Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-04-30

BELCHES FIRE AND SAIOKE-A TER
RIBLE RECORD OF DESTRUCTION.
A correspondent of the Troy IN. W
Times gives vivid description of Mt.
Vesuvius, one of natures grandest and
most terrifying wonders. The writer
says:
Reaching the top, nearly 1900 feet
above plains below, we had magnifi-
cent view of the surrounding country,
stretching out like a grand panorama
around and beneath us. On the one hand
is Naples, with its beautiful bay filled
with islands; to the west we see the
blue waters of the Mediterranean, stud
ded with sails and cleaning in the soft
sunlight. Inland we look upon cities,
towns, villages, rich vineyards and
beautiful plains; the lofty Apennines
forming the background. Southwark
lie the marvellous ruins of Pompeii.
The top of the cone is about mile in
circumference, and of course less than
one-third Of mile in diameter. Let US
approach the verge of the crater and
look down into the deep, smoky sui
phur-coated abyss. The walls go per-
pendicularly down some 800 feet to
smaller one. This is the volcanoes CHM
ney, and from it there issues, even when
the old mountain is at rest, cloud of
suffOcating smoke and sulphurous gas.
Down the inner crater is the vast lake
of fire of which this volcano is but the
safety-valve. And this is Vesuvius that
has for ages been rumbling and roaring,
growing and laundering, kissing and
burning, smoking and blazing, vomit-
ing out its wrath and spreading desola-
ton all around. We cooked our eggs
and warmed our coffee for breakfast in
the hot air that issued from the crevices
of the rocks. We descended on another
side of the mountain, running down
through ashes and gravel six or eight
inches deep, taking desperate leaps,
kicking up a tremendous dust and COW
ering ourselves from head to foot with
ashes, reaching the base of the cone in
ten minutes, though it took US an hour
to get up.
Vesuvius is the most active volcano in
the world. Since the eruption of A. D.
79 fthe first one on recOrd), the one by
which Pompeii and Herculaneum were
destroyed, there have been at least sixty
fearful eruptiOns, burning cities and
villages, destroying millions ON millions
of property, and causing the death of
over 10000 persons. In 472 the volcano
covered all Europe with ashes. In
1851 there was an eruption that lasted
several days. Vast columns of smoke
darkeRed the heavens, explosions re-
sembling the discharge of artillery were
frequently heard, burning stones and
hot ashes fell on the sides of the moun~
tain and on the surrounding eampagna.
Rivers of melted lava, some of them q
thousand yards wide, ran down to the
plain. The water of the sea was tossed
by subterranean force and became so
hot that great quantities of fish died.
During the eruption earthquakes at fre-
quent Intervals added to the terrible de-
structioD. When the frightened people
VINO were so fortunate as to escape re-
turned to their homes, they found more
than forty cities, towns and villages laid
waste, 10000 animals burned or drown
ed, and at least $19,00O,00O worth of
| property destroyed. But, more MOURN
full than all the rest, 1900 persons had
perlshed by the lava, the water or the
falling of stones and houses. In 1895
the mountain poured out stream of
lava five miles long, 800 feet broad, and
more than 100 feet deep. In 1877 the
ashes and pumice stone fell four feet for
miles around. In 1894 stream of lava
destroyed the town of Tore del Greco,
and run 400 feet into the sea, making
the water bell for two days. In 1922
the whole top Of the mountain was
blown to pieces. In 1861 there was an
eruption, causing great loss of property,
remarkable for the fearful explosions
that accompanied it. In 1872 the vol
cano destroyed two villages and two or
three scores of lives. And so almost
every year Vesuvius shows some signs
OF wrath, the eraptions becoming more
frequent than in past centuries.