J. W. Judd — On Volcanos. 107 



At the present time the well-made road, leading by a series of zig- 

 zags to the summit of the mountain, and the excellent viaduct over 

 which this road is conducted into the interior — the trains of laden 

 asses and mules passing along the same — and the groups of busy- 

 workmen scattered over the floor of this strange workshop, per- 

 haps detract somewhat from the feeling of awe which the place 

 would naturally inspire. What has been lost by the lover of the 

 picturesque and wonderful, however, has been gained by the student. 



Daubeny and Abich both availed themselves of the especially 

 valuable opportunities afforded by Vulcano for making observations 

 on the gases evolved by volcanic vents. M. Charles Ste.-Claire 

 Deville and M. F. Leblanc, however, made a series of much more 

 systematic experimental inquiries here in 1855-6. And still later, 

 in 1865, M. Fouque has continued these studies, and carried them 

 much farther. To the results obtained by these eminent French 

 chemists we shall have occasion to refer again in the sequel. 



It is clear from the foregoing sketch of the history of Vulcano, 

 fragmentary and imperfect though it necessarily is, that all the 

 usual phenomena of a volcano in the paroxysmal phase are exhibited 

 by it. As far as our accounts enable us to judge, it would appear 

 that scarcely a century elapses without one or more violent outbursts ; 

 that sometimes the eruptions are continued with moderate violence 

 during many weeks, months, or years, while at others the accumu- 

 lated force is dissipated in a furious outbreak of comparatively short 

 duration ; and that, after these periods of intense activity, the 

 mountain sinks into a state of comparative repose. All the usual 

 phenomena of volcanic action are admirably illustrated in Vulcano — 

 the shifting of the igneous vent along the line of subterranean 

 fissure, — the formation, from time to time, of new craters, — the 

 gradual filling up of these by the growth of small cones within them, 

 leading as it would appear to grand paroxysmal outbursts, by 

 which the crater is again relieved of its contents, — the decline of 

 the volcano into the solfatara stage, — and the opening of parasitical 

 vents, and sometimes of cones and craters, upon its flanks. 



Since the last grand eruption in 1786, Vulcano has been in a 

 state of almost complete repose, and even its gaseous emanations, 

 appeared to be gradually declining in abundance and violence. 

 Some writers had in consequence been somewhat rashly led to speak 

 of it as a spent volcano. As if to make a protest against any such 

 assumption, the volcano a little more than a year ago resumed its 

 activity : and we may now perhaps infer that, having recovered 

 from the exhaustion produced by its last terrific effort, during which 

 the present vast crater was formed, it is now recommencing that 

 series of moderate eruptions by which the crater will be once more 

 filled and the vent so clogged that it can only be cleared by another 

 great paroxysm. 



Fortunately for geologists, Signor Ambrogio Pinconi, the very 

 intelligent manager of the chemical works in Vulcano, kept a diary 

 of his observations on the crater during the late outbursts, and several 

 times, indeed, at considerable personal risk, ventured into it while the 



