.ETNA. 
GiO 
s[»>piiV^ sides and front, advancing i)erore the main body, and burning 
live' gfass, the weeds, and grape vines, like light troops skirmishisig 
oil the front and flanks of an army marching in solid column. 
I never saw a painting which gave any thing like a correct idea 
of lava, yet it appears no diflicult task, i could discern nothing of the 
fluid part of the stream; yet, until somewhat cooled by flowing several 
miles, it must be liquid immediately underneath the thin light crusted 
surface. Just after issuing from the crater, I should think it flowed 
at the rate of four ^liles an hour ; half way down the stream, ( whose 
whole extent, when the eruption ceased, was about six miles,) a mile 
and a half an hour; and so on, gradually decreasing in velocity to 
tl:e most advanced part, where its progress was a few hundred yards 
a day, 
** The night-view of the eruption and stream of lava was truly grand 
and terrific. The rocks emitted from the cratefs displayed a white 
' heat, and the flames an intense red. When the adjacent hills and 
valleys were covered by a shower of rocks, they appeared for a time 
beautifully spangled with stars, whose silver brightness, as well as that 
of the burning trees, formed a no less admirable contrast to the flames 
of the crater, than did the evening songs of the birds to the bellowing 
of the mountain. The lava was a fancied infernal Are, streaked 
black and red, presenting a horrid contrast to the dark surrounding 
scenery. Here, down to the rocky slopes, it rolled a cataract of fire ; 
there, it displayed floating mounts, crowned with imagined fortresses. 
Trees \yere seen, as if growing from the fire, whose parched branches 
and burning trunks exhibited the idea of desolation in all its horrors. 
“The country about Lingua Grossa, Pie Monte, and other places 
on that side of the mountain, now lies covered with ashes three or 
four inches in depth. Though some lands have suffered by lava, 
many have been manured by ashes, and the whole island is freed from 
the dread of earthquakes, for some time to come. Thus we find, 
“ All partial evil universal good.” 
“ Except the inhabitants likely to suflfer, little concern or curiosity 
W'as expressed by the Sicilians. Even the baron Corri, whose house 
was so much in danger, with superstitious obstinacy rejected for a 
long time every proposal of the British officers for reraoving bis 
property. “ No, no,” he always replied, “ let it be as God wills it,” 
At length, however, self-interest prevailed, and solitary walls alone 
remained. But when the lava had arrived within two hundred yards 
of this deserted habitation, the eruption ceased, to the great joy of the 
natives, who attributed this mercy to the merits and interference of 
their patron saints, whose images were daily brought from Castigiione, 
a distance of three miles, in procession, during the progress of this 
calamity, and placed, while mass was performed, amidst the tears of 
a wretched multitude, a few yards in the front of the slowly advancing 
fire. This procession was composed of the miserable and ragged 
natives, of both sexes and all ages, crying and sobbing, beating their 
breasts, tearing their hair, and flogging their backs in penance, while 
their priests were calling on all their saints to assist them. On their 
way to the lava, they stopped at the baron’s house, from the balcony 
4 N 
