of the IJiand of Ponza. 
tion of the volcano ; alfo the courfe of the lava’s during this 
laft eruption, and the changes that have been made in the form 
of the mountain itfelf by the lava’s and fcoriae that have been 
eje&ed. This journal is becoming very curious and interefting ; 
it is remarkably fo with refpeft to the pointing out a variety of 
lingular effefts that different currents of air have upon the 
fmoke that ifliies from the crater of Vefuvius, elevated (as you 
know, Sir) more than 3600 feet above the level of thefea; 
but, except the fmoke increafing confiderably and conftantly 
when the fea is agitated, and the wind blows from that quarter, 
the operations of Vefuvius appear to be very capricious and 
uncertain. One day there will be the appearance of a violent 
fermentation, and the next all is calmed again : but whenever 
the fmoke has been attended with confiderabfe ejections of 
fcorise and cinders, I have conftantly obferved, that the lava 
has foon after made its appearance, either by boiling over the 
Crater, or forcing its paffage through crevices in the conical 
part of the volcano. As long as I remain in this country, and 
have the neceffary affiftance of the above-mentioned ingenious 
Monk (who is as excellent a draughtfman as he is an accurate 
and diligent obferver) the Vefuvian diary lhall be continued ; 
and I hope one day to have the honour of prefenting thefe 
curious manuferipts (which begin now to be voluminous) to 
the Royal Society, if it ftiould think them worthy of a place 
in the Library of the Society. 
Having never had an opportunity of examining the iflands of 
Ponza, Palmarole, Zannone, and other fmall iflands, or rather 
rocks, fituated between the ifland of Ventotiene and Monte 
Circello, near Terracina, on the Continent ; and thinking 
that by a tour of thefe iflands I fhould be enabled to render 
my former obfervations more complete, and to communicate 
to. 
