Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-05-29
VeSuViuS in Action.

correspondent OF the London Telegraph,
dating Naples, April 26, writes
For several nights before the new craters
burst the mountain was 50 enchanting in its
robe of flame that Naples could not think of
going to bed Hour after hour until the re-
turn of daylight one and all of US fingered
in the streets, or by the shore of the bay
drinking in the glory of a Vesuvian trans
| hguration. Few who witnessed it will ever
! forget the first Of those nocturnal displays.
When darkness fell on the night of the 23d
| the great cone seemed suddenly to festoon
itself with wreaths of fire. From its summit
| three craters were playing simultaneously
| Continuous clouds OF luminous smoke as
cended in the star-lit sky. On their wings
they bore solid masses ofscJrise, which. after
rising TO considerable distance, either fell
back into the crater OF were thrown over the
side OF the cone into the streams OF lava
which were flowing down the mountain. The
moon, as If jealous OF a terrestrial rival,
shone with such brlliancy as only southern
heavens are favored with. Tne three craters
emulated it IN the steadiness oftheir illumina-
ton From hour to hour tie scene main
tanned an unchanging grandeur until toward
sunrise, when It eifaced itself almost as ab-
ruptly it had appeared.
- 1t was past 3 clock before | could turn
my back on HesuyIus and went nv way
hOmeward, thinking distrustfulIy Of the
probable sequel Next night the cone did
not fulfil our eager anticIpatl0ns Two Of
the three eraters failed to take part in the
salamandrine spectacle, but the third helched
and Il shed and smoked with triple energy
e On the third night the spectacle had
further diminished in briIliaucc, but those
who were not absorbed in spectacular enjoy
ment could discern indications Of increased
volcanic energy. All through this ill-lated
night the Vremonitions of a catastrophe fol-
lowed hard upon each other Vet of what
happened no one could have had the slightest
warning. Il was an incident unprecedented
in the treacherous, capri:Ious history Of
Nesuyius.
" As day was dawning, fearful horror
occurred on the side of the mountain next
the city. OF late years access TO Nesuvius
has been greatly facilitated by the short rail
way which skirts the bay and connects Ma
pies with Casteamare, q town at the opposite
corner. Resina, tavorite point Tor making
the ascent from. enjoys the most exciting
distinction of living IN the line Of great
current Of lava. Thousands of visitors have
ascended the hill nightly from Resina driv
ing up as FAR as u the observatory, and then
walking to the bed Of last years lava On
Friday morning many such excursion parties
were assembled directly under the cone.
They had begun 10 disPerse with the first
indications of sunrise, but hundreds stjll lin
gered on the spot. Without a single move
ment 10 warn them. the earth opened under
foot, and the dead lava which they had been
treadIng upon as a curiosity turned again to
molten fire Those who were not engulfed
in the chasm as it burst forth attempted to
flee for their lives. Happily the fleet and
sure OF foot were many. They reached safe
" ; but woe 10 whoever fell by the way
The earth they fell on was already at fur
mace heat, and fresh waves Of lava overlook
them ere they could rise again. \ few were
miraculOusly delivered by noble efforts on the
part OF the stroug-nerved men in the compa-
ny. have been told by q friend who was
at the very edge OF the chasm when it burst
open, that the effect on the Imagination was
a. though the whole mountain had begun TO
move from Its basis. carriage which hap
pened TO be inside this circle was burnt up
IN an instant, as If It had been spirited away.
Shortly before the eruption lady was seen
in it, but OF her nothing whatever has been
heard since.
Throughout Friday CONSERVATION reign
ed in Naples. The first touch OF peril had
prepared all minds to expect the worst We
suvIus gave IL various ways sufficient Occa-
sion tor increased alarm. The booming and
the rumbling of the underground artillery
nOuu0Cu d CANSC IL AZ IL NGAG BGuGGNl our
feet. The h)w of lava had increased. and
two enormous streams were rolling towards
the sea as II they would sweep away half a
dozen villages IN their course Windows
ratified. and the strongest houses trembled
TO their foundations The smoke rising from
the crater was now mingled with volumes OF
sulphurous yapOr, and blackened bv the ashes
it carried in its furious ascent. There was
far more danger in the scori2 than in the
lava for they were confined to no channel.
Scattering themselves wherever the prevailing
wiuds carried them-which was, happily,
not in the direction of Naples-they became
frebrands for the destruction of houses, vine
yards, forests and every form of combustible
property.
d" On Friday night Naples was degree
lower in its descent toward abject terror.
The BOurse had been closed all day. No
one attempted to think OF anything but the
awful noise under foot and the conHlgrati0u
which was spreading among the villages ly-
ing at the mercy of the volcano. Poor San
SeDastiano was nearly reduced 20 ashes, and
its twelve hundred inhabitants had TO seek
refuge nearer the coast, whittier the lava and
the ashes were fast following them
The Milan Qtaly) Courier of April 2o, has
the following: 1" The most distinguishing
characteristic of the last eruption was n0tic-
ed during the evening OF the 25th W hile
a number of curiosity seekers were regarding
the course of the lava, the earth suddenly
opened and engulfed them. Information
brought to Minister LARA places the number
of victims at two hundred During the
forenoon of the Goth new crater opened
near the Observatory-thst is to say, at one
of the points heretofore reputed the safest.
The population of Naples was overwhelmed
with CONSERVATION. The people demanded
procession in honor of Saint Jauvier. Dur
ing the last century, under the reign Of Fer
dinand First, the Neapolitans, fearing the
consequences of the Vesuvian eruption, sent
the statue of Saint Janvier in the direction
Of the valcano, and the lava was suddenly
arrested in its How The NeapOlitans begin
to fear that the prophecy of Saint Francois
de Paule, One day it viii be said. Here
was Naples, will be fulfilled