an Eruption of Mount Vefuvius. 69 
under black fcoria and afhes, all the windows towards 
the mountain broken, and fome of the houfes themfelves 
burnt, the ftreets choaked up with thefe allies (in fome 
that were narrow, the ftratum was not lefs than four feet 
thick), and a few of the inhabitants juft returned were 
employed in clearing them away, and piling up the allies 
in hillocks to get at their ruined houfes. Others were af- 
fembled in little groups, inquiring after their friends and 
neighbours, relating each other’s woes, crofting them- 
felves, and lifting up their eyes to Heaven when they men- 
tioned their miraculous efcapes. Some monks, who were 
in their convent during the whole of the horrid ILower, 
gave us the following particulars, which they related 
with folemnity and precilion. 
The mountain of Somma, at the foot of which Ottai- 
ano is fituated, hides Vefuvius from its fight, fo that till 
the eruption became confiderable it was not vifible to 
them. On Sunday night, when the noife increafed, and 
the fire began to appear above the mountain of Somma, 
many of the inhabitants of this town flew to the 
churches, and others were preparing to quit the town, 
when a fudden violent report was heard; foon after 
which they found themfelves involved in a thick cloud 
of fmoke and minute allies : a horrid clalhing noife was 
heard in the air, and prefently fell a deluge of ftones and 
larg 
