THE 



POPULAR SCIENCE 

 MONTHLY. 



MARCH, 1895. 



THE BIRTH OF A SICILIAN VOLCANO. 



By Feof. a. S. PACKARD 



OUR hope in planning a brief jonrney to Sicily was to ascend 

 Monnt Etna, which, as everybody knows, is the highest -vol- 

 cano in Europe, and whose history and appearance have been 

 recorded from the days of Homer. Although we did not ascend 

 to the very summit, we had the unexpected pleasure of tramping 

 up the ash-cone of one of the many minor volcanoes or monticles 

 which stud the flanks of the majestic mother volcano, who looks 

 down from her serene heights upon a numerous progeny scattered 

 about her skirts. 



Monte Gemellaro is the youngest of the brood. It is situated 

 four thousand six hundred and fifty feet above the Mediterranean, 

 and the crater itself is four hundred and fifty feet in height above 

 the side of the parent mountain. 



This symmetrical, double-headed cone, too recently upheaved 

 to have been much despoiled by rains and frosts, suddenly ap- 

 peared after a few days' disturbance, and nearly each stage in its 

 rapid development was studied by experienced observers, or at 

 least in a more careful manner than any of its predecessors, since 

 so much more attention than formerly is now paid to the study of 

 volcanism. 



In May, 1886, just three years previous to our visit, and within 

 the short period of twelve days days of fear and suspense to the 

 inhabitants of the hamlets and villages below the cone was 

 formed by the upheaval of great masses of lava, ashes, and slag, 

 accompanied with clouds of steam and deadly gases, the lava 

 stream threatening Nicolosi, the highest town on the flanks of 

 Etna, and which during the eruption of 1069 was leveled to the 



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