182 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



and acquired fresh vigour. At this moment the heavens presented a 

 very unexpected scene, zig-zag flashes of lightning passed in such 

 quantity either from the borders of the clouds of sands into the air, 

 or from one cloud to another, that the edges appeared as if surrounded 

 by a fringe of light. A faint idea of the phenomenon may be given 

 by supposing an electric disc continually throwing off from its edge 

 a multitude of flashes of light. The flashes which were so abundant 

 on the edges of the clouds were very rarely seen in the interior, and 

 never formed in their centres, or on the summit of the mountain. 



On the 23d, a horrible explosion threw into the air such an im- 

 mense quantity of sand, Sfc, as to threaten the greatest disasters to 

 the towns to which the cloud was carried. The inhabitants of Torre 

 Anunziata, Bosco-trecase, and Ottajano, ran the most imminent 

 dangers ; the frequent heavings of the earth, the constant rain of 

 fiery stones, the continual discharge of the lightning, which fell with 

 awful thunder on the most elevated points of the churches, houses, 

 and trees, the numberless flashes which serpentining on all sides, and 

 which not coming less frequently from the earth than from the 

 heavens, traversed even the very roads, produced frightful sensations 

 in those who were thus surprised ; and then the lava came dowu 

 upon them. To leave their houses was impossible because of the 

 falling sand and stones, and the lightning ; not only the rain of fire co- 

 vered the ground with stones, but large globes of fire passed through 

 the air, which burst with dreadful noise, destroying the houses. Du- 

 ring this night the sand fell in the streets to the depth of a foot, and 

 its weight on the roofs of the houses and churches was such as with 

 the shaking of the earthquakes to crush them to the ground. 



MM. Montecelli and Covelli found that the sand which fell on the 

 23d and following days was electrified variously or positively. A glass 

 disc strongly excited by the dry skin of a cat, would not retain the 

 grains which fell, whilst a stick of wax excited by the same skin be- 

 came abundantly charged with them. These falls of sand were ac- 

 companied at Resina and even at Naples by a strong odour of muriatic 

 acid and muriate of iron. 



Eruption of Vesuvius, October 1 822. — M. Montecelli had remarked 

 that the eruptions of Vesuvius consisted of a successive series of more 

 and less active intervals, something similar to the paroxysms of some 

 diseases. The following table and remarks illustrate the duration 

 and nature of these intervals with regard to the eruption in October. 



