The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-10-20

known, and the fitful light from lava
flames was all they had to guide them.
10 attempt an ineligible description
sor these lava rivers offs FIRE cwould be
futile, They cannot even be imagined.
One particularly wide and rapid stream
so riveted, the attention Of All, that. lost
in admiration and amazement. thew
were for a long time oblivious to their
surroundings. '4saa y ~
On viewing the situation, however, it
was discovered that further progress
was cut efs By Hoods, ,ehaaid as water.
and emitting an intense and blindinp
heat and light. The night had set in, T.
clouds and drops, of rain began to siss
upon the hot lava at their feet. AS far
as the eye could reach in every direc-
ton, flames Of fire were rising heaven
ward and lighting up that cloud-envel-
oped dome with lurid weirdness. Each
Degan to inquiresof the ofherEthe war
toward home. A common ignorance
prevailed, as No one had given the
sllghtest thought to- the course. taken,
which had been like that Of children
after butterflies. : AS the fiery floods
poured toward all points of the compass
their course was no guide. IA hn1ffed
council was held and a course deter
mined upon. l'''1 BIT
But a few yards had been gone over
when rain began to fall in torrents. On
touching the layaft was instantly trans
formed into steam, which, with the sui
phurons fhn1es from the fire, ,sroseK in
sitting clouds, SO dense that an object
could not be seen at "a distance of six
inches from the face,
Further progress was impossible, and
all that could be done was to stand
away from the fire pits and lift the feet
alternately to prevent their burn ing, for
the lava was intensely not. Those who
have taken Turkish baths may form a
slight conception of the situation. Each
one of the party was saturated to the
skin, and their feet were puckered as
though in boiling water. To the credit
OF the ladies it may be said that they
acquitted themselves nobly and with
rare GOODNESS and presence of mind.
Not one gave the slightest symptoms of
a tendency to create a scene, though
the prevocation was SO great.
The rainfall gradually lessened and
acknowledgements dinthe steam,
yet progress was dangerous and next
to impossible. The sslightest misstep
might precipltate one into furnace
from which rescue would be impossible.
The foot that entered there could never
be withdrawn. 1t would be consumed
as. quickly as a handful of chaff. In
single file their zigzag way was slowly
CROPPED along, the ladies being assisted
over the most rugged, places, and they
were frequent. For some time after
the rain ceased steam continued to rise,
and handkerchiefs wet by the rain had
still to be held over the mouth aud
nose.
With the clearing away of the vapors
the situation only disclosed itself with
more appalling yividness.. For lack of
better knowledge their footsteps were
directed to q place darker than any
other in the vicinity. This was found
to be spot about 100 square yards in
size, where there was no flame and the
laFa was eomparatively,eold. Near the
center stood a tree trunk, and close by
lay another, which had been cut down
but not entirely sconsumeds by the
flames. 1t was dragged over to the up
right one, upon, which an end was
placed, and thus d seat was improvised
for the ladies. while the gentlemen
consulted apart as to the direction of
Hilo and the way to get there. sSx
:. II the moon would only rise, " they
said; sor if the clouds would only
break, that we might see the stars, we
might be able to guess our way"
These and other equally, ifnos more,
vain wishes were expressed. 1t was
finally determined to remain there and
awai Developments They were not
long in coming. New outbreaks oc-
CURED on every hand, threatening. to
closely surround, if not enguif, the par
ty;. and it was deemed best to move on
at any hazard. The narrow escapes
encountered were too numerous to mem
ton, and just as all hope was nearly
abandoned and some of the ladies were
ON the eve of giving way to despair, an
other dark spot was deserted. Ali speed
was made toward it and sighs of relief
sbreathed when it was discovered to be
veritable oasis in this devastating des-
ert. .Greensward was felt beneath the
tread and pools of warm water were
stepped into I continually. Cool lava
patches were selected for the ladies to
sit upon, while the gentlemen pros
pected about to learn the situation.
So excited were the ladies by this
time that one, sat. down with her feet
and clothing Id d pool or water without
knowingso or caring about it; another let
the end of her hair, which was braided
down her back, fan into a crevice in a
lava wave, against which she leaned in
sitting, and in, which a great mass Of
her hair was burned off; still another
let her bonnet and waterproof go with
out thought. ALL complained alter
nately of heat and cold. wondering if
they would be safe there till morning,
for it had been concluded that further
progress was fraught with too great
danger, and they might run into worse,
if not inextricable places. To be sure,
the aspect of things just behind was
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