[ * 9 + ] 
damage to the vineyards in the neighbourhood of the 
mountain. A few days before the eruption I faw 
(what Pliny the younger mentions having feen, 
before that eruption of Vefuvius which proved fatal to 
his uncle) the black frnoke take the form of a pine- 
tree. The frnoke that appeared black in the day-time 
for near two months, before the eruption had the ap- 
pearance of flame in the night. 
On good friday, the 28th of march, at 7 o’clock 
at night, the lava began to boil over the mouth of the 
volcano, at firft in one ftream ; and foon after, divid- 
ing itfelf into two, it took its courfe towards Portici. It 
was preceded by a violent exploflon, which caufed a 
partial earthquake in the neighbourhood of the 
mountain, and a fhower of red hot ftones and cindeis 
were thrown up to a confiderable height. Imme- 
diately upon light of the lava, I left Naples with a 
party of my countrymen, whom I found as impatient 
as myfelf to fatisfy their curioflty in examining fo 
curious an operation of nature. I pafled the whole 
night upon the mountain ; and obferved that, though 
the red hot ftones were thrown up in much greater 
number and to a more confiderable height than 
before the appearance of the lava, yet the report was 
much lefs confiderable than fome days before the 
eruption. The lava ran near a mile in an hour’s time, 
when the two branches joined in a hollow on the fide 
of the mountain, without proceeding farther. I ap- 
proached the mouth of the volcano, as neai as I 
could with prudence j the lava had the appearance 
of a river of red hot and liquid metal, fuch as we 
fee in the glafs houfes, on which were large floating 
cinders half lighted, and rolling one over another 
with 
