The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-07-12
ycenylas I'm Eruption AEow the Lava
Flows.


vosavlas I'm Eruption -HHow the Lava
| Flows.
The followinggivcs a very graph.
Il dcscripticnUf the last great cfup-
ton Of Vesuyius:
As we advanced the roaring Of
the mountain began to be heard
above the noise Of the crowd Of
carriages, and now the stream Of
tugitiyes from all the villages round
the mountain meet us. The panic
was indescribable, the horrid bel.
lowing having demonlized the
population more than anythingelse:
for never in the memory Of living
man, had it ever been heard before
and who could say what it nigh,
portend T?
Just at the foot of the mountain
separated once by a valley, stood
the villages of Massa and Saute
Sebastino ; in 1855 a lava stream
flowed between them, and left q
mountain where once the valley
was. / now found the lava coming
down the same track and already
| il an incredible short space of time
it had reached within gunshot o.
the villages, menacing both. There
it was, the fiery stream oozing along
like molten metal laden with scoria,
that fell over and over as it rolled
more than house-high along, with
deadly, irresistible might. II
reached a tree, the tree burst into
flames: it touched a house, a heap
of smoking ruins was all that re-
NAMED, to disappear into the great
black, hcaying, smoking sea of de-
structlon. A deep quarry lay III
its way it slowly approached the
edge, the people paused in awe, and
a great shout went up as the first
fiery wave heayed over and plunged
below; a cataract OF molten fire
and great glowing rocks poured in
for a few moments, and the quarry
was filled, and the mighty mass
rolled undminished on.
Meanwhile, in both villages all
was confusion; all the carts that
could be got stood in the streets,
and all the wretched peasants
household goods were hurriedly
piled on them, and as hurriedly
driven away, for soon the lava will
have cut the road. Some had al.
ready fled and their houses were
shut !; others were wildly flinging
everything into the street. to be
ready with their turn at the carts
Others, having made bundles Of
their best, were carrying them oft
on their heads-fatllers, mothers
and little ones fleeing together; and
over the shouting of the men and
the weeping Of the women, and the
calling to each other, and the voices
of the drivers as they urged on
their horses, came ever and inces-
sanity the laundering roar of the
mountain. And now the road is
cut, and the carts have to take by
paths, soon also to be intercepted !;
and then the police pushed back
the crowd, and the lava is at the
houses, and first oae falls, and then
another. But what is that shout
and rush? The lava has reached a
house where Oh the terrace appears
a woman screaming for help. She
wanted to rescue yet another bundle,
and her retreat is cut off; the lava
is rising against the walls, and soon
all will he ruin, and she wrings
her hands wildly, and a shout is
raised, " A ladder, a ladder!" and
the crowd tall back, and the police
hurry ON, few brave fellows carry
ing one between them it is placed
against the totleriug house, a brave
man (he is common soldier rushes
up and brings down the almost
senseleSs woman; not a moment too
soon. for with a rumble the house
falls, and the lava occupies its place.
But see it advances 10 further; it
has turned, it passes OH down to
the plain, to new destruction, but
the rest Of the village is saved.
This lava stream ran between four
and five miles in the twenty-four
hours, or about one hundred yards
an hour.
The mountain was, at this time,
a sublime and wonderful spectacle ;
ha,f shrouded in the smoke that
rose from all its sides, it seemed ot
more than usual height; a great
stream of glowing lava descended
on the left, and plungjng down q
precipice in waves Of liquid fire,
could be traced far out into the
plain, its dull red glare lightened
at intervals by the more yellow
flame Of burning houses a similar
stream on the right traced the
curves of the mountain in that
direction, while at the base the
great stream that menaced Santo
Topin and n II fho nlo;n hnIo,,, ,o,,IJ