( lOg^ ) 
or A(hcs we could take a a free view both of the old aad ncn 
Channel ot theFire,aHdofthat great mountain of Aftiescaft up. 
That.which weguefled to be the old bed or channel ^ was a 
three corner'd plot of about 2. Acres, with a cruft of Scimi 
at the bottom , and upon that a fmal cruft or furfaceof Brim- 
ilone. It was hedg'd in on each fide with a great bank or hill 
of Aflics, and behind and at the upper end rofe up that huge 
mountain of the fame matter. Between thofe two banks the 
Firefeemsfo have had itspalTage. At the upper end in the 
nook upon allttle hillock of crufted Sfidrri was an hole about 
lo. foot wide 5 whence *tis probable the Fire iflued 5 and it 
might have had feveral other fuch holes, fiuce either crufted 
over or covered with afhes. At the bottom of this hole the 
Fire was feen to flow along, and below it was a channel of fire, 
beneath that furface of Sciarri , which being cleft a top for fome 
fpace, we had an eafy and leifurable view of the metal flowing 
along, whofefaperficies might be a yard broad, thcugh poffi- 
bly it carried a greater breadth underneath, the gutter going 
floping. What depth it had, we could not guefsrit was impene- 
trable by Iron hooks and other Inftrumcnts we had. We were 
very defirous to have got fome of this iwatter at the .spring 
headjbut we cculd penetrate no more into it, then with ones 
finger into the palme of the hand. 'Tis likely, that fome run- 
ning may have been more yielding, than we found this. From 
this channelpbucefpecially from that hole above it , iflued great 
ftore ofaftrong fulfureousfmoak, wherewith fome of cur com- 
pany wtreat firft almoft ftifled through inadvertency. About 
once in a quii ter of ^n hour there would rife a pillar of fmoak 
or a(hes y but nothing comparable to the former 5 which fcem'd 
to come from the middle top of that new made Mountain. I 
confefs^itwasanomiflionin us, notto goe up to this moun- 
tain, being fo near 5 hm becaufe it wis trcublefome and not 
without danger ^ the reft of the confrpany being (atisfieJ with 
what they had already feen,would not ftay to fee any m6re. 
At this our laft being at Catania we fcuad the people bufy in 
barricading the ends oT fome ftrccts aad paflagcs, where they 
thorght the fire might breaking and this they did bypuUiag 
down the old houfes thereabout, and layingup the loofeftones 
in 
