1 82 LIGHT SCIENCE FOR LEISURE HOURS. 



night, when flames of fire were seen between the hot- 

 baths and Tripergola. In a short time the fire in- 

 creased to such a degree that it burst open the earth 

 in this place, and threw up a quantity of ashes and 

 pumice-stones, mixed with water, which covered the 

 whole country. The next morning the poor inhabitants 

 of Pozzuoli quitted their habitations in terror, covered 

 with the muddy and black shower, which continued 

 the whole day in that country flying from death, but 

 with death painted in their countenances. Some with 

 their children in their arms, some with sacks full of 

 their goods ; others leading an ass, loaded with their 

 frightened family, towards Naples. . . . The sea had 

 retired on the side of Baia3, abandoning a consider- 

 able tract; and the shore appeared almost entirely 

 dry, from the quantity of ashes and broken pumice- 

 stones thrown up by the eruption.' 



Pietro Giacomo di Toledo gives us some account of 

 the phenomena which preceded the eruption : f That 

 plain which lies between Lake Avernus, the Monte 

 Barbaro, and the sea, was raised a little, and many 

 cracks were made in it, from some of which water 

 issued; at the same time the sea immediately adjoining 

 the plain dried up about two hundred paces, so that 

 the fish were left on the sand, a prey to the inhabitants 

 of Pozzuoli. At last, on September 29, about two 

 o'clock in the night, the earth opened near the lake, 

 and discovered a horrid mouth, from which were furiously 

 vomited smoke, fire, stones, and mud composed of 

 ashes, making at the time of the opening a noise like 



