Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-05

Dr. Russell IN NjHeteenth Century
If one could have been aware of the ter
rible forces which were at work beneath
that smiling surface, how delusive would
the whole of that bright pageant-the
charming little villas nesting in their
gardens, the country houses white as
snow, with their green Jalousies, and the
small spires Of the chapels piercing the
mass Of fOliage-have appeared! 1T is 81
years since the last great Outburst of lava,
which has left a broad track, called the
Arse. to the west of Ischia, sent the SYRIA
'cusans in fright from the island, which
the cO!Onists of Eub9a abandoned at an
early period in consequence of awful
earthquakes, with the particulars of which
we are not acquainted. Until Nesuvius
became active in the first century of
the Christian era, 1t is held by
biologists that Ischia was the
great safety valve or escape pipe
for the volcanic agencies at work IN the
Terra di LavOrO. But all the eruptIons
which devastated the island, and drove
out two successive cOlOniZations in turn,
were apparently stilled forever. There
will be, no doubt, a close investigation
into the actual geological condition OF the
island, because it will be necessary to de-
termine whether the government will per-
init the reconstruction of the town of Casa
micciOla. which will otherwise be certain
ly Immediately proceeded with, in spite OF
the two great catastrOphies of 1881 and OF
last July, so great is the efficacy of the
waters, so urgent the need of the people
of the island for extraneous means of sup
port, and, | will add, so great is the
beauty of the scene itself and the attrac-
tiOns afforded to the sick and weary. In
the pursuit of health and of repose people
will brave great risks of death. Perhaps
some research will determine how 1T
is that Ischia itself and its proud
castle have been exempted from the
shocks which have twice brought ruin on
a hamlet a few miles off. Undeterred
by any apprehension of the recent out
burst of these forces which had given
such a warning two years ago, people
were busy building new houses and re-
pairing old, and marrying and giving in
marriage. Some, indeed, had settled
down quietly amid their vineyards to
abide fOrever-that is, as long as they
lived; among them a lady, Miss NJ -,
who had a charming villa perched above
La PiccOla Sentinella, who gathered the
English visitors to tea and music of an
evening before dinner One of my ac-
Quaintance proposed, as land was to be
had at a cheap rate, to buy a little plot
on which to build a villa which should be
pjed-d-terre for either or both; and when l
asked, ''What about the earthquakeW he
for thousand years" / was rather
struck by the absence of birds; but l was
informed that quails came in considerable
quantities to the island during their
migration, and it was limited that a
determined sportsman might get such
thing as partridge. There were many
blackbirds, indeed, and the inevitable
sparrow, and an unusual sort of swal-
low, differing somewhat in color and
shape from our own, hawking about the
cliffs. The vegetable wealth. however, of
the island seemed extraordinary, and
the table of the hotel was covered at
meal times with delicious fruit, especial
ly figs, as well as with TASKS of an excel
lent golden-colOred wine, made from the
grapes which grew in our hosts inclo-
sure-equal, be proudly maintained, to
the finest Capri-and l was told of one
peculiar plant, called the gjgliO dj Santa
ReStitutd which is found only on the sea
beach at Lacco, close to CasamicciOla.
This plant is supposed to mark the place
where the body of the martyr of that
name was drifted across the sea from Ma
pies, and it is found nowhere else in the
world, But of this and of many other
things which l was told l cannot answer
certain.