MTls A. 
secure from further molestations, and ventured into every part of the 
mountain. But this long season of trancpiillity was succeeded by a 
new and terrible visitation in April, 1536. On the twenty-hftb of 
that month a strong westerly wind arose, and a thick cloud appeared 
at the summit of the mountain, of a red colour; a large quantity of 
fire issued from the abyss, and proceeded with great rapidity along 
ti'.e eastern side of the mountain, breaking down the rocks, and de- 
stroying every living thing in its course. From the same crater an- 
other and more dreadful fiery stream ran in the same manner towards 
tile west, over Bronte, Adano, and Castelii. The church of St. Leon 
was demolished by the shock accompanying the earthquake, and its 
ruit)^ afterwards consumed by the sulphureous torrent. Chasms were 
opened in the sides of tiie mountain, whence fire and burning stones 
darted into the air with a noise like that of the discharge of artillery. 
This eruption was allended by one most mielancholy disaster, namely 
the death of Francis Negro de Piazza, a celebrated physician of Len- 
tini, who being desirous of obtaining a near view of the eruptions, 
to make some observations which might conduce to the interests of 
science, w^as burnt to ashes by a volley of the ignited .stones. 
In the months of April and May the year following, 15S7, iStna 
again appeared in a state of commotion, and was rent in several 
places, from which torrents of fire issued forth with destructive fury. 
The gardens, vineyards, and monastery of St. Nicholas d’Arena were 
destroyed, as well as mounts Pellieri and Fallica, with their vineyards, 
and the greatest proportion of the inhabitants. The river Simeto, 
overflowing the adjacent plains, swept away the country people and 
their cattle ; the whole vicinity of Paterno, the castles, and more than 
five hundred houses, suffered by this calamitous inundation. Violent 
gusts of wind tore up the trees in every direction. As soon as the 
violence of the eruption abated, the summit of the mountain sunk in 
with a noise so terrific, that the people in the island believed that the 
last day had arrived, and prepared for their final exit, by repairing 
to the rite prescribed in the Catholic church. These disturbances 
continued through the whole year, and in July and August especially, 
all Sicily was in mourning. Filotes affirms, that many of the Sici- 
lians were struck deaf by the noise. The castle of Carleone, though 
more than twenty-five leagues distant from the volcano, is said 
to have been demolished. 
Thirty years after the preceding, the country adjacent to J5tna was 
again covered with ashes, and the volcanic production of a new erup- 
tion. In 1579 desolation again overspread the country from a simi- 
lar cause, which was renevved with increasing violence twentyT 
five years afterwards, in the month of June, 1603. Other instances 
of destructive ebullition occurred in 1607, 1609, 1614, and many 
following years ; indeed, Carrera declares that the mountain conti- 
nued to emit flames, with some variations and transient intermissions, 
for thirty-three years. Torrents of lava flowed for three entire months, 
in particular streams, in 1607, destroying part of the forest of Del 
Pino, and of the wood Sciambuta, with numerous vineyards. The 
year 1650 was also remarkable for an eruption which laid waste the 
northern side of the mountain. 
