The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-11-16

en'hi tltlft reached 'ne bottom, anu StnM
on the verge "f one of the seams or chaSms
which opened far doau inio the heart of
.hr mountain. II was about four feet in
width. ZIgZag in SHAPE, emitted strongly
p culIar the odor b fuie mentioned. A
small, trick ing stream. from melting lay
81 Of zee above, was running into il but |
c"ulG only see that j. WAS lost in the deep
darkness below, from which came up
kind of kissing, boiling, eurcling sound.
with something like IumSling shock nj
slight Intervals and gen:le puffs of heated
arr.
Giving no need to my guides earnest
solicitations. / now resolved To sound, If
possible, 'he depth of tie cl,asm before me.
! and iheu proceed tO inspect the others;
aud for This pun pose | broke off from "a
larger one IA small block "f lava. and. ad
vancing to the very edge of the chasni,
4 dIopped IL down, aud listened to- he hollow
rtvtI berationS, il went handing from
side To side. long after it was lost To the
! eye. The depth immense that |
heard il for more than a minute, and then
| the sound seemed rather To die ont from
distance, than t. cease because of the stone
! having reached it's destination. II
auful depth. and frarfully impressed me
| with the terrible; and as | drew back
| with Il shudder a gust of hot. sulphur'uS
air rushed ard scared upward, fnlluwed 10y
steam like vapor. aud heavy, FOLLOW
I SOUND, AS II 4 Cdiilibn ndu beth OlSCndl Seu
far down in the bowels of :he earth.
This new manifestation of the powers ot
nature fairly startled me into desire for
Hight. aud | had already turned for the
/ pun pose " hen suddenly there came a sort
! of frumblng crash. aud the ground. shaking,
heaving and rolling under me, began to
cIumhle 'ff into the dreadful abyss | was
+ thrown down, and on my hands and kuees,
! praying heaven f,r mercy, was scrambling
I md Is
most horrible fate, when two blocks. rolling
: together. caught my feet aud legs between
/ them, aud without crushing them held
( thriu as if IN vice. Then came aiIo her
crasl, and crumble. the lava slid away from
! behind me, and | was left upon the very
verge nf the awful gulf, now widened I"
some fifteen twenty feet, down which |
/ hooked with horror strained eyes. only to
s,e Iknes> and death below aud breathe
the alm"sr suffociiing vapors that rushed
/ up from that seemingly bott"nleSs pit
/ Oh, the horrors of tha awful moment {,
what pen or tongue can portray them?
1!eie, a helpless bui conscious prisoner,
! suspended over black and heated abyss,
To be hurried downward 10y the next great
ihrue g: trembling nature!
.'lIelp, help, help !-fm the love of
heaven, help ~ | screamed in wild de
spar.
Looked up to catch glimpse of my
gYIde !; hut he was gone, and had not hing
I" rely ON hnt the mercy of heaven and
. prayed as never prayed before, f"i for
gIlenrsS nf my siuS, that they might not
follow me to Judgment. II might he a
Srcond-it might br Il minufe--it might tie
AN huur-that | should have Ia undergo a
. living death but. he :he time long or
/ shout, ] felt that there WAS no ESCAPE from
! a doom that even now makes me grow pale
aud shuddrr when ! think oi it. Above
Ill, IL, l.. 4.
black aud horrible abyss around me SICK
/ euiug sapur that made my head grow
DIZZY.
/ Rumblng aud Missing sounds wal ned me
that another couvulSIun might occur at
any moment. aud another would be The last
of me. Home ana friends should never
. see again, aud my tonb would be The vol
cauic iI-cla | strove with the madness
Of desperation to dIsengage my imprisoned
/ limbs. but | might we'll have attempted
to move q mountain. There | Was, fixed
;nd fastened for the :eiiible death | was
awaitrug. Oh, meicA! MIA a fave
Suddenly heard a shout aud hooking
/ around | behe!d. with feelings | eau never
desc, Ibe, my faithful guide fastening dow u
the rugged sides of the crater to my relief.
! Tie had fled in terror a. the first alarming
dem"nstI aiinn, but had nnbly returned to
save ne, if possible, 10y riskinS his lie for
mine.
Il warned you. MASTER" he said. as he
came mp painting, his eyes half starting
from his head, aud his Whole countenance
expressing commineled terror and pity.
..You did--y"u dId ~ | cried but oh
fore i've aud save me -
You already forgiven. master; and
Twill save you If | can-save you, or perish
with yuu.'
Instantly he set 10 work with his iron
pointed stuck to break the lava around my
when again tie carth iIembitd, AID the
blocks parted. one of them rolling down
into the yawuiug chasm with dun, hollow
I sound | sprsng forward-I seiZcd a hand
Of the guide-we both siru.g!e led hand, auG
the next moment we had both fallen, lrck-
ed each Others arms. upon he solid
earth above. | was free, but still upon the
verge of the pit, aud any moment we might
be nilcd to d,stIucti u.
"Qu,ck, master ~ C led The guide ''up.
up! aud run fm your life.'
| | staggered to my fee with wild cry of
| llnpe aud fear, aud. half supported by my
faithful companion, hurried up the slipping
sides of the crater As We reached the
! ridge above, the ground shook with heavy
expulsion aud hooking back. belield will,
horror dark. smoking pit where We had
so lately stood.
And then, without waiting to see more
| | turned and fled over the rough g:ound ~
fast my 10, uIsed limbs would let me-
We reached our l.oIses in safety aud hu"-
| ryIng dow u the muuniaIn, gave the alarm
u he villagers, who joined us in nur tighI
across the country TILL safe distance was
gained. Here | bade atlieu to my faithful
guide. rewai dung him as man grateful foI
the preservation of his life might be sup
posed 10 do.
few days later, when the long s:len.
| iIeca WAS again couvulSinu the island. aud
sending forth i : mighty Tongues of fire
aud stream of lava. I was far away from
| the sublime and awful scene, thanking
heaven | was alive to tell the story of my
wonderful escape iiom "A burning tomb.
a BosToN drummer, who prides himsel II
ON his charms. fnever lost his pride IN.
othe, day. lie drive his fellow drummeis
Wild in car 10y his attentions I" a comel>