Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1868-11-19
The Eruption OF vesnvius.

NAfLES, OCC. AZ.
Vesuvius, in spite of the oft-repeated
predictions of Prof. Palmirei that the
eruption was at an end, is still more or
less active, and week ago the specta
Gle was magnificent. with three splendid
streams of lava flowing down on the
north side of the cone into the valley
known us the Atrio del Cavallo The
present eruption has been remarkable
for its duration. for at no time since last
November has the mountain been at
rest, while the greater part of the time
its activity has been such as to attract
crowds of strangers to enjoy the spec
tacle. From the 18th of November to
about the middle of February, the
saaoorfng Of the mountain was great and
almost constant, while the flow of lava
was enormous. About the middle of
!EebrnaSy or the first of March the
eruption began to decrease in power,
aa& from March to the first of this
month the condition Of Vesuvius has
varied almost weekly, at times throwing
sscoriae aud red-h stones into the air
with tremenduoas force for few days,
then relea1sing into comparative mac
sivity, with only its column of white
~spor to denote the terrible forces be-
low, and Then again sending forth ut
: sn5er,tsss small streams of motion lava
TO decorate the crater's lip and disap-
pear after running few rods down the
side of the cone. On the whole, how
ever, the activity of the mountain was
Sa the decrease up to the first of Octo
her, and the servants declared that
Vesuvsas WAS relapsing into lis normal
condition. On the 9Th of this r'onth,
however, change was visible in the
form OF the cone, and the night of the
9th and 9th the clouds above the crater
were illumined with the red glare of
the fires below On the following
.moeaiag all signs of activity had dis
appeared, but by evening the laboring
of the mountain had again increased,
and Jets of fame and showers of stone
burst forth in rapid succession. On
the 7th the smoke was more dense and
black. while the instruments at the OBJ
seTpatory indicated constant agitation
OF the entire mountain, and renewal
of the eruption on grand scale was
predicted by the Professor, who watches
y. night and day, surrounded by his instru
ments, in his eyrie on the mountain
side. Toward night the cone opened
on the north side, and magnificent
stream OF lava flowed in the direction
of the Atrio del Caval!o On the Sth
and 9th the flow of lava was so great
that four or five streams poured down
the mountain side, crossing the road
generally used by visitors in ascending,
aud reaching almost to the observatory.
Tlseguantity OF sori@ aud stones hurled
.. iato the air was SO great that the yicini-
Is CT fi,e crater could only he reached
with the greatest danger. Great mum
bers OF visitors, however ascending to
the lava, and the Nepolitans especial
~ the hotel proprietors-we in high
spirits at the prospects of new lease OF
life for the eruption and another season
with golden harvests During the hours
of 10, IL, and IL, the flow of lava in
creased rather than diminished, and
4 the spectacle at night was particularly
grand aud beautiful. Slight shocks Of
earthquake were frequent around the
base Of the mountain, and the detona-
lions or q thunderings, were heard at
night in Naples like the discharge of
distant artillery On the 18th, howev-
er, there was much less activity visible.
and the quantity Of lava WAS much di-
minished and by the 18th the over
flow had entirely ceased, and the noun
tain was almost inactive, Much of the
time since then the weather has been
SO boisterous that but few persons have
rentured to ascend the mountain, and
+ the clouds have hidden tine cone from
= view.-~[N N. Y. Tribune.
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Mrs. J. J. Audubon, the widow of
the naturalist, for whom an appeal was
gotten up in Savannah, writes to the