THE EARTH. 103 



were scarcely arrived at our inn, when we were 

 once more obliged to return to the boat ; and, in 

 about half an hour, we saw the greatest part of 

 the town, and the inn at which we had set up, 

 dashed to the ground, and burying all its inhabit 

 tants beneath its ruins. 



" In this manner, proceeding onward in our 

 little vessel, finding no safety at land, and yet, 

 from the smallness of our boat, having but a very 

 dangerous continuance at sea, we at length land- 

 ed at Lopizium, a castle midway between Tropaea 

 and Euphasmia, the city to which, as I said before, 

 we were bound. Here, wherever I turned my 

 eyes, nothing but scenes of ruin and horror ap- 

 peared; towns and castles levelled to the ground ; 

 Stromboli, though at sixty miles distance, belch- 

 ing forth flames in an unusual manner, and with a 

 noise which I could distinctly hear. But my at- 

 tention was quickly turned from more remote to 

 contiguous danger. The rumbling sound of an 

 approaching earthquake, which we by this time 

 were grown acquainted with, alarmed us for the 

 consequences ; it every moment seemed to grow 

 louder, and to approach more near. The place 

 on which we stood now began to shake most dread- 

 fully ; so that being unable to stand, my compa- 

 nions and I caught ho!4 of whatever shrub grew 

 next us, and supported ourselves in that manner. 



" After some time, this violent paroxysm ceas- 

 ing, we again stood up, in order to prosecute our 

 voyage to Euphaemia, that lay within sight. In 

 the mean time, while we were preparing for this 

 purpose, I turned my eyes towards the city, but 



