VOLCANOS. [Lesson xxxv*. 



" A line of fire marked the profile of the moun- 

 tain : a cloud of smoke, which seemed to em 

 forth from time to time flashes of lightning, hun< 

 over the scene, and the moon appeared to be pale. 

 Nothing can adequately describe the grandeur of 

 the scene, or give an accurate idea of the horror 

 of it. As we approached the spot ravaged by this 

 .river of hell, ruined inhabitants having quitted 

 their houses desolated families trying to save 

 their furniture and provisions, last and feeble re- 

 source an immense crowd of curious spectators, 

 retreating step by step from the advancing lava, 

 and testifying by extraordinary cries their wonder, 

 fear, and pity the frightful bellowing of the 

 mountain, the frequent explosions which burst 

 from the bottom of the torrent, the crackling of 

 the trees devoured by the flames, the noise of the 

 walls falling, and the lugubrious sound of a bell 

 .which the religious of the Camaldules, isolated 

 on a little hill and surrounded by two torrents of 

 fire, rang in their distress ! Such are the details 

 of the frightful scene to which I was witness. 



" The moment we arrived, the lava was crossing 

 the great road below Torre del Greco. To see it 

 better, we got into a beautiful house on the road 

 side : from the terrace we saw the fire at no more 

 than fifteen paces from us : in a minute we de- 

 scended, and twenty minutes afterwards there re- 

 mained of the house but three large walls. I ap- 

 proached as near as the heat and flow of the cur- 

 rent would permit me : I attempted at different 

 times to burn the end of my handkerchief in it 



I could 



