^ P'oyages and Travels, Aerostation, &fc, 



which was swallowed up in the sea; where there was seen 

 suddenly formed and raised up, a kind of" promontory of 

 volcanic matters. For about twenty minutes the whole 

 extent of the ground occupied by the lava continued in 

 flames, exhibiting, as we may say, a terrible but astonish- 

 ing spectacle; especially as the inflamed trees presented the 

 aspect of white flames in contrast with those of the volcanic 

 matters, which were red. The lava, as has been said, pro- 

 ceeded to the sea in this manner with great rapidity, carrying 

 along with it enormous masses ; and nothing was seen in a 

 great extent of the coast but boiling foam, and eddies of 

 water and of fire. Several persons w ho were at Portici be- 

 took themselves to flight in boats before the torrent of fire 

 mixed itself with the waters. Happily the habitations ex- 

 perienced no damage, and we have not learnt that any 

 person perished during this fatal event." 



Letters from Naples of August 2d estimate the loss sus- 

 tained in that city by the earthquake of July the 26th at 

 twenty millions of ducats. They add the following parti- 

 culars, taken from the notice to the Neapolitan govern- 

 ment by the conn«issioners sent to the spot : — " At Iser- 

 nia, where the commotion was so terrible, the earth openeJ 

 and vomited out flames ; 339 families were swallowed up. 

 At Castel Petroso 13 families perished: at Massino 84 : 

 at Tresolonc, 393 : at Saint-Angelo-in-Colla, 43: at Bara- 

 millo, ISO: at Cantalupo, 142. Lorenzano and Saint- 

 Angelo-di-LombarJo are entirely destroyed. A small river 

 which flowed through that province, and which traversed 

 an extent of fiftv leag-ies, was lost at the distance of four 

 leagues from its moulii." 



VOVAGKS AND TUAVELS, AEKOSTATION, 8fC. 



A letter from Petersburgh, dated August 3, says, " We 

 have lately received some further account of the progress of 

 the expedition commanded bv captain Krusenstern. He ar- 

 rived safe at Japan, where he met with a favourable recep- 

 tion ; and the ambassador, M. I-Jesanof, entertains hopes 

 that his mi??i{vn will be attended with the best success. 



" The academy of sciences has purchased the philoso- 

 phical apparatus of M. Robertson, which is remarkable for 

 the correctne>3 ui' the instruments, and particularly those 

 destined for electricity and galvanism. 



"The aerostatic experiment which M. Robertson intended 



to make at a great distance from l*etersburgh, has been 



1-hinged on account of the bad wcatbcr into a common 



5 ascent. 



