The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-11
VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS.
HOW MOUNT RFNA LOOKS WHEN
ACTIVE.

Disgorgin9 Large Masses Of seethinR
Fire and Smoking Lsvs-Interest-
ing Description Of q Journey to the
Lava Beds at Night.
From the Net0 York Tribune.
The great eruption that started in July
on the south slope OF Mount 4Etns has not
ceased. but it no longer spreads the ruin of
its first four weeks The new craters are
active, and the natives Of the village Of
Nicolosi look apprehensively for some sud-
den caprice of the mountain that may either
shake the walls of their houses on their
heads or bury the place under lava.
There are bursts of flame and smoke, and
lava flows for a few days at a time. But
the broad rivers. although deepening, do
not extend. The new lava runs over the
old bed, and. cooling outside rapidly, stops
and forms bed for another election.
The whole area of the eruptions covers a
broad space on the mountain, and the new,
red glowing lava can be seen from the sea
ct night. Heavy smoke Is blown in clouds
by the winds that always sweep the upper
slopes of Etna, and no one within sight of
the eruption, even those much farther away
than Nicolosi, grows Indifferent to the phe>
nomena ana its possible dangers.
The Indication OF unusual activity is
the brightness of the fresh lava.
The lower portions of the great streams
that eucroached on the vineyards and chest
nut groves have cooled on the surface and
an excellent graded road, with walls, has
been built across the branch that threat
ened Bel Passo. The lava underneath is, Of
course, red hot; even travelling over the
road on mule back the warmth is notice.
able and in some OF the small gulIies one
sees rising the spiral heat waves.
If one trusts his hand an arms length
into a crevice it must soon be withdrawn
because of the heat. The lava buries the
rich vineyards underneath fifty feet and
more, but not long after the devastation the
people patiently block out their lots, for
they will he fruitful in 100 years.
In time the masses Of lava
BEGIN TO DIsINTEGRATE.
Genestra, tough, grass-like herb, Is
planted on them. This helps to loosen the
lava. Then the fruit-bearing cactus is
made to grow. When this yields some small
return comes from the ruined property.
And in course Of years, long after the
men who saw the ground covered and these
mems children are dead. grapes are ripen-
ing above the old buried vineyards.
The new craters are formed in a space
about mile long between Montagnuola and
Monte Nero, two large spurs, and undoubt-
edly extinct Orators, on the southerly ex
posture of Etna. More than dozen orators
were made in the hitherto apparently firm
ground.
And while some Of them are no longer
active, no man can tell at what moment
they may eject showers of ashes, rock, sand
or lava. Through the whole region OF the
eruption is heard the defamation Of the most
active crater. As one scrambles down the
valleys Of lava and scoria in this region,
the heat burns through his shoes. Sulphur
is everywhere. The air Is filed with sui
phurous fumes.
1t is a strange. awful place. One comes
for hasty look, not for lingering inspec-
ton. Some Of the orators are level with the
surface, others have builded mounds for
themselves, but all have deep, funnel-like
interiors obscured by the issuing smoke.
The hoarse, rumbling sounds hint at cavern
Gus depths. The inside slopes are shaken,
and masses of stone and sand rattle into the
pit to be hurled into the air.
Each yawhing mouth seems to have its
special function. One belches black smoke,
another white; some grumble, and others
give forth rock and lava. Under foot and
in twenty places about one are small steam
fissures. The actual area covered by the
lava of 1862 is best seen from the slopes
above the new craters.
One sees then the immensity OF the area,
embracing some forty square miles OF i'm
bedded lands. The whole thing lies out dis
tinctly. Broad, irregular and black, the
lava reminds one at once of bottle of ink
spilled on some fair surface. 1t reminds
Dne Of this exactly. 1t lies there unerasable,
disfguring and with no apparent
REASON FOR IT'S UGLY SHAPE.
The violent outI curing of lava has iso-
lated Monte Nero, which is just below the
scene OF activity, and after filling the de-
preston beyond In like manner surrounded
Monte Crosse, which abuts from the main
mountain further down. Unimpeded the
lava rolled down the side, burying good
stretches of productive land.
Below Monte Grasso the lava river is
widest, perhaps some four miles, and this
width continues to the slopes of the twin
Monti Rossi, where the streams divide two
branches coming to Nicoiosi aud two toward
Bel Passo. The streams toward Bel Passo
have stopped, and only one branch is creep
ing toward Nioolosi. II comes slowly and
it is probably ceasing.
A sight of the broad high front over
whelming everything before it is of unusual
interest. One sees 1t only at night. Then
the lava glows and each phase can be OBJ
served more distinctly. The starting point
for the scene is from Nicolosi.
1t is a rough, winding path that one takes
and with lanterns and mules and guides,
supplied by the italian Alpine Club, which
has station at Nicolosi, and some extra
clothing and provisions, one leaves the wills
lsge after dark. The guides are dignified
and require riding animals unless the rest
of the party goes on foot.
When the saddle bags are filled and the
travellers mounted, the mule train clatters
slowly over the narrow, lava-paved streets.
The villagers do not express any curiosity
at foreigners They have always been ac-
customed TO seeing them file through on
their way to the Htna summit.
A group of beggars importune one, but
all give passing greeting. From the viii
lsge streets there is good view of the
burning lava. 1t is far away, but. just as
the sea, the streams and smoke are distinct
against the mountain SIDE Gradually the
village is left behind.
The houses are farther apart, and the
pavement is exchanged for a road which is
cough even in the narrow strip along which
the mules carefully nick their way. Proba-
bly, over the surface of the earth mule char
acter is the same. No amount Of beating,
no jostle, touch or soft word will hasten it
when leaving its stables, but returning,
paniers and riders are jolted askew by the
mules eagerness to reach home.
This seems especially true of the Nicolosi
breed but the beasts
ARE FAIRLY sUREFOoTED,,
and essential in one Of these mountain
scrambles.