342 THE ROMAN CAMPAGNA 



heat enough to supply many thermal springs and to 

 discharge large quantities of sulphuretted hydrogen 

 gas. Now and then, also, they show a sudden though 

 local manifestation of energy, and cause disturbances 

 sufficiently alarming to fill the population with super- 

 stitious dread. An instance of this kind, which was 

 witnessed within living memory, may here be cited 

 as affording a reasonable explanation of some of the 

 supposed supernatural prodigies recorded in Roman 

 history. On the south side of Monte Soracte lies 

 a dried-up lake which, no doubt on account of its 

 offensive sulphurous exhalations, was called the Lago- 

 puzzo, or Stinking Mere. The late Professor Ponzi 

 has recorded that towards the end of the month of 

 October, in the year 1831, a series of cracks suddenly 

 opened on this old lake-bottom and a large piece of 

 flat ground lying between them gradually sank out 

 of sight. At the same time subterranean rumb- 

 lings commenced and grew in intensity, mingled with 

 detonations like the thundering of cannon. The 

 surrounding population fled in terror to the neigh- 

 bouring hills, whence looking back, they could see 

 earth and water thrown up from the fissures, while 

 a thick coating of dust fell over the whole district. 

 The eruption began towards sunset and reached its 

 culmination about seven o'clock in the evening. Next 

 morning it was found that the Lagopuzzo was traversed 

 by a chasm with vertical walls, at the bottom of which 

 lay a sheet of water covered with a white scum and 

 giving off a powerful odour of sulphuretted hydrogen. 

 The ground around the cavity was strewn with pools 

 of water and lumps of erupted earth, sometimes seventy 



