IN THE INTERIOR OF VESUVIUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15056, 27 July 1912, Page 5 (Supplement)

IN THE INTERIOR OF VESUVIUS.

AMID CHOKING SULPHUR FUMES.,

PnOFFESSOR AXESSAJ.T/RO Mjuxoba,- of

the Royal Observatory of Vesuvius, succeeded on May 14 in descending into the

crater of Vesuvius after many attempts. Professor Malladra was accompanied by an old servant of the observatory, Andrea Varvnzzo. Starting from the brink facing Pompeii, and with their first rope of 450 ft length, they mastered walls formed' like

gigantic precipitous terraces alternating with steep inclines. A wide, sloping ledge of lava was reached, that plunged precipitously to a depth of more than 550 ft. The

explorers turned on this ledge toward the south until they, came to an incline- with!

a 90 per cent, downward gradient. With the aid of a 350fi- rope they slid down the incline and"Teaohed a' huge mass that : had tumbled down as the result of the- up-

heaval of March 12, 1911

Professor Malladra remained on the bottom < for about two hours, studying every .square foot almost and taking constant in« strumental readings. Everywhere the ther-

mometer registered the incredible temperature of 187 to 200 degrees. The depth of the crater is about "00 meters t9B4ft).

From the south of the crater a small 'dark .-moiling rectangle can be seen. There ;

is an unbearable -smell of sulphur. /The; fumaroles are numerous, some very close together, proof that smothered fire is present. At the bottom of the crater Proj fessor Malladra fixed a flag in the rocks.

The bottom of the crater is flar, 0r.a11',.-:' the most a little inclined, very irregular and filled with fallen masses." Professor

Malladra's descent to tho bottom of the

crater is, not the first, , or last September' Dr. Corrado Cappello, .with the help of V the same guide, Yarvazzo, succeeded :ft reaching the bottom. On October 16 Pro- ' fessor Malladra was called from the Ob-- ;■ seryatory of DomodosEola by Professor "* MarcaJli to become a member of the staff ' of the Observatory of Vesuvius. . : : '

It was impossible •to follow the path /; ,aken by Dr. Cappello, for on' January 21 P last.* wall of the funnel-like crater tuni- -.J bled iii, leaving a huge cavity behind. It ■ was necessary, therefore, for Professor Mai- ;'. ladra to find another path. He was bound' P to accomplish the descent so as to furnish '■ the observatory and the scientific world with more recent information than was' ' available..Professor Malladra also wanted, ; ,g to make his descent to study the'entire eruptive period from the beginning to tho ; S last phase. Professor Mailadra ■ and Var- •"' r'azzo attempted their first descent about .; i month ago. They lowered themselves at 4 the north-west side and descended for about " -|f 200ftj when, meeting a perpendicular wall ~.••',:.: of 120 ft, they were prevented from continuing. Every day he went to tile crater, , 'tudying its mouth" and its walls, until ho - ound a ' way which seemed practicable. , . ! - Finally he communicated to- Viiryaznl . lis 'intention- of attempting a :; ifter having gone about 150ft.theyW€ra : -■ >bliged to return. The point chosen iu ■ - his case at the south south-east side was.'/ •.' tlso unfortunate. Professor Malladra then} ;- ;ried'another road more toward the east. This was on the same daY- [ ■■The two de- ; fended iter' about 200 ft. * To their great - \eliah% they found that this was a good , , x>au. But it was already three o'clock itt ' he afternoon—-too late to continue the de-

scent. They were obliged to come up again, leaving their ropes in the crater, held by '.; three wooden, posts, so that they could con- ',;, tinue-the, next morning. , ! :■. The next morning, the professor and the • ' servant started with to be consumed950ft beneath the moutjj of the crater, 701b - of Manila and. flax rope (050 ft in length), . « barometer, a thermometer, and a camera. Professor Mailadra had also brought along :. several fusible wires 'of different metals to''' measure temperatures higher than thoao V . for which the thermometers* . were grad-. ; - uated. v They were also provided, with a '..- magnetic needle .(compass), a hatchet, a . stick and plummets. .> -. - "."•'.".;.' The first big wall was descended—a wall : formed by the ; remains of. the different - eruptions— this, was followed by a descent over red lava from which several t... fumaroles opened. The temperature of these fumaroles registered 187 deg. Fahr.' ; At this, point a side wall descended for *' about 160 ft, and presented the,first ob- ~'■■;■ sfcacle. Wherever the two courageous men > placed ( their feet, new fumaroles opened, . from which sulphur vapours poured. When the descent of this wad was accomplished ' ; there was a second gigantic perpendicular,: one of lrya followed by a talcs, or cone covered by a bank of lava. There was a V; continual breaking and crumbling Of ground V difficult to escape from. Isolated masses.. fell with tremendous noise, bounding to ! the bottom, filling the air with .dust;and ' fine ashes. Professor Malladra's hands ; - were frequently cut. A big stone fell on. , the brim of his hat. Varyazzo was.struck on the head but was so slightly injured ? that he could continue the descent ifcer - a while the two explorers discovered ah- :: other' perfectly perpendicular -.vail com- ( pletely bare, with no projections "or ere-. " vices of any kind. ' After some moments of ■£',• uncertainty Professor Mailadra was able to ' .-■ find a passage between two ridges of Java, At this moment he became aware that he . had no more rope. One hundred and fifty ' feet had been left at the ton, for he had '• not thought that it would be/needed. . Be- , sides, ho .' was.left with more freedom of action. *.:'.■' There was still another 350 ft wall to , be overcome, . absolutely bare of any projection. No 1 ope could.■ be of assistance.' ' * The explorers', notwithstanding the stones, " pebbles, and land-slides, abandoned themselves to the slope, clinging to the smallest , | projections, till they reached tho bottom of the crater, braised and exhausted. Pro- "■'.: fessor Malladra and Varvazzo were nearly suffocated by the exhalations of sulphur. ■' The two men crawled over the bottom Of ' the crater, which measures in diameter - - 1500 ft. bravely took photographs, made ob- .' serrations, collected salts and minerals, '■' ' heroically bearing a frightful temperature. At the bottom of the crater there are little hills and valleys, all irregular and ■ not discernible from the top. ' At about two p.m. Professors Mailadra *!?P •and Vaivazzo commenced tho ascent, strug- : gling with all their might: At four o'clock "' they reached the mouth of the crater.