

480 



DOMAIN XII. VOLCANIC. 



hills were contiguous one to the other, and it 

 seems as if the force by which they were pro- 

 duced had met with obstruction to the disgorge- 

 ment of the substances at one point, and conse^ 

 quently effected several issues in the same line. 

 The lava flowed in one body for some time, and 

 at intervals flashes of light arose from the surface 

 of it, produced by jets of hydrogenous gas, which 

 disengaged itself from the lava precisely in the 

 same manner as the gases expanded from the 

 Direction, surface of a fluid. Its first direction was towards 

 Portici and Resina, so that the inhabitants of 

 Torre del Greco already bewailed the fate of 

 their neighbours, and began their thanksgivings 

 to the Almighty for their escape. Collected to- 

 gether in the church, they were still singing 

 hymns of joy, and expressing their gratitude, 

 when a voice announced to them the fatal news 

 of their altered destiny. The stream of lava, on 

 flowing down a declivity it met in its way, di- 

 vided itself into three branches ; one bearing to- 

 wards Sta Maria de Pugliano traversed a space 

 of 2063 feet; another, directing its course to- 

 wards Resina, flowed to the distance of 3181 

 feet; while the remainder of the stream, falling 

 into the valley of Malomo, flowed towards La 

 Torre. On reaching the chapel of Balzano it 



formed a branch towards the south-east, which 



j 

 m 



