Year: 1867

Mount Vesuvius-- Some Accoun


of the Eruption.


Naples Nov. 30 Correspondence of Londor
Times.l


| AS yet have done scarcely more


than note the fact of the eruption oi


Vesuvius, but so much has it increas.


ed since last Wednesday, and Sc


marvelously beautiful is the specta


Gle, that it merits a more detailed


account. Unlike these terrific dis


plays which We have had at times,


and which ceases with one great ef.


fort, this is the lava eruption increas.


ing ever in force and beauty, and


promising duration of some weeks,


if not months. If se-and it is the


opinion of those most experienced in


these matters-all the world may see


it as soon as the groundless fears as


to the state of Naples have vanished


For the first one or two nights the


mountain was modest enough in its


demonstrations; tongues of fire shot


up to announce its internal agitation,


and thin stream of lava trickled


down behind in the direction of Otta-
jano, which lies on the southeast


side of Vesuvius. Some friends who


went up there early, gave a vague


idea of the scene, and spoke of some


eight or ten new craters, being no


more than so many assures opened


by the explosive force of the noun
tain, and which change in number
and character from day to day
For the last two or three nights,
however, the scene has been as
grand as can well be conceived; but
before giving details, let me describe
the actual state and appearance of
the mountain. Since December, 1861,
it has been almost quiescent, with
the exception of one or two sulky
and uncertain puffs, and our clear
blue atmosphere has ceased to be
marked with the spiral columns of
smoke. On the very summit has
capped huge crater, measuring
nearly 700 feet in circumference,
around which even children might
have played, being careful only to
avoid certain sulphrous exhalations
which were emitted at intervals
During the last two years small
cone has been formed by the matter
gradually elected from this sulp hu-
rous hole. We could scarcely see
its head above the walls of the large
crater, but within the last week. like
some presumptuous STRIPPING, it has
shot up above its venerable parent,
and this in what has been fuming,
and spluttering and storming with all
the arrogant impatience of youth
since last Wednesday. 1t has sent
forth an immense quantity of lava,
converting the surrounding crater in
to lake of fire. At first the high
circling walls kept it within bounds;
but gradually it has risen, until it is
now flowing down in several direc.
tions where the abrupt and irregular
wall admits Of a passage. The result
has shown that it is lower in the di-
rection of Ottajano, on the southeast,
and those who do not care to make
the assent may have glorious view
of it from Sorrento. Still there is
nothing like mounting to the top, so
let US be off; yet, better still, suppose
it to have been done, and that last
night. Giovanni Cozzolino was our
guide, who, by virtue of having ac-
companied Humboldt and many of
the scientific and.literary men of the
age, expects his own name to be en-
rolled in literary annals. He is. how
ever, q very safe and intelligent
guide. There was no incident to
mark until we got to the foot of the
main cone, when we heard the thun-
der Of the mountain and felt the
shocks of an earthquake at every
effort TO disgorge the liquid fire.
Ascending by the usual road, we
were compelled On approaching the
summit, to skirt little round to the
southeast, for two rcasons-frst, to
get on the blind side of the wind,
which might have brought down up
on US an inconvenient shower of
stones; and secondly, to obtain
better view of the main stream,
which was fed, not only by the great
crater, but by another orifice opened
outside, about twenty feet in diane
ter. From this point the stream of
living fire, full 20 to 80 feet in width,
poured down to the bottom of the
mountain rapidly, where it met with
no obstacles, and where it did strug-
Cling energetically until it carried
everything before it. To the edge of
the crater it was impossible to ap-
proach, the heat was scorching; and
what would have been the conse-
quences had the lava boiled over and
come down upon us? 1t was difficult
therefore, to form any fair estimate
of its size, but one might have sup
posed that it was not more than 70
feet in diameter. 1t was not mo-
ment, however, for figures when
nature was exhibiting her power in
one Of its grandest forms. There
was roar and a shock, and then shot
forth flames and stones full 200 feet
in highth, at intervals of from one to
FIVE seconds, according to the watch
Of one of the party; these tremendous
convulsions were repeated, and then
came the descending shower, COM
posed of stones of various sizes,
some certainly half tun in weight,
judging by the bulk. We could
mark their course by the eye as long
as they retained their red heat, but |
on approaching the earth they black |
ened, and then the ear alone could
tell what was spotting and pitting |
the earth around. BY the same per
son who had already acted as calcu-
lator it was declared that the decent
occupied five seconds-much in ex |