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from the abyss opened during the preceding
night. The side of the crater opposite to
him, which rese considerably higher than that
on which he stood, afforded a singular as-
pect; for it was covered with little pillars of
smoke, which burst forth from it, and had
some resemblance to extinguished lights.--
The air over the crater was actually em-
bodied, and was clearly to be seen in a tre.
mulous motion. Below, it boiled and roared
dreadfully, like the most violent hurricane;
but occasionally a sudden deadly stillness en-
sued for some moments, after which the roar-
ing recommenced with double vehemence,
and the smoke burst forth in thicker and
blacker clouds. It was, he observes, as if the
spirit of the mountain had suddenly tried to
stop the gulf, while the flames indignantly
refused to endure the confinement.
It is remarkable that the great eruption
of 1805 happened on the 12th of August,
within a day of that of the preceding year.--
Subterraneous noises had been previously
heard, and a general apprehension of some
violent commotion prevailing, the inhabitants
of Torre del Greco and Annunciata had left
their homes, through the apprehension of a
shower of fire and ashes, similar to that which
buried Pompeii. The stream of lava took
the same course with that of 1794, described
above, one of the arms following the direction
