The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-02-14
Down a Crater-A Daring and Advcn.
turOus Feat.

because it is in itself one of the most
uncommon and perilous, but because it
is the performance of actual flesh and
blood, and not merely the imagination
of the brain, has lately been achieved
by two hardy Icelanders, named Sigin-
dur Kraksson and Jow Thorkellsson,
of whose adventurous exploit an ac-
count is given in the Icelandic paper,
NOrdlingr.
Some months ago, these enterprising
explorers visited the volcanic region Of
the Dygyur Jelden, one of the desolate
tracts which, with the yekulls or
glasiers, dispute the possession of the
greater part of Iceland. The choice of
time seems remarkable, as the Iceland
ic winter could only just be said to be
breaking, and the SHOWS and ice of that
season must still have been on the
ground.
Selecting the Volcano Asva, they de-
termined to descend its crater, which,
after overcoming great difficulties, they
succeeded in doing, and found its bot
tom ut depth of 1905 feet below the
edge of its mouth-a depth considera-
bly, exceeding the height of the mount
The actual descent into the crater of an
"active'' volcano is not unparalleled.
In 1902, eight Frenchmen descended
the crater of Mount Vesuvius, and they
have been initiated in their adventure
once or twice during the present CEN
fury; but for two men to determine on
such feat in volcano of which little
or nothing was known is far more
notable circumstance. The crater of
Vesuvius is about 1850 feet or 800
feet deep, and the upper portion of it
has been explored again and again in
all ages; but little is known of the vol
canoes of Iceland, and it is probable
that these two men are the first who
even ever assembled to the summit of
the particular mountain selected.
Bracini, who visited Vesuvius not long
before the memorable eruption of 1851,
when seven streams of lava carried de-
struction with them in their course
over the surrounding country, and
overlooked several villages at the foot
of the mountain, describes the crater
as five miles in circumference, and
about one thousand PAGES deep. Its
sides were covered with brushwood,
and at the bottom there was plain on
which cattle grazed. In the woody
parts wild boars frequently harbored."
No such sight met the eye of the two
Norsemen in the crater of Asva. On
accomplishing the descent they found
themselves on the brink of q lake of
seething, bubbling, hot water, appar-
emily Of great depth. Here was one
Is Al g., :al of Tr,1
actually realized, and the explorers
only wanted means to construct raft
to actually set sail on the subterranean
sea. They were unable accurately to
measure or estimate the area of the
water, as, on attempting to make its
circuit, they found at the southern ex-
tremity the ground broken up by fis-
sures and pools, which prevented their
further progress. The whole space re-
sounded with the noise of loud. subter-
ranean thunder, enough to make the
heart of the bravest quail. But they
were not daunted. Turning to the
opposite-the north side of TIE water,
they found an opening about six hun
bred feet wide, from which dense
masses of sulphurous smoke issued, and
far within which they could hear the
believing and rumbling of the mighty
unseen forces at work in the interior of
the earth. The explosions were deaf
ening, and the impossibility of pro-
ceeding through the suffocating smoke
compelled the explorers to return.
When we remember that Plihy was
suffocated out at sea by the smoke issu-
ing from the giant Vesuvius during an
eruption, it is no wonder that the brave
Icelanders we're affected by the close
contact with the sulphurous breath of
the monster whose presence they had
sought. So they returned, having ac-
complished in two days, without in
jury, what thousands would desire to
perform, if only they had the courage
of their wishes. Even if they have not
led the way to scientific survey Of the
mountain in question, Jow Thorkells-
son and Sigindur Kraksson will have
the satisfaction of having performed a
feat of which any man may justly be
proud.