[ 42 3 
The fmoke only was vifible from our windows, the 
flames being concealed within the fmoke, and alfo 
overpowered by the brightnefs of the funfhine. But 
this fmoke was a moll glorious objedt : for it formed 
an upright column, of a very great thicknefs, at 
firfb ; but fenfibly increaflng every moment, by frelh 
fmoke, that we faw climbing the fldes of the column, 
as if the interior part Was too folid to admit it. The 
height of this column anfwered in proportion to the 
diameter, like that of a pillar in architecture. From 
this, you may judge of the bulk of the appearance : 
the column fupported its perpendicularity near a 
quarter of an hour, whether from the flrength of the 
blafh that threw it up, or from the reftftance made 
by fo great a body to the force of the wind ; per^ 
haps from both thefe caufes ; for the latter mull be 
admitted as one, if we confider, that the power of 
the wind will only increafe with the furface of the 
body to be moved, whereas the refiftance will be as 
the mafs. The upper part of this fmoke was finely 
illumined, and variegated, by the fun ; and when 
it began to unfold itfelf, it appeared juft as Pliny has 
defcribed the eruption, that deftroyed the naturalift^ 
that is, like a branching tree ; to which comparifon 
of his I may add this circumftance, that the creep- 
ing of the frefti fmoke up the fides perfectly re- 
fembled the undulating motion of a neft of cater- 
pillars, when climbing the trunk of fome vegetable. 
This glorious fight, which is itfelf almoft worth a 
journey from England, did not laft long ; for, in 
lefs than an hour, it diffufed itfelf, blackening all 
the mountain, and a large portion of the Iky; and 
when the wind had cleared the top of the mountain, , 
which i 
