66 Sir william Hamilton’s Account of 
ter, nor any ftreams of lava from its flanks, fince Wed- 
nefday laft. 
On Saturday, Auguft the 15th, I went, accompanied 
by Count lamberg, the Imperial Minifter at this Court, 
to viflt Ottaiano and Caccia-bella, the diftridt which had 
been moft feverely treated by the heavy and deftru<ftive 
fhower of volcanic matter from the crater of Vefuvius 
laft Sunday night. 
Soon after having pafled the town of Somma, we 
began to perceive, that the heat of the fiery fliower, 
which had fallen in its neighbourhood, had affedled the 
leaves of the trees and vines, which we found ftill more 
parched and fhrivelled in proportion as we approached 
the town of Ottaiano, which may be about three miles 
from Somma. At about the diftance of a mile from 
Somma, we began to perceive frefh cinders or f cor in of 
lava, thinly fcattered on the road and in the fields. Every 
ftep we advanced we found them of a larger dimenfion, 
and in greater abundance. At the diftance of a mile 
and a half from Ottaiano, the foil was totally covered by 
them, and the leaves and fruit were either intirely ftrip- 
ped from the trees, or remained thinly on them, fliri- 
velled and dried up by the intenfe heat of the volcanic 
fhower. 
4 
After 
