THE COASTS OF SICILY. 101 



smoke, which was estimated by the inhabitants of 

 Catania to have risen to an elevation of more than 

 1200 feet. In the space of two hours, six other 

 mouths were opened, all of which were placed 

 in a longitudinal line, and in the same direc- 

 tion as the fissure of which we have spoken. A 

 black and thick smoke issued with a horrible noise 

 from these blow-holes, new craters were formed in 

 the course of the day, and on the Tuesday morning 

 the crater appeared from which arose the Monti 

 Rossi. 



This last opening at first ejected a thick smoke 

 mixed with burning scoria3, but after the course of a 

 few hours its mouth gave vent to an immense quan- 

 tity of lava, which forming a stream nearly three 

 miles wide and ten feet high, took a southerly direc- 

 tion and struck against the base of Monpilieri, an 

 ancient crater which was then covered with trees and 

 other vegetation. The burning stream penetrated 

 through this somewhat shallow soil, and forcing itself 

 a passage across the mountain, it flowed for some 

 time along this self-made aqueduct, but Monpilieri 

 having partially broken down, the lava flowed round 

 it, encircling it like an island of verdure lost in the 

 midst of flames. Seven secondary mouths opened 

 at the same time round the principal crater. They 

 were at first isolated, and threw up into the air an 

 enormous quantity of burning stones, which struck 

 each other as they fell back and joined the noise of 

 their fall to the terrific artillery of the volcano. At 

 the end of three days they were united into one 

 vast 'and horrible chasm of fully 2500 feet in 



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