VOLCANIC ERUPTION. 



37 



Of course the cessation of the shower of 

 ashes was attributed to the intercession of 

 these saints, who doubtless wished to get 

 under cover again, which opinion was strongly 

 approved of by the priests, as they would cer- 

 tainly not be losers by the many offerings ; 

 but during a general procession for thanks 

 that took place the next day it was disco- 

 vered that the paint that had been liberally 

 but rather clumsily bestowed on the Virgin 

 Mary's face, had blistered ; and half Leon 

 proclaimed that this image had caught the 

 small-pox at her residence in that city, and 

 in consequence of her anger the infliction 

 they had just suffered was imposed upon 

 them. Innumerable were the candles burnt 

 before the altars of the " Queen of Heaven," 

 many and valuable were the gifts and offer- 

 ings to her priests for the sake of propitiating 

 her ladyship. 



This shower of ashes, which was felt by 

 an English man-of-war a long way from the 

 coast, altered and deteriorated considerably 

 every grass of the country, except the sa- 

 cate ; whole savannahs and clearings, upon 

 which grew a wholesome herbage were utter- 

 ly destroyed, and a vile useless weed grew 

 up on the same spots, where cattle had pre- 



