x.] ALPINE TRAVELS, 1844. 305 



internal commotion was unusually violent, the lowest 

 mouth from which the lava welled out became disturbed, 

 and belched it forth with violence, scattering the semi- 

 fluid fragments. The lava which had recently flowed 

 over that some days older, and which was still hot, had 

 the exact form of delicate woollen stuff fallen in natural 

 folds on the floor. 



'When I had remounted the sides of the crater, we 

 walked towards the eastern side, along a sort of terrace 

 formed within the Punta del Palo, collecting some good 

 of augite among the disintegrated lava. We 

 thence saw very well the course of the lava of 1834 

 towards Ottajano, and then returned to the point we had 

 first left. As the night fell, the effect of the volcanic 

 fires became most splendid, and we would willingly have 

 remained, but the guides advised our descent, on account 

 of threatening weather. They were right, for before we 



<-hed Naples the rain fell in torrents/ 



Journal, January 1st, 1844. 



' I went in the afternoon to Vesuvius with Vincenzo 

 Gozzolino. . . . He assures me that he and many others 

 wide fissures open in the Atrio del Cavallo in 1822, 

 in in 1834. I ascended the crater by moonlight. 

 re was no lava flowing, but fine explosions, perhaps 

 400 feet high ; and from the principal cone I saw, many 

 tiim-s. and without any ambiguity, flames issue. The 

 whole phenomenon bore a wonderful resemblance to an 

 furnace, with the exception of the ejected matter, 

 which consists of drops of liquid lava, spurted out by 

 ii or gas bubbles, exactly as happens in boiling 

 porridge or polenta. . . . Next day I returned with Yin- 

 ,ind a oi ndarmc to the Vallone Grande, 

 nttajano, when- tin-re are pillars of Breccia, seem- 

 ingly composed of lapilli and limestones eeinenled l>y 



\Ye then went to the crater of 1 

 the LTeat erack which ]\;\< divided the cones 



1. prneeedillL: fV'in YeMlvillS. Illld 



it through them all live or six in number. 



