464 The History of Vesuvius [July, 
the bottom a small cone 6 feet in diameter made its ap- 
pearance, and ejected smoke and steam with a hissing noise. 
This lilliputian cone increased in size by the accumulation 
upon its sides of the scoriae which it ejedted, until it rose to 
a height of 16 feet above the brim of the cavity ; it then 
commenced to discharge lava, which flowed into the Fossa 
della Vetrana to a distance of about 1000 feet from the new 
cone. This lava is very leucitic in appearance, and appears 
to consist almost entirely, according to Palmieri, of minute 
crystals of leucite imbedded in a homogeneous paste. The 
stream continued to flow slowly in the direction of Canteroni 
for several months. 
In October, 1871, another small crater opened near the 
edge of the large cone of Vesuvius, and in November, lava 
was emitted from the great crater, which ran down the 
western slopes of the cone. In the following January the 
crater of Odtober became adtive ; loud bellowings were 
heard, and it emitted lava and projedtiles. In February the 
adtivity somewhat abated, but in March an opening was 
made in the side of the cone, from which a good deal of 
lava was discharged into the Atrio del Cavallo. The stream 
flowed for a week, and then ceased. On April 23rd the 
seismograph showed a good deal of disturbance, and on the 
24th a considerable quantity of lava was emitted, and it 
continued to flow for two days. Early on the morning of 
April 26th a number of persons went with inexperienced 
guides to see the new lava streams : as they were proceeding 
towards the summit the great cone was suddenly rent open 
in the north-westerly direction, commencing at the new cone 
and extending to the Atrio del Cavallo, and a copious torrent 
of lava proceeded from the fissure. Soon afterwards two 
small craters appeared near the summit of the principal 
cone, which discharged incandescent particles and quantities 
of white ash. The whole series of effedts took place so 
suddenly that eight medical students who had approached 
too near to the scene of adtion were overwhelmed by the 
lava, and a number of persons were injured by the hot ashes 
and scoriae. The great fissure of the principal cone was 
both broad and deep, and it extended for about 1000 feet 
into the Atrio. A ridge of little hills, like a miniature 
chain of mountains, marked the course of the fissure. The 
highest point of the ridge was about 150 feet above the 
plain. A smaller fissure opened on the south side of the 
cone, and a small stream of lava flowed from it towards 
Camaldoli. 
The lava which flowed from the great fissure on the north- 
