The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-01-25
A VOLCANIC ERUPTION.
Episode I'm tho Island of volcano-show-
crs OF Red Hot. stones.

Episode in tho Island of volcano-show-
of Red Hot. Stones.
On the Sd inst. we had an outburst in
the crater, with stones, flames, thunder
(regular ightnings). It was strong
enough to throw stones Of considerable
size TO the sides of the mountain. We
had often seen such eruptious during
twelve to thirteen years have been on
: the island, and j hoped it would end like
former eruptions. Toward evening, how
ever; 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 approached the leading fu.'
marole (Which was very active,
giving off an offensive smell for
months before the EVENT. had begun to
show clear high flame, much paler 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 good omen. Consequently
spent all the night dressed Oh q sofa III
the dressing room. Toward morning i
was overpowered by sleep and went to
the little bedroom which looks toward
the mountsin, rested ON the bed, and
SNOAh
afterward l was awakened by tre-
mendous din, wnch can hardly be de-
scribed. 3FEH
. AS ] jumped up from my bed I felt
stones falling on the roof as hail-such
cannonading going on. understood
what was the matter, and ran to,the OPP
posite room, where / had made my chill
dren sleep Ihat night. They were also
up IN consequence Of an indescribable
noise Of thunder, rush of gases, flames,
falling of huge bowlders, rocks, etc. ]
took them to the drawing room, but as
soon as the door was opened big stone,
red hot (all these stones were quite red
with heat, fell through the roof, ceiling
and floor few yards from us, smashing
all, setting fire to everything. Now !
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 q 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.
Now we passed through the veranda,
regained the house at the top Of the stairs;
here another stone fell very near us (none
of these stones were 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 it
brought from the roof. We passed
were now out in the open to the north of
the house. BY this time (not many min
utes after ally the whole place was lighted
up; woods, grass, buildings, hedges-all
was on fire; the huge powders and
stones were literally raining everywhere
about ps--what confusion! Natal, the
faithful boy, had by this time come to
the help of my little boys. We all began
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
On revisiting the spot ] saw the whole
plains below the mountain, to the dis
tance Of one and half miles, especially
the neighborhood of the house and the
men's habitations, literally covered with
bowlders and rocks of all sizes, which
| have embedded themselves in the ground
!, to various depths. The most hugo of
them is near the well of the house, which
Is not less than ten yards in diameter, or
better, length, and in some ten and
eleven feet deep in the ground This is
about ree-quarters of q mile from the
crater. Another Of nearly equal dimen-
sions is on the shore near the Quarantana,
at the end of the bay of the Levante.
Rocks of one yard in diameter arc as
plentiful as can be rs far as tho middle
of Vulcanello, near the Punto Samossa.
No doubt many of these powders are
from ten to fifteen yards across, and are
projected as far as tho sea, but often fall
back in tho crater itself. This state is
continuing iucessantly and uninterrupt-
edly, causing further damage and fright
ening everybody.-Lipari Cor. Pail Mall
Gazette.