Chap. 47.] Dreadful Conflagration. 339 



light, began to be obfcured ; the moon had prefently 

 the appearance of being in an eclipfe, and foon after 

 was totally loft in obfcurity. The murmur of the 

 prayers and lamentations of a numerous populace 

 forming various proceffions, and parading v in the 

 Streets, added to the horror. As the lava did not 

 appear to have yet a fufficient vent, and it was now 

 evident that the earthquakes already felt had been 

 occafioned by the air and fiery matter confined within 

 the bowels of the mountain, and probably at no fmall 

 depth (confidering the extent of thofe earthquakes) 

 Sir William recommended to the company that was 

 with him, who began to be much alarmed, rather to 

 go and view the mountain at Tome greater diftance, and 

 in the open air, than to remain in the houfe, which 

 was on the fea fide, and in the part of Naples that is 

 neareft and moft expofed to Vefuvius. They accord- 

 ingly proceeded to Pofilipo, and viewed the confla- 

 gration, now become (till more confiderable, from 

 the fea-fide under that mountain ; but whether from 

 the eruption having increafed, or from the loud reports 

 of the volcanic explofions being repeated by the 

 mountain behind them, the noife was much louder, 

 and more alarming than that they had heard in their 

 firft pofition, at lead a mile nearer to Vefuvius. After 

 fome time, and which was about two o'clock in the 

 morning of the 1 6th, having obferved that the lavas 

 ran in abundance, freely, and with great velocity, 

 having made a confiderable progrefs towards Refina, 

 the town which it firft threatened, and that the fiery 

 vapours which had been confined had now free venl 

 through many parts of a crack of more than a mile 

 and a half in length, as was evident from the quantity 

 -of inflamed matter and black fmoke, which continued 

 to ifTue from the new mouthi above mentioned, 

 Z a without 



