EFFECTS OF DECOMPOSITION. 265 



fields were covered with a dust much resembling 

 ashes; and in some spots this dust had been 

 carried by the winds to the distance of five 

 leagues. All said that they had seen, at inter- 

 vals, a smoke which was red during the day, 

 and accompanied with flames at night. These 

 observations led people to believe that it was a 

 volcano. But I examined the pretended ashes, 

 and only found a dust composed of brayed mar- 

 ble : I attentively observed the smoke, and 

 neither perceived flames, nor any smell of sul- 

 phur ^ nor did the rivulets, nor fountains, which 

 I examined with care, present the least appear- 

 ance of sulphuric matter. Thus persuaded, I 

 entered into the smoke, and, though quite alone, 

 went to the brink of the abyss, where I saw a 

 large rock dart into that abyss, and observed 

 that the smoke was only dust, raised by the fall 

 of the rocks ; the cause of which I soon after 

 sought for and discovered. I saw that a great 

 part of the mountain, situated above that which 

 had fallen, was composed of earth and stones, 

 not disposed in beds, but confusedly heaped to- 

 gether. I thus perceived that the mountain had 

 been subject to similar falls ; at the end of which 

 the large rock, which fell this year, had remain- 

 ed without a support, and with a considerable 

 projection. This rock was composed of hori- 



