A  VISIT  TO  VESUVIUS. 
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years,  during  which  period  its  sides  became  covered  with  vegetation, 
shrubs,  and  forest  trees,  and  the  floor  of  the  crater  even  visited  by 
cattle  and  other  animals.  In  1631  one  of  the  greatest  eruptions  occurred  ; 
the  immense  crater  just  noted  was  filled  with  volcanic  matter,  and  on 
the  16th  of  December  an  earthquake  caused  a  violent  irruption  of  the 
sea  towards  the  mountain,  causing  great  destruction  of  life,  and  at  the 
same  time  "from  the  summit  of  the  cone  seven  streams  of  lava  issued, 
one  reaching  Torre  del  Aununziata,  seen  on  the  road  to  Pompeii,  one 
destroyed  two-thirds  of  Torre  del  Greco,  a  third  destroyed  Resina,  on  the 
site  of  Herculaneum,  another  destroyed  part  of  Portici,  and  formed  the 
present  site  on  which  the  Royal  Palace  and  La  Favorita  were  subse- 
quently built."  This  eruption  was  also  accompanied  by  great  torrents  of 
rain,  causing  inundations  towards  Nola.  Eruptions  followed  this  in 
1660,  1682,  1690, 1696,  1698,  1701,  1707,  1712,  1717,  1720,  1728,  1730  and 
in  1 737,  when  an  immense  outpouring  of  lava  occurred  from  the  base  of  the 
cone,  estimated  at  over  33  millions  of  cubic  feet,  lava  also  issuing  from 
the  summit.  The  quantity  of  ashes  discharged  during  this  eruption  was 
very  great  and  did  damage  to  trees  by  its  weight.  Then  in  1751,  1754, 
1758,  1760,  1766,  1767,  1770,  1776  and  1779.  This  last  was  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  on  record,  being  accompanied  by  an  immense  explosion 
in  the  interior,  immediately  following  which,  says  Sir  William  Hamilton, 
"  In  an  instant  a  fountain  of  liquid  transparent  fire  began  to  rise.  .  . 
The  height  of  this  stupendous  column  of  tire  could  not  be  less  than  three 
times  that  of  Vesuvius  itself."  The  ejected  matter  fell  partly  on  the 
mountain  itself,  partly  on  Somma  and  the  intervening  space,  and  partly 
eastwards  toward  Ottajano,  where  it  broke  in  the  roofs  and  windows  of 
houses,  destroyed  the  woods  and  vineyards  and  filled  the  streets  to  the 
depth  of  several  feet  with  ashes,  some  of  which  fell  a  hundred  miles  off. 
In  1784,  1786,  1787,  1793—4,  the  latter  destroying  the  cathedral  and 
the  greater  part  of  the  town  of  Torre  del  Greco,  poured  into  the  sea,  ex- 
tending the  coast  line  out  380  feet,  by  width  1200,  and  15  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  water.  Then  in  1804,  1805,  1809,  1812,1813,  1817,  1818,  1820  and 
1822.  On  this  last  occasion  the  great  cone  fell  in  with  a  crash,  after 
which  two  streams  of  lava  flowed  towards  Resina.  Sir  Charles  Lyell 
found  this  lava  had  not  lost  its  heat  in  1828.  The  crater  was  irregular  in 
shape,  three  miles  in  circumference  and  of  great  depth,  its  rim  varying 
500  feet  in  height.  Then  in  1828,  1831  and  1834,  when  the  lava  ran  nine 
miles,  destroying  Caposecco  and  threatening  Pompeii.  In  1838*  1845, 
1847,  1850  ;  the  latter  noted  for  enveloping  the  woods  of  Bosco  Reale, 
when  various  curious  phenomena  occurred  as  the  trees  were  consumed 
in  the  lava.  In  1855  the  lava  flowed  down  into  the  Atrio  del  Cavallo, 
aud  keeping  to  the  north  of  the  Hermitage  did  much  damage  in  the 
places  below  towards  St.  Sebastiano  and  Massa.  This  lava  was  re- 
markable for  slow  cooling  and  for  containing  chloride  of  lead  as  a  subli- 
mate in  its  fissures.    Its  direction  caused  at  one  time  fears  for  Portici, 
