Year: 1862

boiling, surging sound with something Ike ;
rambIing shock at slight intervals, and puts 0
heated air.


The place, the scene. and withal the sense 0
danger connected with it, held me there will
a sort of magnetic fascination, and l soor
found myself tempted to make fatal plungt
into the awful abyss. Knowing by experience
that reason is not always able 10 govern anC
self back few feet, but still remained near tht
opening, deaf 70 the eutreaties of my frightened
guide, who now began to implore me to return
/ before it should be too late.


As the dread volcano had not been in actor
for more than thirty years before bis birth,
| believed that he could know no more of The
danger than myself and therefore preferred tc
/ act from the dictates of my own feelings. rather
than his fears and, as was to pay him vel
for his services, felt but little disposed to be
hurried from a place which had cost me 50
much time, money and trouble to visit.


Giving no heed, therefore, to his earnest
solicitations, l resolved to sound, if possible,
the depth OF the chasm before me, and then
proceed to inspect the others; and for this
purpose I pried off from larger one a small
block of lava, and advancing to the very edge
of the chasm, dropped it down, and listened to
the hollow reverberatious, as it went bounding
from side to-side, long after it was lost 10 the
eye The depth was so immense that heard
it for more than minute, and then the sound
seemed rather TO die out from distance than to
cease because of the block having reached its
destination. 1t was an awful depth and fear
fully impressed me with the terrible and as
drew back with a shudder, gust of hot, sui
phurous air rushed and roared upward, followed
by steam like vapor, and heavy hollow
sound, as if cannon had been discharged far
down in the bowels of the earth.


This new manifestation of the powers of
Nature fairly startled me into desire for
fight, and l had already turned for the purpose
when suddenly there came sort Of rumblng
crash, and the ground, shaking, heaving and
rolling under me, began to crumble on into the
dread abyss. l was thrown down, and, on my
hands and kneeS praying God for mercy, was
scramblng over it and upward, 10 save myself
from most horrible fate, when two blocks,
rolling together caught my feet and legs be-
tween them, and, without actually crushing,
held them as If in vice. Then came another
crash and crumble the lava slid away from
behind me, and was left upon the very verge
Of the awful gulf, now wdened to some fifteen
or twenty feet, down into which looked with
horror-strained eyes only to see darkness and
death below, and breathe the almost su1ocating
vapors that rushed from that seemingly bot
tomless pit.


Oh. the horrors Of that awful realization
what pen or tongue can portray them? There,
a helpless, bat conscious prisoner, suspended
over the mouth of black and heated abyss,
to be hurled downward by the next throe of
trembling nature.


Help help. help, for the love of Cod
help" screamed, in the very agony of a wild
despair.


looked up and around to catch glimpse
of my guide, but he was gone, and l had
nothing to rely on but the mercy of heaven !;
and prayed to God, as never prayed before,
for a forgiveness Of my sins, that they might
not follow me to Judgment. 1t might be
second, it might be minute, it might be an
hour. that should have thus to undergo
living death, but be the time long or short l
felt there was no escape from a doom that even
now makes me grow pale and shudder when l
think of it. Above me was a clear, blue sky
beneath me black and horrible abyss
around me sickening vapors, that made my
brain grow dizzy. Rambling and Kissing
sounds warned me that another convulsion
might occur at any moment and another would
be the last of me. Home and friends | should
never see again, and my tomb would be the
volcanic Hecla l strove, with the madness
of desperation, to disengage my imprisoned
limbs. bat l might as well have attempted to
move mountain. There I was fixed and
fastened for the terrible death l was awaiting.
Oh, God Of mercy what fate


Suddenly 1 heard shout, and, looking
around beheld, with feelings that I cannot
describe my faithful guide Fastening dowl the
rugged sides Of the crater 10 my relief. He
had fled in terror at the first alarming demon
stration, but had nobly returned to save me, if
possible, by riskng his life for mine. May
God reward him as he deserves.


Il warned you, master :" he said, as he came
up painting, his eyes half starting from his
head, and his whole counteuance expressing
commingled terror and pity


You did You did p cried I, & but oh for
give and save me-"


You are already forgiven, master, and l
will save you if l cau-save you or perish with
you"


Instantly he set TO work with his iron-point-