Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-06-13
VOLCANIC PHENOMENA.
Jurullo-NeSuvius-Hecla-The Skapta
Jokul--Etna.
NcM York Hyenins rnst.

New York Evening Post,
Many fresh assures have appeared on
Mt. Etna, and the whole adjacent region
is in state of dismay. The latest re-
ports from Catania are TO the effect that
the flood OF lava is very extensive. 1t
is said ~ be streaming toward the River
Acantara, and to have devastated the
Village of Milo. That tho general au
prehension is we'll founded, is only too
true, II is possible that the eruption
may cease at any moment; Tut ON the
other hand it may last for months or
even wears. Tho duration and extent
vi volcanic phenomena are absolutely
inoalcuhhlc. Allthat experience teach.
Is is that when n volcano has been dor.
mant for long time its eruption, when
it comes NJ last, is likely to be fierce
one. But ii may be short rs we'll as
| fierce, like the memorable outbreak of
NeSuviuS that changed the face of the
Campagna, and swallowed up Stab;W,
hcrculancum, and Pompoii; or it may
be protracted like the eruption Of Jur.
ullo, i'll the Mexican Province of Nalla.
dolia or Mcchuacan, that lasted from
June, 1850, until February, 1860. Hum
boldt describes this famous eruption
of Jurullo rs having been continuous
between dates we have named
But its progress was attended by
some ebulhtons Of extraordinary
fury. On the night OF the 2Sth-29th of
September, 1850 n scene was presented
by the volcano which for terrific mag
niliicence has, perhaps, not been sur.
passed in the history of the world. II
was witnessed from tho neighboring
mountain OF Agua2anco, and Humboldt
got his account from those who were
ON the spot. He says that the flames
Spoutcd up over an area nearly N
league square. Cuitimha, plunged in
to gaping rents that were torn through
tho earth, and actually disappeared.
Thousands of small volcanoes burst
forth over wide tract Of country, and
vomitod smoke and sulphurous flames.
Six large cones also sprang up, rivaling
the original crater, and yielded torrents
Of fire, lava, and basalt Whlrlwinds
packed with colorcd ashes tlew over
hundreds Of square miles, The earth
rocked, and the mir was filed with over.
Iwhelming thunders. The simple
Indians, who, unnatumlly, thought the
end of tho world was at hand, fled in
mad terror and confusion. II was long
before the survivors ventured back into
tho region once filled with smiling and
"haolendas," but now black and
desoated waste. Those who returned
looked for the once familiar rivers that
had waterod and enriched tho surround.
ing plain; they had vanished, and were
seen no more. But wandering nativ "a
profess TO this day to hear the ravished
streams creeping, like llyssus in ling
ering labyrinths," far below the surface
Of the engulting earth.
The craters of Nesuyius ut b. &. ~
had slept for time immemorial. The
gndiators who fled from tho Roman
Prmtor and hid ia the assures Of the
volcano had no fear of nature, whatever
they might have of man. When they
burst from their lnir 80 release their
leader, Spartacus, and to overthrow for
space the cruel Roman power, the
outburst Of tho lava whose track they
followed had become mere tradition
Even on that memorable day, before
the kalends o. September, when the two
Plinys, the elder who persisted and the
younger who recorded, first saw the
cloud over Nesuvius they deemed ii n
curiosity only. Probably when tho
worthy admiral got the letter, further
ON in the day, praying for help, from
Rectine, the wife OF Cmssius bassius,
whose house was ut the foot Of Vesuvi-
us, he thought her womanish fears un-
called for. How were people to believe
i'll n catastrophe of nature that had
scarcely even been heard OFF But the
sad tragedy of Stabim followed, when
Pliny, in nobly striving TO save others,
lost himself.
Eruptions like that Of Vcsuyius, com.
ing ut such intervals TINT the broaden.
ed space is scarcely brdged by authen.
tic history, are naturally the most ap.
palling. A volcano like Hocln, on the
other hand, which, between 1904, and
1866 un5urdened itself twonty-thrce
times, does not Mt any rate take the
world by surprise. The toIrors Of
Hecla, indeed, sirk into insignificance
when compared with those of its awfal
neighbor, tho Skapta Jokul. Iceland
has been very infinitely and accurately
surveyed and mapped by the Danish
government, but the region about the
Skapta Jokul constitutes an exception
There is tract Of 400 square miles not
delineated in the government ordnance
maps, and in this terrific region il il
said no foot Of man has ever intrudcd
Lord Duilerin went very near the for
hidden territory, as his Letters from
High Lattitudes" 20 graphically show
The space about the great volcano il
for the most part, however, M void ol
man and his works as the Poles them
selves. II * an area heaped to the
clouds with masses Of ice and ever
lasting SHOWS. The most tremendous
eruption Of which there is trustworty
record occurred in 1888. In May d
that year there was seen Throughout
that part Of Iceland mysterious light
blueish fog. Early in June there wer,
slight, and, rs il seemed, apprehensiv,
tremblings Of the earth. On the 9Th o
June immense pillars Of sable smok,
gathered over the lofty country Of tho
north, and, bearing ominously dowr