Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-03-19


the intensity of its Eres Crust after
crust Of the lava, like huge masses OF
ice, would be rent asunder, lifted up,
and then disappear nthe heary caldron
beneath. Every minute changed the
outline. The surface of the lake, as
suming new forms and new action,
wore the chanseable aspect Of a
kaleidoscope A low, deep, kissing
sound fell upon my ears as the wind,
which blew 1t from Us, occasionally
lulled. Words cannot 10 justice to
the weird beauty of the scene, We
were in turns sileDced by our deep
admiration or loud IL our exclama-
ton Of delight, calling each others
attention to some new action which
would be over almost as soon as 1t
could be noticed, so rapid were the
changes. AS We were about turning
away from this scene. SO remindful of
the many horrors of Dante's dream. a
mighty disturbance began in the
center Of the lake. It's surface was
upheaved, and the very mountains
seemed to shake and tremble with the
mighty CONFUSION. Slowly and
deliberately, as if with settled pur-
pose the movement began, and then,
with one tremendous spring, the
fountain shot into the air a column Of
blood-red lava fully eighty feet in
height. For a few seconds it hung
in mid air, and then, dissoLving, fell
back into the lake, with an awful,
awe-inspiring, fearful sound, and
wallowed slowly to the shore, leaving
the gray sea behind it lashed into a
bloody foam. We turned slowly
away, awed and impressed by this ter
rible evidence Of the magnitude Of the
works of mature and the
omnipotent Maker Of all things.
On our way back to the Vol
canoe house we visited New lake,
which at the time was apparently in
active, the surface being entirely
cooled over. But here aud there the
loud rushing sound Of escaping steam
and gas betrayed the latent fires
which boiled and bubbled beneath the
quiet surface. Our many successes in
cIambering about from crag to crag
and jumping across innumerable
cracks and openings in the lava en-
boldened us to such an extent that
we very often periled our lives. But
we were soon checked in our reckless
career by breaking through the thin
crust of an air-hole and falling some
three Or four feet-not far, to be sure,
but in few seconds occupied IN fall
ing that short distance we lived an age
Of suffering and anguish, conjuring
up before our started minds the vision
of a horrible death IN those Hade like
precincts. AS soon as we had re
covered from our frigh we were not
long in scrambling out and vending
our way homeward, but not before we
had procured several choice specimens,
which we obtained by dipping up on
! the end of our long Alpine poles small
clumps Of red-hOt lava from the huge
mass of the burning rock that had run
over the side of one of the lakes only
two days before. After moulding the
clumps into the shapes we desired,
we allowed them to cool sufficiently
to carry them in our pockets. After
spending something like four or FIVE
hours in the crater, we arrived at the
hotel completely worn out by our
days adventures.
Arising early next morning, we
hurriedly devoured OUR usual rations
and asked for our horses. After wait
ing impatiently for an hour,
we asked why our animals did not
come. and were told they had wander
ed off into the woods and could not be
found. All that day we waited and
the greater part of the next, and still
no horses. At last, after sAort con-
sultation with my companion, / slip
ped off unobserved and made for the
pasture. I had not gone more than a
quarter of mile before found our
animals qaietly grazing in a little
paddock, securely fenced in. I am
afraid that we allowed our angry pas
sions TO overcome us at this unheard-
of imposition, for we abused the land
lord roundly. The next morning, af-
ter taking our last, long look at the
never erding and unquenchable
fires of the burning lakes, we started
on our journey homeward with our
minds teemIng with visions of XII
lauea and,-our late landlord.
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