The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-04-04
4
OUR YESUVIUS.
\ Scientists Views on the RumbIin
Phenomenon.

/
Phenomenon.
A correspondent of the New York
Rerald, under date of March 28th, thus
speaks of the great North C1Colina
upheaval ~
List night there was a succession of
terrific shocks ON the sides of Bald
| Mountain, accompanied by sharp
thunder storm. simultaneously with
the thunder, quick and loud reports
could be heard from the mountain sides.
L stopped at the house of an old farmer,
who welcomed me, and said that he
would like to have a hundred in the
| house, as the mountain had scared him
nearly out of his life. During the
night, when the rumbling was at its
height he got up, and assembling his
| family around him, held a family pray
er-meeting. The whole neigborhood
was aroused in like manner. The shak-
ing of the earth was quite perceptible.
and 1T was almost impossible to sleep
As yet no one has been able to give any
definite account OF. IIIe-7ae---e~ nf tho
7 started mp The mountain tins morn1
ing at seven o'clock, and had ridden
over three-quarters of mile when a
sudden shock occurred, which so terri
ned my horse that he became unmanage-
able. de ran me against a tree, and
unhOrsing me, left me on the ground so
much bruised in the left side and leg
that was unable to remount. I have
guide who viii go up with me if 1 am
able, when l shall send full and definite
information.
After sixteen days of prayer-meeting
during which the people left their cattle
and crops to take care of themselves.
they seem now awaiting some terrible
"a y n6
anxiety is really distressing Nearly
200 converts to religion are reported.
Friday afternoon 1 found myself able
to make the ascent of Stone mdAntain,
which is now established as the Seat of
the most serious disturbance Stone
mountain is of the same range as the
Bald mountain, lying seven miles north
east, and the shocks have extended be-
tween the two. With guide I kossed
Stone mountain, and at one minuA past
four / experienced quite a shock, which !
frightened my horse and guide so much |
that both seemed about to leave me.
descending upon the southern side, I |
made the circuit of the Knots and Join |
ed party of students, professors and |
reporters at the Widow Mans, on the |
north side of the mountain. Here we |
experienced a second shock, which shook |
which he was sitting, and a ladder, |
which was resting against the side of |
the house, was thrown down. Great |
excitement prevailed among the people,
and some fOrty-four candidates for bap-
tism on the following Sunday began to
be douced at once, despite the cold and
rain.
Friday evening the party separated,
IN order to get accommodation at the
different farmhouses, with the stipuIa-
tion that we should meet the following
at Chimney Rock, to interview
Professor Dupree, professor of natural
science, Wafford college, Spartanburg,
South Carolina. Saturday morning we
met the professor, and after going
through a portion of Bald mountain
with him, held a private interview at
Justiss' tavern. The people had heard
of the contemplated interview, and
gathered from far and wide about the
e have examined into the !natnre ssiS5i OF
these noises, .and my questions have
been made with regard to the leading
facts stated by the people, as connected
with the broad theory of vol lcanic move
ments. The floises'heard on the noun
tain are common to both earthquakes
and volcanic movements.
AS lar as L nave nedEU, tl6 eAJiO- /
sive noises that have begun these rum
blings are Characteristic of volcanic
The limited area of the
noise and shocks seems also to favor
volcanic movements. This does not'em-
brace more than ten or twelve miles.
All shocks have been between two large
rivers, the Broad and Catawba, both of
which head from these mountains.
eff this was an earthquake wave, 1t
would not be so limited in its area, and
as a volcanic movement would be ex-
tending at so great distance from the
sea, the question remains to be decided.
Nav not this be an earthquake wave,
limited in its area by the tv o large riv
ers bounding it ?"
Brother Logan here asked the pro-
fessor if he thought there was any
danger, to which there was a negl tive
reply. The preacher said that after the
shock at widow Mans and tho sudden
departure of the newspaper manOand
the scientists, the people had bHome
more demoralized than ever, andSthat,
as he had to preach to them on the fol
lowing day, he wished to have it from
our own lips that we were not scared snd
that there was no danger. We gave him
ample assurance and left at ni@tfall
for Bald mountain, to observe asSo the
reported bright lights to be seen there
upon. We saw bright haze through
the mist, but being unable to trace it to
it's source, attributed it to atmospheric
influences.