LIFE OF JAMES DWIGHT DANA 



run partly in the harbor, as if our expectations were to 

 be realized. But our course was suddenly changed, and 

 in a short time the new report was afloat that Smyrna was 

 our next port ; that we were not even to touch at Malta, 

 as we had to that moment expected. A few days' stay 

 at Messina would have given me an opportunity to have 

 communicated by letter with Dr. Genmellaro, which is 

 what I have earnestly desired. Our vessels never enter 

 the harbor of Catania, because of its want of depth of 

 water. Possibly on our return we may visit some port 

 in Sicily. If so I shall not fail to use the means thus 

 afforded to comply with your request. Supposing it pos- 

 sible that a statement of the present condition of Vesuvius, 

 which I had the pleasure of visiting when at Naples a few 

 weeks since, may be of some interest to you, I would take 

 the liberty of addressing you an account of my observa- 

 tions. 



" The volcano for many years has almost incessantly 

 shown some signs of life; but since the summer of 1832 

 it has been and still is, on the whole, in what is con- 

 sidered a tranquil state. This was very much the case 

 when we first arrived, May 2Qth, and hence in my first 

 view of Vesuvius I was quite disappointed. I saw a 

 mountain rising before me to the moderate height of 

 3600 feet,* from a broad base, and with an acclivity by 

 no means steep, and having at a distant view of eight 

 miles nothing particularly bold or rugged in its outline. 

 Some variety was afforded by its double summit, Somma 

 standing near by to the north and nearly equalling Vesu- 

 vius in height. The crater was enveloped in a light 

 cloud, such as is usual about elevated peaks, whose cold 

 soil condenses the vapor of the atmosphere. In this in- 

 stance, however, I supposed the cloud to have been the 

 vapor condensed as it issued from the crater; yet .there 

 was nothing in the appearance to convince one that such 

 was the case. 



' Vesuvius resembled a volcano no more than other 

 summits bounding the horizon to the south of it; except 

 in its brownish-black sides, which alone told its real 

 nature. Thus it was, till favored by the darkness of the 



* Height of Vesuvius, 4200 feet ; of Monte Somma, 3700 feet. Century 

 Dictionary of Names. 



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