The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-10-19
GIRLS DESCEND
vESUv|US' CRATER
Novel Experience of Three Trav-
eIers in Italy.
VOLCANO ACTIVE OF LATE

Thrilled by Appearance of Inside of
Crater the Girls Are Seized With
Irresistible Impulse to Descend
Into Crater ltseIf-Describes Scene
as One Never to Be Forgotten
Smoke and Rocks Occasionally
BeIched From Mouth of Volcano.
Three English girls travelling In
Italy have had the novel experience
of going down into the crater Of We
suvius and then of ascending the in
ner cone, which Of late has been VIC
lently active. One of the three, Miss
f. NJ Woodhouse, In the London
Sphere relates the trip as follows:
'sThe day on which two girl friends
and myself decided to ascend Vesu-
vius was a gloriously warm and sunny
one. A gentle breeze was blowing
from the southwest, and we could see
the smoke from the volcano being car
ried inland to the northeast. We had
intended merely to do the usual climb
up to the edge Of the large mouth Of
the volcano, but when we arrived
there with our guide we were SO
thrilled by the appearance OF the in
side Of the crater that we were seized
with an irresistible impulse to descend
into the crater itself and climb the
inner active cone. This latter rises
about 100 feet from the level of the
crater floor, and from 1t Fed-hOt lava
and volumes OF thick smoke were Is
suing at intervals.
s. Wonderful Stiffness.
Il asked the guide If we could 60
down. He seemed little doubtful
about 1t. BY dint Of little persua-
sion, however, matters were satisfac-
torily arranged. What struck me
most as we stood on the edge of the
crater was the extraordinary stiffness
Of everything; no stir or sound of any
kind except an occasional rumble, the
prelude to an emission of smoke and
stones from the inner cone. The
dense fumes would fill the crater for
time and then gradually dispense.
We started to descend the crater wall,
walking over lava which crumbled I'M
der our feet. There was no path; we
had to follow the guide as best we
could, scrambling down the steep de-
scent and getting cur shoes filed with
hot ashes.
AT last we reached the level floor,
where the going was easier, though
the heat from the earth steadily in
creased, and we could now see the red
hot lava showing between the cracks
on the surface. We were approaching
the inner cone, and every now and
then were enveloped in clouds of sui
phurOus gases which made our eyes
smart and gave US a choking feeling
in our throats.
"Through riffs in the clouds of |
smoke we could see the inner cone
towering above us, from the top of |
which belched forth great volumes Of |
smoke accompanied by showers of red |
hot lava. 1t was really terrifying |
spectacle, and realized that change |
In the direction of the wind might |
have most unpleasant consequences. |
Scene Never to Be Forgotten.
"Never shall forget the scene
which greeted my eyes as ! stood upon
the lip Of the inner cone! Just be-
low my feet was dark and sinister
abyss within which thick masses of
yellow vapor surged and rolled. Now
would come rumbling, increasing to a
roar; the heavy smoke showed signs
Of greater agitation, was finally blown
into the air, and shower of glowing
ava, with fragments. both large and
mail, fell within few yards of us.
Il seemed to me the guide himself was
almost frightened. s
1--WE returned In a different direc-
ion to the way we had come, crossing
he floor of the main crater, with It's
,Ough surface of Enthusiastically shaped
ava, somewhat resembling a dried-up
mud swamp, stained in parts by great
Fellow patches of sulphur. To my
on looking at one of my
riends ! noticed that she no longer
lad on the pretty rose colored frock
With which she had started but she
low wore a dirty green one; only IN
Ter the collar and belt could be found
races, of the original rose. My own
ray frock had not suffered, but my
ope soled tennis shoes which ! was
rearing had become most uncom-
ortably hot and | noticed that the
oles themselves were smoking. 1t in
crested US greatly to read in the
apers that few weeks after our as
ent Vesuvius became very active, the
,ner cone being partially destroyed
lrge quantities of rock being thrown {
ITO the air and the sky lit up for {
reat distance by the reflection Of the I
Olcanlc fires"