The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-04-22
ENTERING THE VOLCANO.

ENTERING The NuLCANO'
They zigzagged down the bleared and
blackened rocks about 2U0 feet, and came
to windlass called "El Malacale.'
From this was suspended a cable about
an inch and halt i'll diameter and Il
thousand feet long. From this point
they obtained magnificent view of the
crater, whose walls rose in all directions
in fri htful wildness and sublimity. They
at once appreciated Its enormous dlmeh
sions. Nearly mile below them was the
bottom, almost lost in the darkness and
distance. To illustrate the great depth,
1t would b. no eXaggeration TO say thai
if YOU were to take Mount Vesuvlus,
which is 1880 feet high, and turn it up
side down and stick it into the crater, al
would about fill it. This gulf presents
one of the grandest sights Oh earth, ant
has terrible fascination for the behOlL-
er. The most stoid are greatly inn
pressed, while the susceptible are COM
petely overwhelmed by its awful sub
Unity Grasty and Stevens peered over
lhe ledge where stood the wlndlass, ana
saw far far below them Il level rock that
formed the top ofa long, steep declivity,
at the foot Of which was black spot.
This they were told was the miners
house. They were to descend to The de-
clivity by the rope, having accepted Cor
chadu's invitation to spend the night be-
low Corchado and Stevens went first.
They were tied to the cable in such u
manner that they sat side by side.
For about the distance of 100 feet the
ledge from which they made their wild
leap projected out over the preCiplte
and consequently they hung free and
dangling in mid-air. 1t was only min
ute or two, however, before they came to
aplace where the cliff bellied out further
than the windlass rock, and they were
compelled 10 kick against its strong front
to keep clear of it. Immense clOI d u
sulphurOus steam and gases rolled sky
ward from beneath this projection.
These nauseated Stevens, and set him TO
vomiting badly. They were now out OF
sight of the people above them. Stevens
atterward said he felt that lie was going
straight into the jaws OF hell. On every
side Of them Was gigantic and hideUus
ruin of cracked cliffs and blistered Crags.
Beneath them were pools Of liquid and
burning sui phur that trickled in little
rlvulets from the gashed and ire-marked
walls of the crater. NoxiOus vapOrs
hoated through the air-all seemed
horrible nightmare. They reached the
leclivity i'll safety after fearful journey
Of ten minutes, and united themselves.
The rope Was then pulled up.
THE FUMES OF AvERNUs.
The Colonel proceeded to tie himself
on. Through some mistake the rope tnat
went round his back slipped down too
low. He dropped from The crag, still
weak from the suffering he had ex.
perienced in the ascent. Everything
went well until he got to the place where
the preCipice buIges out. Here disaster
overlook him. A cloud of gas-laden va
pOr enveloped him, and he tainted away
with yet 7U0 feet to descend. COrchadO
and Stevens saw him let 20 of the rope.
throw his arms out grasping at the air
and fall back until his head was lower
than heels; then spin round and round,
striking the sharp rocks in a fearful man
ner. Stevens said it fairly made his
blood run cold, and he turned his head
from the awful sight. Meanwhile Cor
chado had given the man at the windlass
a sign to lower faster, and Grasty's ap.
parently iileless and mutilAted body soon
reached the spot where they SO ID. his
lace Was severely bruised, and his cloth
ng badly torn, while the blood was
from his nose and ears, but he
still breathed. After an hours rubbing
aud throwing of snow in his face he came
%, and the whole party, now augmented |
ly the arrival of number of peon min.
srs from below, descended the sloping
,ide Of the crater. Corchado and his In
iians led the way, slowly followed by |
irasty, who was supported by Stevens
md d, poem. After they had got about |
lalf way down the steep they expert
,nced from the ice and stones great diff
,ulty in travelling. The most annoying |
hing, however, was the constant danger
hey were in of being crushed by The
'uge hunks of ice and rock that were
;Jntinually rolling down. This debris is
ne matter that is loosened daily by the
un. whose warmth strikes off ils icy fet-
ers and suffers gravity to have it's way.
Afler two hours slippery descending
hey reached