ABOUT V.i.cANOS AND EARTHQUAKES. 2^ 



Imdy of (in-, which could not be less than two 



miles and a half in bn-adlh, ;md of the extraordinary 

 i above mentioned; casting a heat to the distance 

 of at least six miles around it. 'I he hi ushwood of tin: 

 mountain of Somma was soon in a flame, which, being 

 of a differ. -ni. tint from the deep red of the matter thrown 

 out from the volcano, and from ihe :,ilv ry blue of the 

 electrical hie, :,nll added to the contrast of this most 

 extraordinary scene. After the column of fire had con- 

 tinued in full force for nearly half an hour, the erup- 

 tion ceased at once, and Vesuvius remained sullen 

 silent.' 



(36.) The liglii.nh <!<,, libed arose evidently in 



pan liom ihe chemical activity of gaseoir, decompOfi 



tfoni ..ward, in part to the f'ii<lion oi :,!<-am, and 



in part from the still more intense friction of ihe dust, 

 stones, and ashes encountering one anoih'-r in the air, in 

 analogy to the electric manifestations which ^company 

 the dust storms in India. 



(37.) To give an idea of the state of the inhabitant:; 

 of the country when an explosion isgoingOQ, I will make 

 one other extract: "The mountain of Somma, at the 

 foot of which Ottaiano is situated, hides Vesuvius from 



dlt : SO that till the eruption be< am< lable 



, not visible to them. On Sunday ni;<hl, when the 



increased, and the fire began to appear a hove the 



mountain of Somma, many of the inhabitants of the town 



flew to the churches ; and others were preparing to quit 



the town, when a sudden violent report was heard, soon 



after which they found themselves involved in a thick 



