The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-04-13
A Perilous Adventure.

/ DslOIe It's leTIlDlS tGN p1ApAA AA ADIcp oh0
the following brief narration of fear
ful adventure that happened TO me up
on that sublime and desolate elevation.
Having procured guide, set of at
an early hour on the morning following
nv arrival in Sslzun 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 wful center of all, you find
the danger, drearincss and desolation
gradually increase to the most terrible
sublimity-till at last. when you do
finally stand on the highest point in
this unliving world of chaos you in.
stinctively pray heaven. with an icy
shudder shivering through your miser.
able frame. TO restore you 10 the life
you seem TO have left forever behind
you.
Oh, how shall attempt to convey
TO any mind the awful scenes of desola-
ton that surrounded me when at last |
stood more than four thousand feet
above the level of the sea. on the high
est peak Of Hecla
Six mortal hours--three on horse
back and three on foot-had | been
clambering upward from the world be-
low; and then, among the very cloud $
that rolled and swept around me,
stood in the world of lava mountains,
ice and snow of binding whiteness- -snd
in all that region not tree, brush, a
shrub. blade or even q solitary thing.
excepting myself and guidel Far as the
eye could reach, when the moving
clouds permitted me to see. was sue
cession of black. rugged hills. snow
crowned peaks, glistening glaciers. and
ice bound streams, into inanimate soli-
tude no human foot had ever penetrat-
ed-world without plant or life-the
very desolation of desolation-tilled
with vawning 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
ne. / 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 keeping near, and often warning
me TO be careful of my steps. In this
manner l at length assembled ridge of
considerable elevation, stumbling my
way up to the top. and now and then
displacing fragments of lava that
rolled cruising down behind me. AS
yet had seen no signs of the mouth OF
the crater, which eighty years before
had vomited forth terrific and desolat-
ing streams of melted black sand. 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 center, into which the melted snow
and ice, on its sides, were running in
small streams. A peculiar and not
very agreeable odor came up with a
thin. smoky vapor. and | fancied /
hear distant sound between CUR
gle and q rumble.
Il suppose this is the original CRATER
said /. turning TO my guide.
The fellow was as pale as death, and
every feature expressed surprise allied
to fear.
What is the matter Iquickly de-
manded. Have you ever seen this spot
before?'
Il have seen this place before, master,
he replied, but never anything like
this. When was here last. there was
no hollow here. but only level plain
of snow aud ice
Indeed : exclaimed /. feeling
strangely interested. What, then, do
you infer that there is to be q fresh
eruptionl'
i fear so. master. What can have
caused this changer 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 center is gone
And the ground has slight feeling
of warmth, too l rejoined. rs / bent
down and laid my hand upon it.
Let us leave. master, returned the
fellow hurriedly. looking around with
an expression Of alarm. i 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 |, feeling strangely inter
ested aud fascinated by the perilous nov
city: Il do not think there is any imme-
diate danger, for the snow and ice. as
| is plain to be seen, have melted slowly;
aud before 60 away, never to retnrn. l
should like to venture into This basin,
and look down into one of those
chasms'
oh, no. MASTER replied the guide,
with nervous anxiety; do not do it.
ID might cost you your life
AT least, / will risk it, If you will
wait for me- said /, fully ietermin-
ed on the venture, even though were
to go without his consent.
I will wait he answered; but re-
member master, you 60 down against
my advice.
The crater or hollow was about fifty
feet in depth with gently sloping sides;
and using my pointed stick. with the
greatest care, | Forthwith began the de-
scent, often stopping TO try the temper
ature of the lava with my hand, and
finding it growing gradually warmer
as proceeded. though not sufficiently
20 10 excite any alarm. In short
time reached the bottom, and stood on
the verge on the seams of chasms
which opened far down in the heart OF
the mountain, il was about four feet in
width, xigzAg; emitted strongly pecu-
liar the odor before medtioned. A
small. trickling stream, from . melting
layer of ice above, was running into 1t;
-. >o,iI onlv saa that IL WAS lost In