The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-01-06


the earlier lava Of this year, warmed by the
glowing mass some thirty feet from Us,
whilst we watched its progress. The whole
scene. as We then witnessed it, had some
thing of an unnatural aspect-not in the
scnse Of supernatural but rather in the sense
Of artificial or human workmanship. 1t re>
ssmbIed some vast pyr0technic display; the
mass of lava before is, with its cooling sur
face Of ciudoys aud its glowing cracks, was
very like the sn0uldeying embeTs Of 4 huge
bonfire; whilst above, the hambeau Of the
little crater and the constantly reg Gated
showers from the large mouth al this distance
were like so many freworks--the latter
peciaIly bearing a strong resemblance To the
device known as golden rain" At tim0s
a dense pillar Of black smoke, accompanied
by vivid flashes Of lightning burst from the
summit Of the mountain, aud gave q more
terrible tons to the aspect.
Other thoughts arose as we advanced along
Che line of
TIE LAVA STREAK,
and watched it flowing at a white heat with
perfect limpidty, fron the rents in ;ho side
Of the ash~cone, whilst a distant rosr was
heard marking each Of the intermittent blasts
from the summit. No one who had seen the
tapping of an iron furnace could fai! to be
presented TO that witnessed Oh Eczuvigs. the
scale being immensely larger in the latter
case. Here indeed, ono could imagine, wero
the old giants at work in their forge we
heard the deep breathing Of their bellows I;
we saw ths sparks from the chimney below
We watched the aJwing out of the mo't-n
metal; then, IS We listened, the notes OF q
distant band Of quaTrymen, chanting one Of
those strangely p.aiu.iye Neopolitan strains,
camo through the still air to our ears. like
the busted chorus OF the giant forgemeu.
Above us the moon was shining with clear
green light, and behind lay the beautiful
bay, with the shadowy forRls Of Ischia and
Capri family indicated, while long cresr
cent Of fairy lights, giimmering on ths coast
line marked tns stretching roadway of Ma
Piles, Portici ana Resina.
Passing between the two new Ia va streams
which were tending to meet each other at
point to TIE seaward side Of the mound eu
which the observatory is placed, We began
TO climb the steep side Of
THE ASH CONE,
in ordsr to make our way TO the great crater
After calming the fears Of our porter (wbo
carried cur rugs aud some refreshments) by
a promise Of somo extra fraucs-thTee were
sufficient to induce him TO como on whittier
he had sworn in the most heart-rendirg tones
that it was certain death to venture-we
proceeded steadily I0r an hour, and then
rested on the level Of the small crater We
could not now soc the sources Of either lava
stream, but the fee end of that which was
issuing from point almost in the Atrio del
Cavalia-and whose dreadful crawl as it slow
" but surely rolled on. overwhelming and
destroying, we had stopped to watch rs we
passed at distance Of few feet-aow ap-
peared to have gained the other stream, and
10 have j.ined its current, so that the line
which we had taken in ascending was COM
pletely closed in by burning river. Whilst
resting at this spot perhaps the finest effects
wero witnessed, for tba volume OF smoke is
suing from She small crater was now seen ia
its real magnitude, and what had looked like
flame was clearly seen to bs dense smoke
illuminated by the reflection Of light within
the crater. The big crater seemed to be now
moro energetic in its blasts; not only fine
ashes, but huge white hot stones, we're tossed
up at each gasp, and fell round about the
edge of tn. cup, whilst the whole mountain
shock beneath US, like q vessel staggering
under heavy sea. The bare crass of the
old half crater, Monte S0mma, looked weird
enough in the moonlight, and the impression
was heightened 5y the hollow echo with
which they sent back, after e pause, 8 re-
sponse to the roar accompanying each ret of
stones from Fesuvius the broken down
half buried mother seemed to be sympath.z,
ing in the wild play Of her offspring.
From this point we passed (at about three
a'clockl on 10 the line where the fns dust
like ashes co,nmoaco-about one hundred
feet from the lips CT the great crater. Here
our porter pointed ont, in an agonized voice,
- II
around about us. recently elected from the
crater His anxiety, however, was not SO
great as 10 prevent him from lighting his
pipe at one Of these masses, which measured
thres feet by two feet, and would have been
nnplcasant when falling from a height If
some fouc hundred feet. We were on the
south side Of the crater, where comparatively
very few Of these stones were falling, and
after little consultation, D. and | de-
tzrmiued to ascend as far as the lip, in order
30 take enc peep st what was going on with
in. Anziously watching the direction of the
Etones sent up by the explosions which oc-
cured as we assembled. we gained the desired
edge, and looked into the crater Nothing
was 10 be seen but dense clouds Of sulphur
Gus smoke, which hslf clicked us. We
agreed to await one explosion and then re-
rife. 1t came with tremendous shock
much like that experienced when one is be-
tween decks Of man~of~war whilst volley
is fired. The white blocks and stones and
red-hot ashes rose into tAe air from a spot
not one hundFed feet ia front of US, in a vast
column, and fell luckily towards the other
side Of tie crater then we ran down hastily.
AS we descended over the fins ashes on the
Pompeisn side Of the mountain, we watched
other explosions. one Of which scattered the
side Of the crater whsre We had stood, far
and wide. with aches and glowing stones
Though it would be possible by activity TO
avoid being bit by any Of the larger stones