271 VOLCANOS. [Lesson xxxvi. 



burning mass fell back again into the mouth of 

 the Volcano, which vonrted it forth anew to re- 

 ceive it again, with the exception of some frag- 

 ments which flew off, to fall at a distance, and 

 alarm the inquisitive spectator. 



" The 13th commenced with nearly the same 

 appearances as those of the preceding day. The 

 Volcano was tranquil, and the lava ran slowly in 

 the channels which it had formed during the night ; 

 but at four in the afternoon a frightful and conti- 

 nued noise, accompanied with frequent explosions, 

 announced a new eruption : the shocks of the 

 Volcano were so violent that at Fort de L'CEuf, 

 built upon a rock, where I then was, at the dis- 

 tance of nearly four leagues, I felt oscillations 

 similar to those produced by an earthquake. 



*' About five o'clock the eruption commenced, 

 and continued during the greater part of the niuht. 

 This time the burning ir.atter flowed down all the 

 sides of the mountain, \vitH a force hitherto unpre- 

 cedented ; all Vesuvius seemed on fire. The lava 

 has caused the greatest losses : houses and whole 

 estates have been overwhelmed ; and at this day 

 families in tears, and reduced to despair, search in 

 vain for the inheritance of theif ancestors, buried 

 under the destroying lava. 



" At ten at night, the hermitage was no longer 

 accessible : a river of fire had obstructed the road. 

 The districts situated on the south-east quarter of 

 the mountain had still more to suffer. Mount 

 Vesuvius presented the appearance of one vast 



flame, 





