THE STORY OF PLINY 



"Now, there was at that time at Messina, a sea- 

 port not far from Vesuvius, an uncle of the author 

 who has handed down thesr tilings to us. He was 

 called Pliny, like his nephew. lie commanded the 

 Koi nun fleet stationed at this port. He was a man 

 of great courage, never retreating from any danger 

 if he could guin new knowledge or render aid to oth- 

 ers. Surprised at the singular cloud that hovered 

 over Vesuvius, Pliny immediately set out with his 

 fleet to go to the aid of the menaced coast towns and 

 to observe the terrible cloud from a nearer point. 

 The people at the foot of Vesuvius were fleeing in 

 haste, wild with fear. He went to the side where all 

 were in flight and where the peril appeared the 

 greatest." 



"Fine!" cried Jules. "Courage comes to you 

 when you are with those who are not afraid. I 

 love Pliny for hastening to the volcano to learn 

 about the danger. I should like to have been 

 there." 



"Alas! my poor child, you would not have found 

 it a picnic. Burning cinders mixed with calcined 

 stones were falling on the vessels; the sea, lashed 

 to fury, was rising from its bed ; the shore, encum- 

 d with debris from the mountain, was becoming 

 inaccessible. There was nothing to do but retreat. 

 The fleet came to land at Stabiie, where the danger, 

 still distant, but all the time approaching, had al- 

 ready caused consternation. In the meantime, from 

 several points on Vesuvius irivut flames hur>t forth, 

 their terrifying irlure iviidrn-d more frightful by the 

 darkness cau--d \>\ the cloud of cinders. To re- 



