Year: 1878

small oLo~h VI iafA. anu, sQVanclng 10
the very edge Of the chasm, dropped it
down, and listened to the hollow reyer-
berations, as it went bounding from
side to side. long after it was lost TO
the eye. The depth was so immense
that heard it tor more than . minute.
and then the sound died out from dis
tance, than TO cease because Of the
stone having reached its destination.
1t was an awful depth and fesrfully
impressed me with the terrible, and as
l drew back with shudder, q gust of
bot, snlphurous air scared upward,
followed by q steam-like vspsr, and a
heavy, hollow sound. as if Q cannon had
been discharged far down in the bovels
of the earth


This new manifestation of the powers
of nature fairly startled me into q
desire for flight. and / had already
turned for the purpose. when suddenly
came sort of crumbling crash, aud
the ground, shaking. heaving and
rolling under me, began to crumble of
into the dreadful abyss. / was thrown
down on my hands and knees, praying
Heaven for mercy. was scrambling
over it and upwards to save myself
from a most horrible fate, when two
blocks. rolling together. caught my legs
between them, and crushing them held
them as if in a vice. Then came an
other crash and crumble, the lava slid
away from me, and | was left upon the
verge of an awful gulf, / looked down
with horror strained eyes. only to see
the darkness and death below and
breathe the almost suffocating vspors
that rushed from the seemingly bot
tomless pit.


Oh, the horrors of that awful moment!
what pen or tongue can portray
them?


There. helpless but conscious prison.
er, suspended over the mouth of heat.
ed and black abyss, to be hurried down.
ward by the next great throe Of tremb-
ling nature


Help. help, help!-for the love of
heaven, help l screamed in wild
despair.


looked up.to catch glimpse of my
guide; but he was gone. and | had
nothing to rely on but the mercy OF
heaven; prayed as never prayed be
fore, for forgiveness of my sins, that
they might not follow me to judgment.
1t might be minute-it might be an
hour-that l should have to undergo a
living death; but, be the time loDg:or
short, felt that there was no escape
from q doom that even now makes me
grow pale and shudder when | think
of it. Above me was clear blue sky
beneath me o black and horrible
abyss-around me sickoning vapo- that
made my brain grow dizzy,


Rumbling 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 Istrove
with the madness of desperation to dis
engage my imprisoned limbs, but ]
might as we'll have attempted to move
q mountain. There l was. fixed and
fastened for the terrible death / was
awaiting Oh, mercy what 3 fate


Suddenly heard shout and look
ing around / beheld with feelings can
never describe my faithful guide hurry
ing down the rugged sides of the crater
tony relief. He had fed in terror at
the trst alarming demonstration. but
had nobly returned to save me, if pos.
sible, by risking his own life for mine.


4 warned you, master he said, as he
came up painting, his eyes half starting
from his head, and his whole counte-
nance expressing commiugled terror and
pity.


You did-you did = l cried; but oh
forgive and save me?


You are already forgiven, master /;
and will save you if can-save you,
or perish with you"


Instantly he set TO work with his
iron pointed stick To break the lava
around my limbs. but had scarcely
made any progress when again the
earth trembled, and the blocks parted,
one of them rolling down into the
yawning chasm with hollow sound. l
sprang forward seized hand of the
guide-we both struggled hard, and the
next moment we had both fallen. lock-
ed in each others arms, upon the solid
earth above. ! was free, but still upon
the verge of the pit. aud any moment
we might be hurled to destruction.


Quick, master T. cried the guide ;
"up, up and run for your life =


staggered TO my feet. with a wild
cry of hope and fear, and. half sup
ported by my faithful companion. hur-
ricd up the sloping sides of the crater.
As we reached the ridge above. the
ground shook with a heavy explosion ;
and looking back, beheld with horror
dark smoking pit where we had so
lately stood.


Aud then, without waiting to see
more, turned and fed over the rough
ground as fast as my bruised limbs
would let me- We reached our horses
in safety. and hurrying down the noun
tain, gave the alarm to the villagers,
who joined US in our flight across the
country till q safe distance was gained,
Here bsde adieu to my faithful guide.
rewarding him as q man grateful tor
the preservation of his life might be
supposed TO do.


A few days later. when the long.
silent Hecla was again convulsing the
island, and sending forth its mighty
tongues of fire and streams Of lava. |
was far away from that sublime and