C ^9 ] 
fant, in iny neighbourhood, loft eight hogs by the 
afties falling into the trough with their food: they 
grew giddy, and died in a few hours. The iaft day 
of the eruption, the afties, which fell abundantly upon 
the mountain, were as white almoft as fnow ; and the 
old people here affure me, that is a fure fymptooi 
of the eruption being at an end. Thefe circum- 
ftances, being well attefted, 1 thought worth re- 
lating. 
It would require many years clofe application, to 
give a proper and truly philofophical account of the 
volcanos in the neighbourhood of Naples; but I am 
fure fuch a hiftory might be given, fupported by de- 
monftration, as would deftroy every fyftem hitherto 
given upon this fubjedt. We have here an opportu- 
nity of feeing volcanos in all their ftates. 1 have 
been this fummer in the illand of Ifchia ; it is about 
eighteen miles round, and its whole bafis is lava. The 
great mountain in it, near as high as Vefuvius, for- 
merly called Epomeus, and now San Nicolo, I am con- 
vinced was thrown up by degrees; and I have no 
doubt in my own mind, but that the ifland itfelf rofe 
out of the fea in the fame manner as fome of the 
Azores. I am of the fame opinion with refpedt to 
Mount Vefuvius, and all the high grounds near Na- 
ples ; as having not yet feen, in any one place, what 
can be called virgin earth. I had the pleafure of fee- 
ing a well funk, a few days ago, near my villa, which 
is, as you know, at the foot of Vefuvius, and clofe by 
the fea-fide. At 25 feet below the level of the fea 
they came to a ftratum of lava, and God knows how 
much deeper they might have hill found other lavas. 
The foil all round the mountain, which is fo fertile* 
D 2 confifts 
