234 
LETTERS FROM 
the fiery deluge which burst forth from the 
side of the mountain during the terrible 
eruption of 1669. It lies in confused masses 
heaped on each other, and in some places 
has much the appearance of natural rocks, 
while in others it retains the marks of having 
once been in a fluid state. The part I 
crossed, which appeared to be about a mile in 
width, was a black barren w'aste, with scarcely 
any trace of vegetation on its surface, except 
here and there a few lichens. 
Soon after passing the lava, I waded 
through a shallow stream, and arrived at a 
fine wide sandy beach, which extended as 
far as the eye could reach to the southward, 
and was bounded by a line of barren sand¬ 
hills. Here was a party of twenty or thirty 
fishermen employed in hauling in a very 
long seine, but their labours were not re¬ 
warded with much success, for it contained 
