Geological Gleanings. 135 



the shocks continue producing vibrations of the doors and win- 

 dows; and in one instance, I have heard ringing of the bells. 

 The common report is, that since the 16th of December we have 

 'had eighty-four shocks in the capital. It is not at all improbable 

 if every vibration is counted as one, and if the great subterranean 

 agitation, which is now going on, be taken into account. Every 

 one looks really with anxiety to Vesuvius, and prays, not for 

 curiosity onlv, for an eruption. The indications of so desirable a 

 result seem to be on the increase. A person who resides at Resina 

 says, that on the night of the 29th, from 10 p. m. to 5 a. m. of the 

 30th ult, the whole town was in a state of continued vibration. 

 Every three minutes a sound was heard as of a person-attempting 

 to wrench the doors and windows out of their places, followed by 

 a quiver. The next morning the mountain was observed to vomit 

 forth much smoke and a cloud of ashes. Friends, too, who 

 reside at CajDO di Marte, near the city, speak of the deep thunders 

 which they hear from the mountain in the stillness of the night. 

 The same phenomena are observed at Torre del Greco. I must, 

 also, advert to the manifest lowuess of the sea, which seems to- 

 day to have receded from the land. I noticed this fact in my last 

 letter, and tried to explain it as consequent upon the neap tides : 

 but the same thing continues ; and unless it has been occasioned 

 by the long continuation of a land wind, the conclusion is inevit- 

 able that there has been an upheaving of soil. It would be rash, 

 however, to come speedily to so important a decision. How this 

 state of things will terminate, it is impossible to say ; bnt that 

 some great change is pending, there is but too much reason for 

 supposing." 



" Some English gentlemen who have just returned from the 

 scene of disaster give the following interesting though harrowing 

 details : — " Before arriving at Pertosa, we found the houses on 

 either side of the road thrown to the ground; the landlord of a 

 tavern now abandoned told us that he had the good fortune to 

 escape with his wife, but that his child and servant had been both 

 killed. He himself bore the marks of a heavy blow on his fase. 

 The population of this place was about 3,000, and 143 bodies 

 only had been dug out on the 1st of January ; whilst 200 more 

 were known to be missing. The whole town was destroyed, with 

 the exception of six houses, which were in a falling state. Be- 

 tween Pertosa and Polla the strength and caprice of the earth- 

 quake were made manifest in a remarkable way. Crossing a 



