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Page 114
* * * * *
VOLCANOES.
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.
[Illustration]
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 every thing with which it comes
in contact. At such times, a volcano is said to be in eruption.
A volcanic eruption is generally preceded by low, rumbling sounds, and
trembling of the earth's surface. Then follows greater activity of the
volcano, from which dense volumes of smoke and steam issue, and fire and
molten lava make their appearance.
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, 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 the short space of 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.
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