[ ^54 3 
that it brought half the People out to gaze at it, with 
great Variety (no doubt) of Paffions and Ratiocina- 
tions. There were certainly, amongft fome, great 
Apprehenfions, by their being imployed in Procef- 
fions, vifiting their Churches, and expohng their 
Images of the Virgin Mary } but I looked upon them 
as very ungrateful to their great Patron [St. JanU' 
arius\ in having any Dread, when they even boaft, 
that he has never failed delivering them from their 
greateft Diftrefles j but by the terrible Havock I have 
obferved in their Country, as well as what has been 
made by this laft Eruption, I find he hath always left 
them in the Lurch : However, as I had not loft a 
Grain of the Faith I ever had in that Saint, 
I very boldly fet out on Monday about two Hour? 
before Sun- fet. It was a melancholy -^ight, to fee 
the Road full of Numbers of poor Wretches, 
flying as from Sodom-. I flopped on the Way, to 
obferve the vaft Clouds of Smoak, which was thrown 
up in a prodigious Column, to an Height not to be 
guefled at, which, by its gentle Waving and Undula- 
tion, was a moft beautiful Sight 5 and when it had 
mounted fo high, that it had loft the Force of the 
Protrufion, it was carried by the Wind a vaft Way j 
but not too far for one to obferve how its Rolls began 
to break, and, being difperfed and expanded, covered 
the Country underneath with Afhes and Darknefs. 
1 here were many great Flafties of Lightning darted 
through this Pillar of Smoak, and frequent Difeharges 
as of Cannon or Bombs, which were followed by fall- 
ing Stars, fuch as we fee from well-made Rockets* 
We turned off out of Tortiche, to gain the North- 
lidc 
