316 MITCHILL ON THE EARTHQUAKES, &C. AT ST. VINCENTS. 



But this is not all: the amazing scene remains yet to be told! The 

 eruption, continuing with increased violence, presented on Thursday 

 night, and yesterday morning, one of the most awful sights human ima- 

 gination can form an idea of. The mountain burst forth in a most tre- 

 mendous blaze, throwing up huge spouts of fire and burning stones, 

 accompanied with the most frightful thundering noise, at the same time 

 sending down its sides torrents of burning matter, and scattering in the 

 air large pieces of rock, which, in their descent, made a dreadful ravage 

 among the cattle, &c. Some idea may be formed of this awful con- 

 flagration, when it is stated, that showers of volcanic particles continued 

 pouring for several hours all over the island, accompanied at intervals 

 with violent shocks of earthquake ; and, at times, from the dreadful aper- 

 ture of the mountain, were shot off rocks of enormous size, which, in 

 their fatal fall, have done the most calamitous injury; and such has been 

 the destructive impetuosity of the liquid fire, that its baneful effects 

 are of the most serious nature. The brilliancy of the flames, which 

 majestically rose from the mouth of the crater, had a most sublime and 

 awful effect, and the burning stones which darted in the air resembled the 

 stars in a rocket. The vivid flashes of lightning which shot forth with 

 a noise far exceeding the heaviest artillery, resembled in . colour and 

 brightness what is usually seen in a tempest; and the curling sheets of 

 smoke so obscured the sky, that yesterday morning, until ten o'clock, 

 was nearly involved in nocturnal darkness. So dreadful were these 

 appearances, that our terrors added new horrors to the scene; the 

 whole island was in a state of trepidation, and the people, filled with sup- 

 plication and dread, precipitately retreated from their homes to places 

 of shelter. 



" About noon yesterday, the wind blew from the southeast, the sun 

 made its appearance, and the whole heavens began to brighten. The 

 eruption, we find, has abated considerably in its violence ; but we under- 



