1 76 LIGHT SCIENCE FOR LEISURE HOURS. 



some wished to die, that they might escape the dreadful 

 fear of death ; but the greater part imagined that the 

 last and eternal night was come, which was to destroy 

 the gods and the world together.' At length a light 

 appeared, which was not, however, the day, but the 

 forerunner of an outburst of flames. These presently 

 disappeared, and again a thick darkness spread over the 

 scene. Ashes fell heavily upon the fugitives, so that 

 they were in danger of being crushed and buried in the 

 thick layer rapidly covering the whole country. Many 

 hours passed before the dreadful darkness began slowly 

 to be dissipated. When at length day returned, and 

 the sun was seen faintly shining through the over- 

 hanging canopy of ashes, every object seemed changed, 

 being covered over with white ashes as with a deep 

 snow.' 



It is most remarkable that Pliny makes no mention 

 in his letter of the destruction of the two populous 

 and important cities, Pompeii and Herculaneum. We 

 have seen that at Stabiss a shower of ashes fell so 

 heavily that several days before the end of the eruption 

 the court leading to the elder Pliny's room was begin- 

 ning to be filled up ; and when the eruption ceased, 

 Stabia3 was completely overwhelmed. Far more 

 sudden, however, was the destruction of Pompeii and 

 Herculaneum. 



It would seem that the two cities were first shaken 

 violently by the throes of the disturbed mountain. 

 The signs of such a catastrophe have been very com- 

 monly assigned to the earthquake which happened in 



