258 LECTURE XXI. 



of Titus, the conqueror of Jerusalem. It over- 

 turned several cities, such as Pompeii and Her- 

 culaneum. Great quantities of ashes were 

 carried to Rome, a distance of 110 miles. In 

 the year 1794 another violent eruption took 

 place, when the liquid lava flowed over 5000 

 acres of cultivated land, and destroyed the town 

 of Torre del Greco. These eruptions still con- 

 tinue, but not to so dangerous an extent. 



But I am now going to tell you of an eruption 

 still more fatal. It took place in the year 1715, 

 and was the most frightful recorded in history. 

 About 200 miles from the eastern extremity of 

 the island of Java, is the island of Sumbawa, 

 having some high mountains on it. In the April 

 of the year preceding, the volcano was observed 

 to be in a state of considerable activity, ashes 

 having fallen upon the decks of vessels which 

 sailed past the coast. The eruption of 1715 

 began on the 5th of April, but was most violent 

 on the llth and 12th, and did not entirely 

 cease till July. The sound of the explosion was 

 heard in Sumatra, a distance of 970 geographical 

 miles in a direct line, and at Ternate, in an 

 opposite direction, at the distance of 720 miles. 

 Out of a population of 12,000 souls, in the 



