The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-31

mouths along its line emitted smoke, &C.
could be heard forty miles away.
Bolpasso. a village Of 5000 people,
was destroyed by the outburst from a now
crater which opened about Y mile below the
others and threw out a food of lava two
miles wide. Stopped for a time by the city
walls of Catania, the lava rose gradually to
a height of sixty feet. and finally rushed
over tho walls and destroyed = part of the
city. Altogether SONS fifteen towns were
destroyed by this eruption, the lava thrown
out covering an area Of at least forty square
miles.
The latest eruption prior to the present
one was in 1886. This lasted about three
weeks and was preceded by earthquakes.
Cindsrs fall as far distant as Messinn,
about eighty miles from Mount Etna.
Nicolosi was for many days threatened with
destruction, the stream of lava finally
stopping within = short distance Of it.
Many of the classical writer's mention
Mount Etna, including Pindar, Aristotle
and Cicero. 1t is reported that Plato Wis
tied the summit of the mountain in his
day, and that in 1888 Mr.. Gladstone made
the ascent. Then the volcano was Tar from
being quiet.
Mount Etpa is one of tho most noted and
marvellous volcanoes in the world. 1t ia
loeated on the eastern coast OF Sioily, il
10.S6S feet, or more han two miles high,
and it, base has 4 circumference Of about
ninety miles. Some of the lava from its
sruptions form hsadlands several hundred
feet high along tho classic louian sea.
The area Of tho mountain ia about 4SO
MIA and Aci Reals, and sixty-three towns
and villages. 1t is estimated that a. many
AZ 300, 600 people live on the sides Of the
mountain.
The mountain has a regular ~conioal form,
broken by the Val del Bue, an ovsl-shaped
region of tho mountain ia very fertile, and
extends to a height of about :. 1000 feet above
the sea. Above the cultivated region comes
q wooded area, extending to a height of
about $500 feet. Here arc found trees of
oak, beech, pine. poplar, cork. lick and
chestnut. Above the wooded area is q
desert region, covered with lava, ashes and
sand, which. during q large part of tho year
are hid by snow.
The mountgin may be assembled, prefsra-
bly, between June and December. A party
which assembled in August found il - cold
near the top that extra coats were nscss-
sary. The abyss of the crater was found in
1871 to DO about 1000 feet deep and some
two to three miles around.
More celebrated than l1tna 10 the volcano
of Vesuvius. although it ID only 1000 feet
in height against the nearly II. 900 feet of
E,tna. Probably Vesuvlus has boon ncarly
or quite twice its present height. The we'll
known eruption of Nesuvius which occurred
in tho years -, and buried Pompsii and
Hsrculansum was tho first that has
occurred within the limits of history or
tradition, though others had taken placO
before that. Since this great eruption,
warnings of which were given for fifteen
years BY earthquakes and rumblings, Vssu-
vius has never been quiet, frequently omit
ting lava, but more often only dust, scoria
and steam. From 1867 30 1922 the volcano
was especially active.
loelAud. as IL we'll known, has a geologic
formation and its hot volcanic sruptlons
form 4 strong contrast 10 its climate. Noat
Of the mountains of the island have been
volcanoes. ueola. the most famous, 10 be
tween 1900 and {. 1000 feet in height. IL has
eighteen recorded eruptions, ths latest be-
ing 1866. The earliest known eruption
WAS in llOt, which gave the name sand
rain winter to the season in which il CO.
onrred. Vast quantities of dust are dis
charged from the leslandio yolosness, =