Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-02-13
INFERNO OF .yEsUvIus
American Tells of His Thrilling Ex
perienee in the Crater Of the Volcano

American newspaper man, had braved
the very heart of Vesuvius and pene-
trated to the floor of the crater.
| No man before had ever been so
deep as he, though Prof. Malladra, OF
the Vesuvian observatory, made two
descents, one in May, 1912, to depth
of nearly 1000 feet. and one in Sep
tember, 1918, to a depth of almost
1900 feet. A few other venturesome
experts have reached the crust Of the
crater's bottom, which is from 900
to 1000 feet below the top, but the
interpid Birmingham, with his three
Italian aids and his moving picture
machine, did not stop there.
They made their perilous way
through dense smoke and the deadly
fumes of hydrochloric acid down in
to the bowels of the blazing cauldron
and to the very brink Of the pit,
where they could actually see and
hear Vesuvius boil. At the extreme
depth Of 1912 feet they stopped, and
then only because to go further would
have meant being burned to death.
1T is the most dangerous trip ever
lattempted," said Prof. Malladra,
when he saw Burlinghams photo
graphic proof Of his thrilling descent.
Mr.. Birmingham is a well known
traveller, mountain climber and writ
er. He has toured Europe on foot and
climbed the giant Matterhorn for
moving pictures In Paris he is re-
| garded as one Of the most interesting
Of the many literary men who make
their home in the Latin Quarter.
Following is his own story Of his
feat, written especially for this maga-
| zine:
when it was reported last autumn
that the floor Of the crater Of Vesuvius
had caved in, that new mouth had
appeared and that Prof. Malladra, Of
the Vesuvian Observatory, with two
German professors. had descended in
to the bowels Of the active volcano. an
intense curiosity came over me to go
down also and see what was going on.
within the shortest possible time
was speeding to Naples with the de-
| termination to do what had never been
done before-to descend with cine
matograph machine as deep into the
volcanoes crater as it was humanity
possible to go.
81 have just succeeded in doing the
hitherto impossible, what Prof. Malla-
! dra told me afterward was tie most
perilous feat imaginable, and l have
returned with a moving picture film
| which in sensation exceeds my widest
hopes.
Il feel 1 have done something to-
ward unveiling one more Of the mys-
teries of nature. and, although the
film is distinctly popular Of its kind,
it may be of service to scientists who
are interested in predicting in time
the destructive eruptions which have
cost the lives of so many thousands Of
human beings.
Arriving at Naples, 1 Immediately
went up Vesuvius to confer with the
observatory authorities. The director
Of the observatory Prof. Giuseppe
Mercalli, and his assistant, Prof. NAL
ladrs., were intensely interested in
what l proposed to do, but they both
counseled me not to descend.
II was not discouraged. though I
found that I could get no assistance
whatever from the observatory, prob
ably because neither Of the men want
ed to be officially responsible for any
such hazardous undertaking, as, in
case of disaster, it might lead to un-
pleasant complications with the Italian
government. Dr. Mercalli said he would
recommend me to the prefect Of Ma
pies, who alone could authorize the
descent, but, knowing something Of
official Italian red tape, which is gen.
orally ridiculous, l prepared to de-
scend on my own responsibility.
I'm attempting this 1 was extreme
ly fortunate in getting the assistance
of an Italian, crystal hunter. Alfonso
Sannino, of RResina, who for the de-
scent brought with him two more
men, Liberato Formisano ani Vim
cenzo Gaudino. All were fearless and
wonderfully familiar with the moods
Of the volcano.
Five nights 1 slept on the noun
tain, while 1 studied the crater by day
from all sides. 1t is like a cauldron,
full of Internal vapors. It's sides are
| nearly perpendicular and gradually
| natten out like the inside of Il cup to
depth of 1000 feet, forming what is
known as the crater's floor. On the
southeast of this floor is a funnel, like
hollow. reversed cone, formed when
part ofthe floor disappeared last July,
and at the bottom Of this steep cone,
200 feet below the floor level or 1900
feet into the crater, is the new mouth,
which is increasingly active, and has
already thrown out lava.
| Leaning over the crater rim, 1,2OO
feet directly above it, placing my
hands so as not to burn them in the
innumerable steam fumaroles, l re-
manned gazing down into the roaring
hell. pit, which. Director Mercalli says,
probably descends two miles. Fasci
mated, wondered and studied how we
were to get down there with cameras
and cinematograph outfit weighing
65 pounds.
| Nothing similar had ever been taken
down before, not even important scien-
tific instruments by experts. Yet fear
never flashed through my brain, and
my American blood made more de-
| terrnined than ever to get there.
1.-The first necessity was ropes with
which to get down to the crater floor.
AS 1 could not obtain that used by
Prof Maladra in his descent, 1 sent
SanninO to Resina for what was nee
essary. For four days we waited a
change of wind. for the north wind
blew the poisonous fumes directly
across the Via Malladra, as the route
discovered by the professor and only
Zone at present practicable, is called.
1.-The morning of December 21,
there was little or no wind, and the