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

7 VISITED Mount Hecla, in Iceland,
i just beforeits terrible eruption in lS45,
aud the following is brief narration of
fearful adventure which happened to
me upon that sublime and desolate ele-
walton.
Having procured guide, set off at
an early hour on the morning following
my arrival in Salzun lat the foot of the
extinct volcano,) praying for fair wealth
er, good luck, and a safe return.
AS you push on, ascending summit
after summit, on your way to the great
and awful centre of all, you find the
danger, dreariness and devastation grad
ually increase to the most terrible sub
limity-till at last, when you do finally
stand on the highest point in this unliv-
ing world of chaos you instinctively
pray heaven, with an icy shudder shiv-
ering through your miserable frame, to
restore you to the life you seem to have
left forever behind you.
Oh, how shall attempt to convey to
any mind the awful scenes of desolation
that surrounded me when at last stood
more than four thousand feet above the
level of the sea, on the highest peak of
the barren Hecla
Six mortal hours-three on horseback
and three on foot-had been Chamber
ing upward from the world below; and
then, among the very clouds that rolled
and swept around me, l stood in world
of lava mountains, ice and snow-the
lava black as midnight, the snow of
binding whiteness-and not in all that
region tree, bush, "a shrub, blade or
even solitary living thing, excepting
myself and guide Far as the eye could
reach, when the moving clouds permit
ted me to see, was u succession of black,
rugged hills, snow-crowned peaks, glis-
tening glaciers, and ice-bound streams,
into whose inanimate solitudes no hu-
man foot had ever penetrated-a world
without plant or life-the very desola-
ton of desolation-filled with yawning
chasms and dreadful abysses.
Wrapping one of the blankets about
me to protect me from the freezing cold,
and cautiously using my pointed stick
to try every foot of ground before me,
now began to move about, over blocks
and heaps and hills of lava, and across
narrow chasms and pitfalls and patches
of snow and ice, my faithful guide keep
ing near, and often warning me to be
careful of my steps, In this manner L at
length ascended ridge of considerable
elevation, stumbling my way to the top
and now and then displacing fragments
of lava that rolled crushing down behind
me. AS yet had seen no signs of the
mouth of the crater, which eighty years
before had vomited forth its terrific and
desolating streams of melted black sands,
but on reaching the summit of this
ridge, looked down into sort of basin,
open at the lower side and having some
three or four deep seams or chasms in
the centre, into which the melting snow
and ice, on its sides, were running in
small streams. \ peculiar and not very
agreeable odor came up with thin,
smoky vapor, and l fancied could hear
distant sound, something between a
gurgle and rumble.
81 suppose this is the original crater"
l said, turning to the guide.
The fellow was as pale as death, and
every feature expressed surprise allied
to fear.
"What is the matter ?" quickly de-
manded. Have you ever seen this spot
before 20
Ihave seen this place before, mas
ter" he replied, but never anything
like this. When was here last, there
was no hollow here, but only a level
plain of snow and ice.''
Indeed!" exclaimed 1, feeling
strangely interested. "What, then, do
you infer-that there is to be fresh
eruption ?'
caused this change? You see there is
heat below, which has melted the thick
glacier, and only few streaks of ice
now remain above the upper part of the
sides, while all the centre is gone"
And the ground has slight feeling
of warmth, too," rejoined, as 1 bent
down and laid my hand upon it.
Let us leave, MASTER" returned the
fellow, hurriedly, looking around with
an expression of alarm. II do not like
to remain here; we may be destroyed at
any moment. Let us hasten down and
report what we have seen."
Nay" said 1, feeling strangely inter-