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In various parts of the earth, there are mountains that send out from
their highest peaks, smoke, ashes, and fire. Mountains of this class
are called volcanoes, and they present a striking contrast to other
mountains, on account of their conical form and the character of the
rocks of which they are composed. All volcanoes have at their summits
what are called craters. These are large, hollow, circular openings,
from which the smoke and fire escape.
Nearly all volcanoes emit smoke constantly. This smoke proceeds from
fires that are burning far down in the depths of the earth. Sometimes
these fires burst forth from the crater of the volcano with tremendous
force. The smoke becomes thick and black, and lurid flames shoot up to
a height of hundreds of feet, making a scene of amazing grandeur. With
the flames there are thrown out stones, ashes, and streams of melted
rock called lava. This lava flows down the sides of the mountain, and,
being red hot, destroys everything with which it comes in contact. At
such times, a volcano is said to be in eruption. Such is the force of
some of these eruptions, that large rocks have been hurled to great
distances from the crater, and towns and cities have been buried under
a vast covering of ashes and lava.
The quantity of lava and ashes which sometimes escapes from volcanoes
during an eruption, is almost beyond comprehension. In 1772, a volcano
in the island of Java, threw out ashes and cinders that covered the
ground fifty feet deep, for a distance of seven miles all around the
mountain. This eruption destroyed nearly forty towns and villages. In
1783, a volcano in Iceland sent out two streams of lava; one forty
miles long and seven miles wide, and the other fifty miles long and
fifteen miles wide. These streams were from one hundred to six hundred
feet deep.
Near the city of Naples, in Italy, is situated the volcano Mt.
Vesuvius. This fiery monster has probably caused more destruction than
any other volcano known. In the year 79, A.D., it suddenly burst forth
in a violent eruption, that resulted in one of the most appalling
disasters that ever happened. Such immense quantities of ashes,
stones, and lava were poured forth from its crater, that within twenty
hours, two large cities were completely destroyed. These cities were
Herculaneum and Pompeii.
At this eruption of Vesuvius, the stream of lava flowed directly
through and over the city of Herculaneum into the sea. The quantity was
so great that, as it cooled and became hardened, it gradually filled up
all the streets and ran over the tops of the houses. While the lava was
thus turning the city into a mass of solid stone, the inhabitants were
fleeing from it along the shore toward Naples, and in boats on the sea.
At the same time, too, the wind carried the ashes and cinders in such
a direction as to deluge the city of Pompeii. Slowly and steadily the
immense volume of ashes and small stones, blocked up the streets and
settled on the roofs of the houses. The light of the flames that burst
out from the awful crater, aided the people in their escape; but many
who for some reason could not get away, perished.
Pompeii was so completely covered that nothing could be seen of it.
Thus it remained, buried under the ground, until the year 1748, when
it was discovered by accident. Since that time much of the city has
been uncovered, and now one can walk along the streets, look into the
houses, and form some idea how the people lived there eighteen hundred
years ago.