The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-08-05
THE CRATER OF yssuNus
Climbing the MountAIn- -vIew Of the
Crator-An Awe. Inspiring scene.
,,,t - il

Climbing the MountAin=ylew Of the
Crator-An Awe.Ihspirlng scene.
lEdlnburzh seotsnaal
A party Of adventurous Scots aseendei
the litotiug pilo Of Yesuyins during ma
recent ernption. one Of the trayelSrs AZ
writes: Il was d beautiful, clear cold
starry morning, aud we Rll gelt n tbe
I best Of spirits AT last We turned off
! tho main road and made straight throupb
narrow lanes for the burning mountain.
I II seemed to be in good working order
the fire fountain PLAYING on thes summit
! the streams o lava pouring down iis
sides aud collecting into Gye red. GLOW.
I ing caldrolS ByS o'clock Ma reached
| q little. plateau called the Atrlo al
Caylllo where we all dismoIntoi 10
make the further ascent OF the noun.
tain on foot, Il being too steep ana rugged
/ TO take the horses. After d half hoars s
struggle among loose ashes we came 10
slopes o lava, tho appearance Of which
was most striking, lteIactly rpsombled
| the entrails Of groat monster, literally
"the bowels 0 tbs eartt.pf Again We
Iassed through ashes, and In some
places, where the former were yerg
steep and deep, a sort o sCori ! cause
way.was laid 10 assist Che t6lIsome as
cent.
We wore now thankful to reach 4
halfway house, or rather q sort 81
'rest-and.b .thankinlp sheltered seat
formed Of blocks Of lava. Again we
bent our stops upward, going zig;ag
among scori and la,a, passing various
little extinct CRITTERS until we came to
where the mountain was hot. and where
white sulphurOus smoke was rising all
about. We soou saw where we were
ut the fountain head OF the two streams
Of turning lava These we must cross
before We could make a further ascent,
WO approached MS noar tho streams OF
burning lava as its scorching heat pcr.
mitted. We saw it issuing iron what
looked like huge, black, cast, iron
cylinders. These were formed Of the
outer rim Of lava that had gradually
cooled somewhat and hardened. Tho
burning mas moved constantl;. butnoL
equally. II seemed to p ilsate and throb
inits towing to be erked out Of tbs
cylinders.
think the worst and most dangerous
part Of the whole ascent had now to be
male. This was an almost perpendicu.
lar cone of loose ashes. AT every step
we sank to the knees, so our progress
was exceedingly slow. Right below us
were tho burning streams of Lawn. into
which il seemed we were bound 10 slide
Above us was the crater. whose t6un.
deringS we could hear and whose tren.
blngs at times We Thought we felt
.reathless and exhausted Wa fre ,uontly
lay down amosg the ashes. But al last
we gained the summit, and all our Ok.
ertions we're rewarded.
such sight Tho crater OF yesu.
yius. A per oct hell O. SULPHUR. fire.
and smoke, cindcrs aud ashes, and rcd.
hot stones. its flooring OF hardened lava
everywhere rent by seams and cracts
aud yawning chasms emitting stllinp
vapors, while In tho midst of Il all roe
the last formed central cone OF smoking
debris, bOlching forth clouds of sni.
plurous yapor, and at intervals with
loud thund rings, and with an effort
that shook the mountain, throwing like
a mighty iire.fountain, showers Of rock
and scorip high into the mir.
Amid the terror Of the scene there
was an element OF great beauty. The
rich and varied coloring that every.
where prevailed was wonderful, from
the purest white up through all shades
Of yellow and rich orange to deepest reds
tho deposits Of salts and SULPHUR and
iron aud chemical matters. Near the
cOpe there were two tremendous Chhsms.
To the etge OF these We could approach.
Tie guide explained that they opened q
week ago. when the present eruption
took place. They were the reservoirs
from which flowed the two rivers Of
lava that were now coming down the
mountains sides.
The guide did not wish us to llngor,
so We undid our baskets and SGT about
having breakfast 1t was now 0 o'clock,
and We thought We had earned this
meal after q Il Q hours climb But our
appetites were not worthy Of the occa.
sion; a little seemed to satisfy us.
There was some excuse or this, for tho
thin crust Of lava on which We sat was
hot and trembling, aud the crater" so
far from being appoascd by our pros.
ence, seemed to bc extra irritable, for
We had scarcely started breakfast, and
were doing admirably, when, with a
noise like thunder, he east cloud of