an Eruption of Mount Vefuvius. 47 
ilbility of efcaping, fliould any one hereafter, upon fuch 
an expedition as curs, have the misfortune to be inclofed 
between two currents of lava. 
Having thus got rid of the troublefome heat and 
fmoke, we coafted the river of lava and its channels up 
to its very fource, within a quarter of a mile of the cra- 
ter. The liquid and red-hot matter bubbled up violently, 
with a hiding and crackling nolle, like that which at- 
tends the playing off of an artificial firework, and by the 
continual fplalhing up of the vitrified matter, a kind of 
arch or dome was formed over the crevice from whence 
the lava ifilted. It was cracked in many parts, and ap- 
peared red-hot within, like an heated oven : this hollowed 
hillock might be about fifteen feet high, and the lava 
that ran from under it was received into a regular chan- 
nel, raifed upon a fort of wall of fcoria and cinders, al~ 
mo ft perpendicularly, of about the height of eight or ten 
feet, refembling much an ancient aquedudt. 
We then went up to the crater of the volcano, in 
which we found, as ufual, a little mountain throwing 
fcoria and red-hot matter with loud explofions ; but the 
fmoke and fmell of fulphur was fo intolerable, that we 
were under the neceflity of quitting that curious fpot 
with the utmoft precipitation. 
Ira 
