only by thc /
reat crater but by another oriiice :
peued outside about twe.ntv feet
/, oiomoter From This snot the
tream of living fire full twenty 10 .
1irtv feet in width poured down
, the bottom Of the mountain ran ,
llv where il met with no obstacles. ,
nd where it died. struggling encr.
eticallv until it carried everything ,
efore i To the edge of the crater ;