344 DOMAIN XII. VOLCANIC. 



and to endeavour to pry into more of its secrets. 

 I have already observed that the side of the 

 crater to the west is of a more gentle declivity 

 than the others; and I therefore conceived that 

 this might serve me as a ladder to descend to 

 the bottom, where I might have added to the 

 observations I had already made, other new 

 and important facts. But the persons whom I 

 had brought with me as guides, would not con- 

 sent that I should expose myself to such danger. 

 They could not, however, prevent me from 

 making at my ease the observations I have here 

 published, and walking leisurely about the sum- 

 mit of the mountain, notwithstanding the dan- 

 gerous consequences with which they threatened 

 me : telling me that, should the wind change, 

 the column of smoke must be turned towards 

 us, and might deprive us of life by its pestilen- 

 tial fumes ; that besides, we were not certain 

 that the lava at the bottom, which now appear- 

 ed so calm and still, would long remain in the 

 same state; but that it was possible, from cir- 

 cumstances difficult to foresee, that it might be 

 thrown up on a sudden, and punish our impru- 

 dent curiosity by burying us beneath the fiery 

 ruin ; in support of which suggestion they pro- 

 duced several instances of sudden and most un- 

 expected eruptions. 



