Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1886-12-04
MOUNT VESUVlUS.


NoiCano in the First century.
The first century OF our era, and
doubtless for many previous centuries,
Vesuyius was what would now be
called an extinct volcano. Rising
some three thousand feet above the sea,
it formed a notable landmark in one of
the lairest landscapes of the Roman
Empire. Its slopes are richly culti-
waited, save around the summit, where
the loose volcanic cindcrs had not yet
been covered by the mantle of vegeta.
ton that during the previous centuries
had been gradually creeping up the
mountain. The barren crest surround
eli a deep crater, whose rugged walls,
tapestried with wild vines, inclosed
the level space in which Spartacus and
his three thousand companions en-
camped. Intelligent Observers had
noticed the probable volcanic origin of
the mountain, and tradition spoke Of
its having formerly emitted fire. But
to the surrounding inhabitants it gave
no sense Of insecurity. The peasants
planted their vines up its slopes, and
the wealthier Romans Travelled to bathe
in the warm springs that still issue not
| far from its roots, and 10 enjoy the
| balmy climate of that favored region.
AT last a succession Of earthquakes,
some of them OF considerable violence,
continued during a period If sixteen
| years to shake the Nesuyius !Ha,upania.
| Some of the towns around the mGrA.hin
were considerably damaged. A pompo'
ian Inscription records that the tenn
pie OF Isis in that town had to
be rebuilt from the very foundations.
| The subterranean Commotion culmi-
| mated in the great explosion which in
the year 70 blew out the southern half
Of the upper part of the cone OF Nesu-
| yius. Seen from the west side OF the
Bay of Naples in the early hours Of the
eruption, the cloud Of stea'u and frag.
mentary materials that issued from tho
mountain rose in huge column, which
spreads out at the top like the branches
Of an ltaIian pine tree. In the immc.
diatc ncighhoIhood of the volcano cin-
ders and pieces of "burning rCck' fell
in continuous shower, gradually fill
| ing up the streets and open spaces OF
the town, crushing in the roofs, and
driving the inhabitants to the fields
Violent earthquakes accompanying the
successive volcanic discharges SHOOK
and shattered the houses and kept The
sea in commotion. SO vast was the
quantity Of ashes and stones thrown
out that the country for miles around
was covered with debris. For thrc,
days the air continued 50 loaded witt
fine dust that darkness as Of nigh
ovcrsprcad the landscape, When day
light returned the fields and garden
had disappeared under deep GOVERN!
Of white ashes that lay on the groun'
like snow. The main portion OF tn
volcanic dctritus was no doubt eircte'
in the earlier stages Of the eruption
a3 may be inferred from the fac
that the body of the eide
Pliny (who, after the courtyard OF tn
house in which he had been sleepin
was nearly choked up with fallen ashe
and stones, had rctreated to the fields
| was found three days after, lying wher
he had fallen, and not concealed by til
dust that had settled down in the in
} tcrval. There is no evidence that an
lava was emitted during the eruption
But the red-hot stones and the glar
from the crater upon the ovcrhangin
pail OF cloud probably show that mol
t ten lava rose to the surface in the ven
! of the volcano, while much of the i'm
, palpable dust that filled the air was n
doubt due to the explosions of super
, heated vapors by which successive por
} tions of the rising column of lava wer
blown out. Though the Inflated rcgio
; was sparedthe destruction which woul
have been caused by the outflow c
streams of lava, it was in som
places near the base of Vesuvius in
vadcd by rivers of 4 thick, pasty mu
r produced by the condensation of th
, dense clouds of vapor and the minglin
) of the water with the fine volcani
) ashes. These mud torrents swept owe
: lierculaneum, burying it to 4 depth c
= fifty feet or more. At Pompeii, alsC
} the heavy rain seems TO have formed
similar mud, which ran down into tn
Easements of the houses and quickl
cnveloped the human victims who ha
taken refuge there, Archtbatd GetSIt
: 'D Contemporary Rerletc.