EARTHQUAKES; VOLCANOES 



229 



clouds of steam and ash in the spring of 1914. It had 

 never before been seen in eruption, but now it can no longer 

 be considered even dormant. 



249. Famous Eruptions. Vesuvius, near Naples in Italy, 

 had been so long dormant that when a great eruption 

 occurred in 79 A. D., the people living near by were utterly 



FIG. 121. VESUVIUS AS SEEN FROM ACROSS THE BAY OF NAPLES 



From this position, it looks as if there were two peaks to Vesuvius. 

 There is, in fact, only one peak. The elevation to the left is a part of the 

 rim of an old crater which was blown away at the eruption in A. D. 79. A 

 column of steam is rising almost all the time from Vesuvius. 1. Why should 

 it often look red at night? 2. Account for the red streaks sometimes seen 

 at night on the slope of the mountain. 



incredulous that harm could come to them. Even though 

 black clouds of ash were falling upon them and shocks of 

 earthquake were repeatedly felt, they could not believe that 

 there was real danger. Two cities, Herculaneum and 

 Pompeii, were completely buried by this eruption. The 



