The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-06-19
rur ERUPTION OF MOUNT ETNA.
u land Covered With Black Ashes and
The Mountain Vomiting Fire.
4 London Times.

&E II
= auu1NA, Sicily, May 2g.-On the night
.t.a.lss o5 there we're continuous murmurinRB
a - iEtna. but this not being an uncommon
NANCE 1t attracted but little or no atten-
occur IN the morning Of the twenty-sixth
tao W. ,n,,rnuriDgS increased, and called the
ssssssinrl OF servant OF milne to the fact,
nlssadv called attention to the glass rat
gcneo,,pnii Md window frames, and somebpdv
tpe anruested aIl earthquake, d suggestion
e s9s s' mns met with derlsion. However, ct
s3niget ID 40 b, M. q dense cloud of smoke was
low by Il g he issuing from the great crater Of
t ~. n was broad cloud which stretched
k sls tba land and over the sea until It was
s IA ID ID the horizon. II had very red, or
t l.sa II III might be described as Of d burnt
saLns eplor. and minute specks Of ash began
e Xvii ma could trace 1t In Its course Fur into
~ VII niatt, and, In TACT until we all went to
le g IA morning of the twenty-seventh all
4 :. " ss.ad Ii repoee--not cloud was upon the
& { esauscsaif1. save the fiat cloud with q lump
\ ne middle which often overhangs the
l.f sst iii the summer months, and which tho
VI @@aalIarls call the cardinals hat" But ut
eiig nsat 8 dense cloud was observed To t.
~. n. tgrrr1 The earth upon the northern slope
NV sha mountain, as Iwell as could be judged
I g ek XII halfway between Iinguag rossa and
v au. eaaszo. but much higher up the mountain
z Mn cloud grew and spread, and became 80
\ e esasfv invisible; the light became 30 much
l .ssantrad Tint 1t resembled the darkness pro-
sdby i total eclipse of the siln, and rain
+ uy XII black ash, like powdered emery. COM
l @&s NJ 30 heavy was the fall that the
@IsSsmf,rtpry OF Makes, but two miles distant,
sssne perfectly Invisible. This black rain
nesolIniIed the whole o. the day, loud reports
XIV ssin IND no doubt now remained that an
.ssSatilIl oh h grand scale had commenced.
EHaSsgysiv could ascend the mountain under
Sss,ch circumstances. Etna ID 80 enormous
/ M 10 prec pitous and rugged that a voyage
Investigation In such a rain and such dark
~ would have been almost an impossibility.
\ Hi nfpflt this black ruin went on. About
aaSrailut the dense clouds. In the morning q
MN extraordinary scene presented itself
MA whole face OF nature was black, the hills
/ VII Y,Iaing were black, the sea shore was
Hsck, the usually dazzling white roads were
i taak' the roofs Of the houses were black. My
/ ssrdsn Is just now a mass OF flowers, but
INV leaf, every petal, every cup was loaded
Riseht line Of the color OF the flower. III d
tNsebth pf wind passed, d black shower fell
! Inn tte trees. and still the black rain went
a, The effect upon the mind was most de-
/ messing. This ash penetrates everything; 1t
4 Il found In closely-shut linen drawers, In
DOE boxes 1t is all among my paper as ]
Eindl Itself Ia ones food-for two days have
Eisstl chewing grit The effect OF trees and
1 6udree It'd this universal black is very strange
/ ths coors standing out with startling bril-
I liney.
N2o,cloek In the day started on horse.
tsck 10 Piedmont to try and gain some posi-.
tEveneHs, and heard that three craters, each
abOut mile apart and situated like the
Dants Of q triangle, had opened In a valley
ibat 8ix miles above postal station called
gsssapescaro, q place nearly mid way on The
MA between Linguagrossa and Eandazzo d
Nut difficult place To reach, as lodging 81
~ description could not be obtained within
INrteen miles, over preeipitous and rugged
IA, the mountain numbering and vomiting
ksin unknown directions, with the terrible
lGkness and eternal rain OF black ash. dnd
eHeral CONSERVATION everywhere. The lave
M saId To be flowing, but only IT'D reflected
lght could be seen ut night, as It was In I
NlleY, which, as far as can ascertain. mus
hle1t the Valley del Boye."
Ayeyes we're most painfully infiamed By
IN hne ash as returned, aS were those O
I'M horse My pockets were full, my boots
1aefnll; 1t was down my neck. In my hal
dbeard, and my ears were blocked I'D witt
hslhe polished surface OF my saddle wal
luund away with the grit On the roac
lune came across q priest enlaTging upol
Eeeruption to O select audience Of c01,tadiei
yentilating his knowledge by describing
&destruction OF Pompeii. and among othe
1turacies described the sentinel at the Her
MAneum gate sticking to his post through
IA md being found with his gun, 1900 year
NH.
Alright the scene was magnificent; o tire
tndous stream OF lava, many miles long
tseended In the apparent direction OF Ran
3sSBn r.,ht NAM OpAa6 hill
atre were thrown high In the air and burs
showers OF fire, like gigantic rockets, &C
6npanIed by laundering explosions, Til
3NniDg the explosions are still going 90, %
KAn OF lava seems more than ever, but 90
~ has much diminished, and althoug
tuah OF the mountain IL obseured, 1t 10 by
dnd apparently OF vapor rather than OF asst
"a this gives indication of clearing away
M the whole scene may become visible
M English gentlemen left here this mort
ptry and reach the eraters. T. u. II.
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