The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-01-25
A VOLCANIC ERUPTION.
Episode I'm tho Island of yolcaBo-Show-
cry of Rcd Hot Stones.

Episode I'm tho Island of yolcaBo-Show-
of Rcd Hot Stones.
On the 81 inst. wo had an outburst in
the crater, with stones, flames, thunder
Irregular lighlnings). 1t was strong
enough to throw stones Of considerable
size to the sides of the mountain. We
had often seen such eruptions during
twelve to thirteen years have been on
the island, and hoped it would end like
former eruptions. Toward evening, how
ever, the rushcs 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
tho night approached the leading fu-
marolo (Which was very active,
giving off an offensive smell for
months before the EVENT. had begun to
show clear high flame, much palcr than
the flames produced by the burning of
wood, and somewhat grcenish or blush.
This phenomenon, together with the sud-
den stopping of the smoke, was not cvi-
dcntly u good omen. Consequently l
spent all the night dressed on q sofa in
the dressing room. Toward morning l
was ovcrpowcrcd by sleep and went to
the little bedroom which looks toward
the mountain, rested on the bed, and
soon was evidently sound asleep. Soon
afterward l was awakened by trc-
mendous din, winch can hardly bc de-
scribed.
. AS l jumped up from my bed l felt
stones falling on the. roof rs hail-such
cannonading going on. l understood
what was the matter, and ran TO the OPP
posite room, where had made my chill
dren sleep that night. They were also
Il.
noise of thunder, rush of gases. flames,
falling of huge powders, rocks, etc. l
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 heaD, fell through the roof, ceiling
and floor few yards from us, smashing
all, setting fire to everything. Now l
took my children back to the bedroom
which looks OH to the vcranda. and tried
to gain the terrace by that side. The
house doors were shivCrng and shaking,
so that it was-.l difficult matter to open
them. At last j succeeded, but before
We were ont il 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,
rcgaincd the house at the top of tho stairs;
here another stone fell very near us (nOnc
of these stones were less than two feet i'll
diamcter). This last stone (Which is the
+ fourth that struck tho house, has nearly
blocked our way out in the rubbish it
brought from the roof. We passed
through over the heap of rubbish and
were now out i'll the open to tho north of
the house. BY this time (not many min
utes after alb tho whole place was lighted
up; woods, grass, buildings, hcdges-all
was on fire; the huge bowlders and
stones were literally raining everywhere
about us-what confusion! Natal, tic
faithful boy, had by this time come to
tho 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 4 half miles, especially
the neiShborhood Of the house and the
mems habitations, literally covered with
powders and rocks of all sizes, which
have embedded themselves in the ground
| to various depths. The most huge of
them is near the we'll 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 tnrce-quarters OF mile from the
crater. Another of nearly equal tlimcn-
sionS is on the shore near the Quarantana,
at the end of the bay of the Lovaute.
Rocks of one yard il diameter arc as
plentiful as can he rs far as tho middle
of Nulcancllo near thc Punto Samossa.
No doubt many of these bowldcrs are
from ten TO fifteen Yards across, and are
projected as far as the sea, but often fall
back in tho crater itself. This state j.
continuing iucos>antly and unintcrruul-
cdly, causing further damage and fright
cning ybody.-Lipari Cor Pail Mall
Gazette.