The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-10
ETNA IN ERUPTION.
The Fiery Mountain Which Has Excited
Wonder aud Awe in All Recorded
Tine

The cable news has it that the great
volcano of Sicily, Mt. Etna, has again
opened its throat and beiched forth de-
.vouring flame, the eruption being ac-
companied by an earthquake which has
destroyed several houses. The fiery
mountain and its geographical belong
ings occupy an immense territory,
eighty-seven miles i'll circumference
But villages lying beyond these limits
have not been far enough away to es-
cape visit from the burning lava. All
around the lower belt of the mountain
group, of which 1Etna is the chief, are
clustered towns and villages, orchards,
vineyards, and olive groves. The de-
composed lava furnishes n rich soil in
which all forms of vegetable life flour
ish with the minimum OF attention from
the farmer. 1t is for this reason that
the Sicilian farmers, undismayed by the
possible danger which may come upon
them at any moment without warning,
pursue their calling here, a further in
ducement being the delicious climate.
Higher up on the mountain is a belt six
or seven miles wide of forest, in which
are found cork trees, with chestnut,
pine, oak, and other varieties, all OF
great size Here, too, is fine pastur
DUN UP 10 tiC Us
eternal ice and snow, where no voygeta-
ton is found, but which supplies the re-
gions below with the needed moisture,
and where may be harvested ice for the
use of the people in the villages From
the mouth on the summit of the noun
tai1-it is in fact a series of volcanoes,
some of which have from time to time
added their flames to those of then
chief-there rise continually clouds OF
sulphurous smoke, while deep grumb
ling suggest the seething commoton
going on in its depths
The record of the eruptions from this
devils furnace is long. Tie first entry
is dated 200 years or SO Ii. {. The
succeeding items note occurrences OF
this purgative effort of nature at vary
ing intervals, sometimes of two hundred
years. 1t was in the year 43 b. {. that
there occurred an eruption and earth
quake, which was believed to portend
the death of Caesar, who, indeed, was
soon after slain in the capitol. In 1863
A. ID. the city of Catania was destroy
ed, with Il, 900 persons, in the space OF
a few minutes, by one of the most dis
astroe5 eruptions, with an accompany
ing earthquake. yet recorded. Occa
sionally it has happened that the mount
ain itself has suffered from its own
doings, the flaming mouth of the crater
having swallowed huge portions of the
cone, thus reducing the height of the
apex. In 1869 there was an eruption,
in which Catania ~as again overwhelm
ed by the frye cascade. The streamI
was estimated to be fifteen miles long
and two or three miles wide and it,
flow continued for eight weeks. Again,
in 1893, Catania was shaken to the
ground, and Is, 900 people were destroy
ed by an eruption and earthquake
which did not cease until fifty cities and
towns in Sicily and 60, 900 to 100000 in
habitants were swept from existence.
The record shows an increase in tbs
frequency of the eruptions within the
last three or four centuries, probably
because there has been a greater carr
taken in noting the events and preserv-
ing whatever registry was made, rather
than because OF an actual increase IL
the number Altogether seventy-nin.
erUIptions have been duly noted, the
latest in the list being dated in 1868
The volcano, whether quiescent or IL
action, has been justly called famous,
Immense terrible. and has eXciteC
wonder and awe in all recorded time |