The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-05-29

at is impossible to convey to another
the weird impression made upon us
by the surroundings" said Professor
Mallada of the Royal observatory at
Mount Vesuvius in an article in the
New York World telling of his de
scending a thousand feet to the bottom
of the crater "Ghostly. fantastic
shapes were piled up all about us. The
hollow resonance of our voices was
like heavy booming, and the distant
rumbling sounded as if the earth were
groaning in physical agony.
Twice my companion nearly tainted
from the heat, which varied from "a
to 9S degrees c. GOO to POS degrees F.;
water boils at 212), and the emana-
hons of acids from the fumaroles
(small holes from which issue volcanic
vapors) threatened to suffocate us"
Performer of Historic Feat.
Professor Mallada, who will go down
cessful performer of one of the most
daring feats in history, is attached TO
the observatory maintained on Mount
Nesuvius for the scientific study of the
great volcano. The World correspond
ent was struck by his splendid physique,
his penetrating eye and the signs in
his countenance of an iron will and
resolution of character. On this re-
markable journey into the depths of
the earth the professor was accompa
MED by Signor Varavezza, who also is
attached TO the observatory.
at was a case of If at first you don't
succeed try. try again." Professor
Mallada explained. Perhaps you
know that the last eruption, in 1906,
greatly modified the internal forma-
ton of the crater. Before that it look
ed like a funnel, its walls sloping in
ward at a moderate angle to the cen
tral well, which was of such depth as
to render the bottom invisible from
any part of the crater's mouth. Sub
sequent downslips during the eruption
altered the shape to one somewhat re-
sembling cup, the bottom of which
was visible at certain hours of the
day from the mouth. The interior is
more or less honeycombed with fuma-
roles remitting abundant jets of vapor
mixed with hydrochloric acid and sui
phureted hydrogen.
The PeriIous Descent.
"With my faithful attendant reach
ed the mouth of the crater at 0 o'clock
on Friday morning. We first made
fast a cable $50 yards long, which,
slung around the waist enabled us,
partly sliding, partly hanging in the
fashion of an Alpine climber, to reach
depth Of 130 yards in the southeast
part of the cone, where, after careful
observation, had decided was the
best point to make a descent.
''There the lava ridge slopes outward
from the sides of the cone fully 100
yards. Travelling along that ledge, we
reached an immense mass Of lava rock
and other matter from the crater slide
in March, 1911, sloping at an angle Of
30 degrees.
eve again made fast another cable
120 yards long, enabling us to reach
further the huge bank Of volcanic mat
ter projected inward by the same land
slide.
Bottom of Crater.
"After two hours clambering we
reached the bottom Of the crater, which
resembled gigantic plowed field. We
remained two hours at the bottom of
the crater, took numerous thermomet-
ric and barometric observations and
made a collection of mineral and other
volcanic matter from which we expect
valuable scientific results.
1--WE planted a red flag in the center
which we found was Just 320 yards
C96O feet from the level Of the mouth.
1.-THE return climb was more difficult
and perilous than the descent. Mass
es of rock and ashes fell around us as
we toiled upward with the aid of the
ropes and several times threatened to
dash us to the bottom.
after FIVE hours work we reached
the summit pretty well exhausted. but
triumphant"