46 Sir william Hamilton’s Account of 
We faw the operation of the lava, in the channels as 
abovementioned, in the greatell perfection ; but it was, 
indeed, owing to our perfeverance, and forae degree of 
refolution. After the lava had quitted its regular channels, 
it fpread itfelf in the valley, and, being loaded with fcorice^ 
ran gently on, like a river that had been frozen, and had 
mafles of ice floating on it : the wind changing when we 
were clofe to this gentle ftream of lava, which might be 
about fifty or fixty feet in breadth, incommoded us fo 
much with its heat and fmoke, that we mull have re- 
turned without having fatisfied our curiofity, had not 
our guide <e) propofed the expedient of walking acrofs it, 
which, to our aftonifhment, he inllantly put in execu- 
tion, and with fo little difficulty, that we followed him 
without hefitation, having felt no other inconveniency 
than what proceeded from the violence of the heat on 
our legs and feet ; the cruft of the lava was fo tough, be- 
iides being loaded with cinders and Jcor'ue , that our 
weight made not the leaft impreffion on it, and its mo- 
tion was fo flow, that we were not in any danger of lofing 
our balance and falling on it: however, this experiment 
Ihould not be tried except in cafes of real neceffity ; and 
I mention it with no other view than to point out a pof- 
(e) Bartolomeo, the Cyclops of Yefuvius, who has attended me on all 
my expeditions to the mountain, and who is an excellent guide, 
Ability 
