Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-11-29
A VOLCANIC EPISODE.

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Six Feet in Diameter.
The following Is letter in the Pail Mall
Gazette describing the recent volcanic
eruption in the island of Vulcano. The
letter is signed "a. E. Narlian," and dated
Lipari, Aug. 80:
con the 3rd inst. We had al outburst in
the crater, with stones, flames, thunder.
and lightnings. 1t was strong enough
to throw stones of considerable size to
the sides of the mountain. We had often
seen such eruptions during twelve or
thirteen years | nave been on the island
and I hoped it would end like former
eruptiops. Toward evening however, the
rushes Of smoke, steam, and ashes (which
used to be projected into the air to about
twice the height of the mountain) had
completely ceased. AS the night ap-
preached the leading fumarole (which was
very active, giving off an offensive smell
for months before the event) had begun
to show a clear, high flame much paIer
than the flames produced by the burning
of wood, and somewhat greenish or blush.
This phenomenon, together with the sud-
den stopping of the smoke, was not evil
IDENTIFY u good omen. Consequently
spent all the night dressed on sofa in
the drawing room. Toward morning
was overpowered by sleep and went to a
little bedroom which looks toward the
mountain, rested on the bed, and soon
was evidently sound asleep. Soon after
ward I was awakened by a tremendous din,
which can hardly be described.
GAS 1 jumped up from my bed felt
cannonading going on. I understood
,,t, tor md &o
site room, where I made my children
sleep that night. They we're also up in
consequence of an indescribable noise of
thunder, rush of gases, flames, falling of
huge powders, rocks, etc. I took them
to the drawing room, but as the door vas
opened big stone, red hot (all these
stones were red with heat) fell through
the roof, calling, and floor few yards
from us, smashing all, setting fire to
everything. Now I TOOK my children
back to the bedroom which looks on to
the veranda, and tried to gain the terrace
by that side. The house doors were
shivering and shaking, SO that it was a
difficult matter to open them. At last
succeeded, but before we were out in the
veranda another stone fell at our feet,
was smashed TO fragments, and burned
the feet and legs OF my boys. NoH we
passed through the verands, regainiug
the house at the top of the stairs; here
another stone fell very near us (none of
these stones was less than two feet in
diameter). This last stone (which is the
fourth that struck the house, has nearly
blocked our way out in the rubbish that
it brought from the roof. We passed
through over the heap of rubbish ans
were now out In the open TO the north
the house. By this time (not man.
minutes after ally the whole place wa
lighted up; woods, grass buildings, hedges
all was on fire; the huge powders and
stones were literally raining everywhere
about us-what confusion? Natal, the
faithful boy, had by this time come to
the help of my little boys. We all beg an
to run to Vulcanello and away from the
dreadful, laundering mountain. Toward
noon boats of rescue reached us from
Lipari, and we thus ended one Of the
most eventful days of our life.
Con revisiting the spot saw the whole
plains below the mountain to the distance
of one and a half miles, especially in the
neighborhOod of the house and the mems
hebitatiens, literally covered with bowl
ders and rocks OF all sizes, which have
Embedded themselves in the ground to
various depths. The most huge of them
is near the well of the bouse, which is not
less than ten yards in diameter or better
length, and in some parts ten or eleven
feet deep in the ground. This is about
three quarters of a mile from the crater.
Another of nearly equal dimensions is on
the shore near the Quarantana, at the end
# the bay of the Lavante. Rocks of one
yard in diameter are as plentiful as can
be, as far as the middle of the Y alcanello,
near the Punta Samossa. No doubt
many of these powders are from ten to
fifteen yards across and are projected as
far as the sea, but often fail back in the
crater itself. This state is continuing in
cessantly and uninterruptedly, causing
further damage and frightening every