ii4 Sir William Hamilton's Account of 
June, which was the third day of the eruption of Mount Vesu- 
vius, he was in a boat with a sail, near Torre del G, 2~o, when 
the minute ashes, so often mentioned in my letter, fell thick ; 
and that in the dark they emitted a pale light like phosphorus, 
so that his hat, those of the boatmen; and the part of the sails 
that were covered with the ashes, were luminous. Others 
have mentioned to me the having seen a phosphoric light on 
Vesuvius after this eruption ; but until it was confirmed to 
me by Mr. James, I did not choose to say any thing about it. 
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 
Tab. V. Is a view of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on 
the night of the 15th of June, 1794, taken from S. Lucia at 
Naples, when the eruption was in its greatest force. 
Tab. VI. Is a view of the lava that destroyed the town of 
Torre del Grepo, taken from a boat on the sea near that town, 
about five o'clock in the morning of the 16th of June, and 
whilst the lava was still advancing in the sea. The rocks, on 
which are two figures near the boat, were formed by a lava 
that ran into the sea during a former eruption of Mount Ve- 
suvius. 
Tab. VII. Is a view of the enormous cloud of smoke and 
ashes, replete with ferilli, or volcanic lightning, which first 
threatened destruction to the town of Naples on the 18th of 
June ; and afterwards, from the impulse, of the sea wind, bent 
over the mountain of Somma, and poured its destructive con- 
tents on the towns situated at the foot of that mountain, beat- 
ing in the roofs of the houses, and involving all the inhabi- 
tants of the Campagna Felice in darkness and danger. This 
