6f34 Volcanoes. 



until 1036 that it ejected lava, tliough it was in activity in the 

 years 512, 685, and 993. From the year 1109, till the year 

 1306, it remained in a state of inactivity, and during the lat- 

 ter part of this period was covered by vegetation. In 16 J 1 

 Braccini examined the crater, and it was again covered by 

 trees ; but it suffered eruption in 1631, and also in the years 

 1660, 1682, 1694, and 1698: from this time its periods of 

 quiescence have been comparatively short.* 



In the Bay of Baiae we meet with another volcano, Monte 

 Nuovo, which was formed in September, ]538. Since that 

 time it has not shown any proof of activity, except the emis- 

 sion of a thin vapour from the base of its crater. But this 

 fact, connected with the heat of the waters of the Baths of 

 Nero, which are in the immediate neighbourhood, may be suf- 

 ficient to prove that the volcanic agent is still in a state of 

 activity. Between the Monte Nuovo and Puzzuoli there is a 

 hill called the Solfatara, which is supposed to have been active 

 as early as the twelfth century, and still gives off" gases and 

 aqueous vapours. 



There are several other volcanoes in the district around 

 Naples, and in the neighbouring isles of Procida and Ischia. 

 The latter island was the seat of volcanic agency in the four- 

 teenth century; but its eruptions appear to have generally 

 issued from fissures. In the basin of the Mediterranean (says 

 Humboldt) not only does the volcanic fire escape from per- 

 manent craters of isolated mountains, which have a constant 

 communication with the interior of the earth, as Stromboli, 

 Vesuvius, and Etna; but at Ischia, in Mount Eponice, and, 

 according to the accounts of the ancients, in the plains of 

 Selantis, near Chalcis, lavas have flowed from fissures which 

 have suddenly opened at the surface of the ground. ( Tableaux 

 de la Nature, vol. ii.) 



In the early ages of history, the volcano of Ischia was pecu- 

 liarly active and violent. Strabo says that the colony sent 

 over by Hiero were so alarmed by the frequency of the earth- 

 quakes, that thej^ could not be induced to remain on the island. 

 (Strabo, lib. v.; Daubeny, p. 182.) In the Lipari Isles, between 

 Naples and Sicily, there are two active volcanoes, Stromboli 

 and Volcano. 



The Island of Stromboli consists of a large conical moun- 

 tain, having on one side several small craters ; one of which 

 is in the phase of permanent eruption. This small but inter- 



* For an account of the violent eruption in 1822, see Mr. Scrope's 

 account, in the Journal of Science^ vol. xv. p. 175 ; see also Descnztone 

 deW Eruzione del Vesuvio avvenuta nei giorni 25 e 2Q Decembre, 1813, by 

 Signor Moncicelli. 



