The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-12-25

greatest care, forthwith begun the de-
scent, often stopping to try the tempera.
ture of the lava with my hand, and find-
ing 1t growing gradually warmer as /
proceeded, though not sufficiently so to
excite any alarm. In short time 1
reached the bottom, and stood on the
verge of one of the seams or chasms
which opened far down into the heart of
the mountain. It was about four feet in
width, zigzag in shape emitted strongly
the peculiar odor before mentioned. A
small, trickling stream, from melting
layer of ice above, was running into 1t;
but / could only see that il was lost i'm
the deep darkness below, from which
came up kind of Kissing, boiling, gurg-
ling sound, with something like rum
bling shock at slight intervals and gentle
pufls of heated air.
Giving no heed to my guides earnest
solicitations, 1 now resolved to sound,
If possible, the depth of the chasm be-
fore me, and then proceed to inspect the
others; and for this purpose broke Off
from larger one a small block of lava,
and, advancing to the very edge of the
chasm, dropped 1t down, and listened to
the hollow reverberations, as 1t went
bounding from side to side, long after 1t
was lost to the eye. The depth was SO
immense that l heard 1t for more than
minute, and then the sound seemed
rather to die out from distance, than to
cease because of the stone having reach
ed its destination. 1t was an awful
depth, and fearfully impressed me with
the terrible; and as L drew back with
shudder, gust of hot, sulphurous air
rushed and scared upward, followed by
a steam-like vapor, and heavy, hollow
sound, as if a cannon had been discharg-
ed far down in the bowels of the earth.
This new manifestation of the powers
of nature, fairly startled me into de-
sire for fight, and had already turned
for the purpose, when suddenly there
came sort of rumbling crash, and the
ground, shaking, heaving and rolling
under me, began to crumble off into the
dreadful abyss. L was thrown down,
and on my hands and knees, praying
Heaven for mercy, was scrambling over
it and upwards to save myself from
most horrible fate, when two blocks,
rolling together, caught my feet and legs
between them, and without crushing
them held them as if in vice. Then
came another crash and crumble, the
lava slid away from behind me, and /
was left upon the very verge of the aw-
ful gulf, now widened to some fifteen or
twenty feet, down which looked with
horror. strained eyes, only to see dark
ness and death below and breath the al
most suflocating vapors that rushed up
from that seemingly bottomless pit.
Oh, the horrors of that awful moment
what pen or tongue can portray them
There, helpless but conscious priso-
ner, suspended over the mouth of a
black and heated abyss, to be hurried
downward by the next great throe of
trembling nature
g Help, help, help for the love of
heaven, help ~ 1 screamed, in wild de-
spair.
looked up to catch u glimpse of my
guide; but he was gone, and had moth
ing to rely on but the mercy of Heaven;
and prayed as L never prayed before,
for forgiveness of my sins, that they
might not follow me to judgment. 1t
might be second-it might be minute
1t might be an hour-that L should
have to undergo living death but, be
the time long or short, felt that there
was no escape from doom that even
now makes me grow pale, and shudder
when think of it. Above me was a
clear blue sky-beneath me, black and
horrible abyss-around me, sickening
vapor that made my brain grow dizzy.
Rumbling and Kissing sounds warned
me that another convulsion might oc-
cur at any moment, and another would
be the last of me. Home and friends I
should never see again, and my tomb
would be the volcanic Hecla | strove
with the madness of desperation to dis
engage my imprisoned limbs, but L
might as well have attempted to move a
mountain. There l was, fixed and fas-
tened for the terrible death was await
ing. Oh, mercy, what a fate
Suddenly heard a shout; and look
ing around beheld, with feelings L can
never describe, my faithful guide hasten
ing down the rugged sides of the crater
to my relief. He had fled in terror at
the first alarming demonstration, but