[ S ] 
the night of the 24th, and palfed the next morning 
in obfqrving the ravage made by the abovementioned 
terrible eruption, over the rich country of the Pie- 
montefe. The lava burft out of a vineyard within 
** monftrous devaluation and quick progrefs, may be termed an 
“ inundation of fire, a flood of fire, cinders, and burning ftones, 
** burning with that rage as to advance into the fea 6co yards, 
** and that to a mile in breadth, which l faw ; and that which 
did augment my admiration was; to fee in the fea this matter 
“ like ragged rocks, burning in four fathom water, two fathom 
“ higher tha^i the fea itfelf, fome parts liquf^arTci throwing off', 
“ not with-great violence, the ftones about it, which like a cruft 
of a vafT bignefs, and red hot, fell into the fea every moment, 
« c in fome place or other, caufing a great and horrible noife, 
“ fmoak, and hilling in the fea; and thgfmore and more coming 
after it, making a firm foundation in the fea itfelf. I ftayed 
** there frcm 9 a clock on Saturday morning, to feven next 
“ morning” (this muft have been towards the middle or latter 
end of April) ; “ and this mountain of fire and ftones with 
“ cinders, had advanced into the fea 20 yards at leaft, in feveral 
“ places; in the middle of this fire, which burnt in the fea,. 
“ it hath formed like to a river, with its banks on each fide very 
“ fteep and craggy, and in this channel moves the greateft' 
“ quantity of this fire, which is the moil liquid, with ftones 
M of the fame compofition, and cinders all red hot, fwimming 
•** upon the fire of a great magnitude ; from this river of fire 
6£ doth proceed under the great mall'e of the ftones, which are 
<c generally three fathoms high all over the country, where it 
K< burns, and in other places much more. There are fecret con- 
“ duits or rivulets of this liquid matter, which communicates 
“ fire and heat into all parts more or lefs, and melts the ftones 
“ and cinders by fits in thofe places where it toucheth them, 
“ over and over again ; where it meets with rocks or houfts 
“ of the fame matter (as many are), they melt and go away 
4C with the fire; where they find other compofilions, they turn 
“ them to lime or afhes (as I am informed). The compofition 
“ of this fire, ftones and cinders, are fulphur, nitre, quick- 
“ filver,. fal ammoniac, lead, iron, brafs, and all other metals, 
“ It moves not rettularly, nor conftantly down hill ; in 
a mile 
