Year: 1872

".


a correspondent of the London Tele-
graph. dating Naples, April 26, writes


'For several nights before the new
craters burst the mountain was so enchant-
ing in its robe Of flame that Naples could
not think of going to bed. Hour after
hour until the return of daylight one and
all of us fingered in the streets. or by the
shore OF the bay, drinking in the glory of
Nesuvian TRANSPORTATION. Few who
witnessed it will ever forget the first of
these nocturnal displays. When darkness
fed on the night of the 23d the great cone
seemed suddenly to festoon itself with
craters were playing simultaneously.
Continuous clouds of luminous smoke
ascended in the starlit sky. On their
wings they bore solid masses of score,
which, after rising to a considerable dis
tance, either feel back into the crater or
were thrown over the side of the cone
into the streams of lava which were flow
ing down the mountain. The moon, as if
Jealous of a terrestrial rival, shone with
such brilliancy as only southern heavens
are favored with. The three craters emu
lated 1t in the steadiness of their illumina-
ton. From hour to hour the scene MAIN
tanned an unchanging grandeur until to-
ward sunrise, when it etfaced itself almost
as abruptly as it had appeared.


, 1t was past 3 o'clock before could turn
my back on Nesuvius and went my way
homeward, thinking distrustfully of the
probable sequel. Next night the cone did
not fulfil our eager anticipations Two OF
the three craters failed to take part in the
salamandrine spectacle. but the third
belcled and flashed and smoked with a
triple energy.


On the third night the spectacle had fur
ther diminished in brilliance, but those
who We're not absorbed in spectacular en-
joyment could discern indications of in
creased volcanic energy. All through this
lil-tated night the premonitions of catas-
trophe followed hard upon each other
Yet of what did happen no one could have
had the slightest warning. 1t was an in
cident unprecedented in the treacherous,
capricious history of Vesuvius.


As day was dawning, a fearful horror
occurred on the side OF the mountain next
the city. OF late years access to Nesuvius
has been greatly facilitated by the short
railway which skirts the bay and connects
Naples with Castelamare. a town at the
opposite corner. Resina, a tavorite point
for making the ascent from, enjoys the
most exciting distinction of lying in the
line of great current of lava. Thousands
OF visitors have ascended the hill nightly
from Resina. driving up as far rs to the
Observatory, and then walking TO the bed
OF last years lava. On Friday morning
many such excursion parties were assem-
hled directly under the cone. They had
begun to dispcrse with the first indications
hut b,,p
the spot Without single movement to
warn them, the earth opened under foot,
and the dead lava which they had been
treading npon as a curiosity turned again
to molten fire. Those who were not en-
quilted i'll the chasm as it burst forth at
tempted to flee for their lives. Happily
the fleet and sure of foot were many.
They reached safety; but woe to whoever
fell by the way. The earth they fell on
was already at turnace-heat, and fresh
waves Of lava overlook them ere they
could rise again. A few We're miraculous
" delivered by noble efforts on the part of
the strong -nerved men in the company,
have been told by friend who was at the
very edge of the chaSm when it burst open
thai the effect on the imagination was rs
! though the whole mountain had begun to
move from its basis. A carriage which
happened to be inside this circle was burnt
up in an instant as if it had been spirited
away Shortly before the eruption lady
was seen in it, but of her nothing what
ever has been heard since.


"Throu@out Friday CONSERVATION reign
ed in Naples. The first touch ofperil had
prepared all minds to expect the worst
Nesuvius gave in various ways sufficient
occasion for increased alarm. The
booming and the rumbling of the under
ground artillery sounded as close as if it
were beneath our feet. The flow of lava
had increased, and two enormous streams
were rolling toward the sea as ii they
would sweep away half dozen villages
in their course. Windows ratified, and the
strongest houses trembed to their founda-
tions. The smoke rising from the crater
was ROW mingled with volumes of sui
phurous vapour, and blackehed by the
ashes ii carried in its furious ascent.
There was far more danger in the scorie
than in the lava for they We're confined
to no channel. Scattering themselves
wherever the prevailing winds carried
them-which was, happily, not in the di-
rection of Naples-they became tirebrands
for the destruction of houses, vineyards,
forests and every form of combustible
property.


son Friday night Naples was degree
lower in US descent toward abjcct terror.
The Bourse had been closed all day. No
one attempted to think of anything but
the awful noises under foot and the con-
ilagration which was spreading among
the villages lying at the mercy of the vol
cano. Poor San Sebastiano was nearly
reduced to ashes, and its twelve hundred
inhabitants had to seek refuge nearer the
coast, whittier the lava and the ashes were
fast following them"