of Mount Etna, in 1819. 229 



^\st. — The lava is losing its fluidity and motion ; and it 

 appears that it will stop near La Mandra di Pantano. The ex- 

 plosions still continue strong and noisy, but the chief crater 

 sends forth very little smoke. 



June 1st. — The lava stops at the Mandra di Pantano, and puts 

 an end to the fear entertained at Zafarano, but it still continues 

 to run, from time to time, in the Contrada di Giannicola. 



2nd. — The chief crater is still without smoke. 



From the 3rd to the 8th. — The lava resumes its coarse, still 

 amassing itself, the preceding body forming a bed for the suc- 

 ceeding one. It increases in quantity, and the explosions and 

 detonations increase equally, in an extraordinary manner. 



9th. — The detonations are stronger than at first. 



loth. — The detonations to-day are heard seldomer, but are 

 louder, and accompanied by tremblings. 



nth. — The detonations are as strong as at first, but instanta- 

 neous, and exactly similar to the firing of a large cannon. 



I2th and I3th. — Majestic globes of smoke, more frequent, and 

 filled with sand, issue from the chief of the high mouths, and 

 reach, in fine dust, to Catania. At 4 p. m., the superior mouth, 

 or that near the Torre del Filosofo, vomits portions of lava, and 

 the four inferior apertures also send forth lava, which forms two 

 torrents. Both run down the valley del Bue, in length about 

 240 feet, carrying desolation before them. A mass of debris 

 now covers all the apertures from which the great smoke 

 arose, from the running subterraneous fluid. The aspect of 

 these ruins is awful ; it displays caverns of immense depth, 

 masses suspended, and rocks of ancient lava broken and de- 

 stroyed. 



I4th. — The streams of lava from the superior mouth are more 

 copious, a great furrow is open amongst the rubbish of the 

 Ciglione, and from this proceeds smoke, explosions of stones, 

 some of ancient lava not decomposed, and others of new lava ; 

 meanwhile, the lava runs from the higher, the middle, and the 

 lower mouths, increasing in quantity by the masses rolling over 

 each other, and reaching as far as the Contrada di Zappinelli. 



