Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1806-10-24

s. Our guides Who were better Judges Of
she danger han ourselves row becamea-
harmed, md urged % % descend. I !.
The violence Of the volcano had IN
creased since we reached The summit,
and the Power that prcsides over the
pisce, seemed inclined 10 punish us for
our andacity, and for having presumed
70 violate his tremendous abode.
y We accordingly descended, and ID .
few minutesarrived atthe Alrio del Co.
vallo. We were out of the reach Of
danger, and were enabled 20 coatem-
plate, without apprehension the objects
By which We were surrounded. What
an admirable spectacle Over our head
thevolrano, with its smoking lava rush
ing down the sideo the mountain; Be.
fore u the sea smooth md calm, the full
moon illuminating with her mild beams
the extremity Of the horizon the clouds
and smoke waited around the summit
Of the mountain, and concealing, for 1
few moments, the VAST conilagration,
which appeared again more lively md
more brilliant. This succession Of ligh,s
and shades, this contrast Of turbulencS
and tranquility, this solitude ID the.
midst 81 vase convulsion, produced d
multirade of contrary Impressions that
cannot Be described, bur tie recollectiou
of which win never Be erased. MI 7i
Wsretnrned about four inthe morning
20 Naples having spenrfour hours 4 the
excurSion. tie q 4 80 D. 99 y q. 81
On tAs second, lie eruption eor.inued
die whole day, With much greater vio-
lence than before. Two eurTents OTTAWA
were formedj one Of these stopped in.
the morning -the Other, taking d eas.
tern course spread with great rpidity.
and delnged The plain. As our exeursion
Of the preceding night had NOT ensbled 10
10 foFmany idea concerning the progress
Of the lava, Ne Get out again 70 observe
this extraordinary phenomenon.
Passing through the villages Of Rortici,
Resins, and Tore del Greco, ~ enter
ed incloanrss, consisting of yineyards
and corn6elds, into which the lava had
penetrated We approached the current,
and I WAS surprised 10 find the progress
Of the lava 80 different from tho cSAesp-s
don I had formed 81 Il. 3saf III
had always imagined that the sub
stance Of the laya. Resembling nelted
Elass, ran in the same manner, and ad-
vanced uniformly kkea river Of Ere and
indeed Il i extremely probable, thas ina
great number % eruptions, Ii actually a.
hibin this appearance. On he present
occasion, ! saw nothing bur m accamu-
lation Of stones, some ofwhiek were Of
prodigious magnitude, heaped one upon
another, 20 the height IL fifteen or fwsn-
y feet, and about half : mile ID breadth.
This formidable mass advanced slowly,
following progression produced solely
BY the falling Of different bodies, Be-.
tween which there i no adhesion and
which, ID obedience % the inpalssson
they had received on issning from ihe
crater, rolled from the most elevated
point, and eotered the surface 81 another
stratum. In this n,anper The stones roll
ed over, one upon anothef, iii de- front
rank having atfained the same hsirht =
thstvhieh produced il, began in tnrn %
ponr down the ignited bodies that eame
inmbling upon 4.
Allthisintessine naotiouwas accompa-
MED with 4 noise reseRhlink he deerepi-
tnfion 81 salts, but much louder and brisk.
The Ere Vas fed By yarions combustihle
uaAtters, % sulphur, bitnmen. and m.-1
tals. which might Be known 81 thcif
hames-b but there was 10 appearance ei-
therof complete fusion, Of Of he com
meneefnent Of il. Ths stones resisted
the pressure Of = stiek, which ! several
tines endeavonred, but 10 vain. col
'akrust into them. s Z
4 Meanvhile the dsvastation oecasioned
BY the progress of this torrenr presented
Q horrid spectacle. TIN rees which sup
ported the vines, q the vihes themselves.
were burned By the extreme heat ol
~ z.