MOUNT ETNA. 



out, the old mouth, or great crater, was observed to send forth 

 more smoke and name than usual, and the top fell in, so that the 

 cone became much lowered. 



In 1809, twelve new craters opened, about half-way down the 

 mountain, and threw out rivers of burning lava, by which several 

 estates and farms were covered to the depth of thirty or forty feet; 

 and in 1811, other vents appeared on the eastern side, and dis- 

 charged torrents of liquid lava with amazing force. 



145. In 1832, a violent paroxysm took place, and continued 

 with but little intermission for several weeks. On the 31st of 

 October, in the middle of the night, there arose, without any pre- 

 vious indication, a column of smoke and flame from the base of 

 the large cone on the northern side ; and, shortly after, an immense 

 quantity of fluid matter was discharged from the crater, on the 

 western side, divided into numerous streams. Next morning, 

 repeated earthquakes, the increased noise of the lava, which now 

 flowed rapidly, and the immense volumes of thick black smoke at 

 the foot of Monte Scavo, announced that the eruption had greatly 

 increased in violence, and several streams of lava were seen 

 descending. On the 2nd of November, contrary to all expecta- 

 tion, the eruption ceased, and the lava was found to be so far 

 cooled, that several adventurous observers were enabled to get 

 upon it, and walk a few paces. On the 3rd, the hope that the 

 fire was almost extinct was nearly certain ; but in the evening, a 

 violent earthquake, followed by several others less violent, with an 

 increased quantity of smoke, foreboded an eruption ; and two hours 

 before midnight, another severe shock occurred, and was succeeded 

 by black smoke mingled with flames, and incessant thunder. 



" Having approached," says Signor di Luca, " as nearly as was 

 prudent, to the hollow from which the fire issued, we found four 

 apertures, which threw out burning matter. Raising our eyes 

 from these vents, we observed a cleft or rent, about a mile in 

 length, from which volumes of smoke arose from time to time ; 

 and, as at the bottom it reached the openings above-mentioned, 

 it enabled us to behold the burning furnace in the interior of the 

 mountain. Meanwhile the thunder was incessant, and the de- 

 tonations were terrible ; the lava continued to flow, and enormous 

 masses of red hot substances were thrown to a great height mingled 

 with vast volumes of flame and smoke. The shocks of earthquake 

 were likewise so violent, that horses and other animals fled in 

 terror from the places where they were feeding." 



146. But by far the most interesting feature of Etna is an 

 immense depression or excavation on the eastern side of the moun- 

 tain, called the Val del Bove. This vast plain, or rather circular 

 hollow, is five miles in diameter, and from two to three thousand 



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