an Eruption of Mount Vefuvius. 65 
it was at its height and very violent indeed, the explo- 
fions being louder than thofe that attended the former 
eruptions, we could not judge of the height of the vol- 
lies of ftones and fcoria , as fome rainy clouds were 
blended with the volcanic ones, and hid the upper part 
of the cone and crater of Vefuvius from our view. 
The fame mountains of white cotton-like clouds, piled 
one over another, rofe to fuch an extraordinary height, 
and formed fuch a coloffal mafs over Vefuvius, as cannot 
pofiibly be defcribed, or fcarcely imagined. It may have 
been from a fcene of this kind, that the ancient poets 
took their ideas of the giants waging war with J upiter. 
About five o’clock in the evening the eruption ceafed, 
fome rain having fallen this day, which having been 
greatly impregnated with the corrolive falts of the vol- 
cano, did much damage to the vines in its neighbour- 
hood. 
Thurfday and Friday, the iath and 13th of Auguft, 
Vefuvius continued to fmoke confiderably, and at times 
flight exploflons were heard, like cannon at a great dis- 
tance ; but there have been no more throws from its era- 
( 0 ) It has been remarked by the oldeft people in the neighbourhood of Vefu- 
vius, that in its eruptions the volcano is fubjeft to a criiis at noon and midnight; 
and, indeed, from my own obfervation, I believe that remark to be well- 
founded. 
Vol.-LXX. 
K 
ter, 
