l8o 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 Baiae, abandoning a considerable tract ; and 

 the shore appeared almost entirely dry, from the quan- 

 tity 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: '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 



