NOME II. VESICULAR LAVA. 333 



arose lower down towards the west, followed the 

 two columns. These appearances could not but 

 tend to inspire me with new ardour to prosecute 

 my journey, that I might discover and admire 

 the secrets of this stupendous volcano* The sun 

 likewise shining in all his splendour, seemed to 

 promise that this day should crown my wishes. 

 But experience taught me that the two miles 

 and a half I had yet to go, presented many more 

 obstacles than I could have imagined ; and that 

 nothing but the resolution I had formed to com- 

 plete my design at every hazard, could have en- 

 abled me to surmount them. 



" Having proceeded about a hundred paces Lavaofirsr. 

 further, I met with a torrent of lava, which I 

 was obliged to cross to arrive at the smoking 

 summit. My guides informed me that this lava 

 had issued from the mountain in October 1787; 

 and as the account of the Chevalier Gioeni, 

 which I have cited, only mentions the eruption 

 of the month of July of the same year, I shall 

 here give a brief description of it, as it does 

 not seem hitherto to have been described. 



" This very recent lava extends three miles in 

 length j its breadth is various, in some places 

 being about a quarter of a mile, in others one- 

 third, and in others still more. Its height, or 

 rather depth, is different in different parts ; the 



