268 VOLCANOS. [Lesson XXXVT. 



mountain, disgorged a great quantity of hot em- 

 bers and ashes, for three whole days together, 

 which were not only dispersed throughout the 

 whole island, but also carried beyond sea to Italy ; 

 and several ships that were sailing to Venice, at 

 two hundred leagues distance, suffered damage. 

 Facellus, who has given an historical account of 

 the eruptions of this mountain, says, that the bot- 

 tom of it is one hundred leagues in circuit. 



Mount Hecla rages sometimes with as great 

 violence as w*Etna, and casts out large stones. The 

 imprisoned fire often, for want of vent, produces 

 horrible sounds like lamentations and bowlings; 

 which make the credulous and superstitious think 

 it the place of hell, where the souls of the wicked 

 are tormented. The country in the vicinity of 

 Hecla abounds with boiling springs ; of which 

 many travellers present interesting accounts. 



The declivity of Mount Vesuvius towards the 

 sea, is every where planted with vines and fruit 

 trees, and it is e iiially fertile towards the bottom. 

 The circumjacent plain affords a delightful pro- 

 spect, and the air is clear and wholesome. The 

 south and west sides of the mountain form very 

 different views; being, like the top, covered with 

 black cinders aud stones. Thehe'ght of this moun- 

 tain has been computed to be about 3QOO feet 

 above the surface of the sea. Vesuvius has been 

 a volcano beyond the reach of history and tradi- 

 tion : but there are on record more than 30 erup- 

 tions which have taken place since the one that 

 destro ; ed the city of Herculaneum, in the tin.e of 



Titus. 



