opposed to it. Several persons had already
been driven back by a change in the wind,
which had brought down upon them the
clouds of sulphurous smoke. New craters
were continually opening, and a fountain of
fire springing up beneath one's feet was not
so agreeable: besides, the crust of the mountain
was so thin that it might fall in at any
time. Having struck our bargain with our
man, however, away we started, over a
rugged bed of lava, for upwards of a mile.
Plunging and tumbling over heaps of scoriae,
on we went, rising gradually until the magnificent
scene began to open upon us in
all its splendour. On our left, and between
us and the mountain of Somma, which
was irradiated with reflected light, ran
a river of lava, pursuing its course to the
cascade we had just left; then making a
bend to the right, till we got to the base
of the cone, we perceived two streams of
lava flowing down its sides, and uniting
below in that great body of fire. It was a stiff
pull through the fire and ashes; and we sunk
to the knees in cinders. Fortunately the wind
was from us, or we should have the entire
mass of red-hot stones upon our heads. After
strong effort, having most magnanimously
refused the assistance of our guides, we stood
by the edge of one of the most active of the
new craters. How many there are, it is impossible
to say. One day's report differs from another,
and no two people behold the mountain
under the same aspect, so continual are the
changes. I have heard that there were four, and
seven, and ten, and twenty craters. I should
prefer saying that the mountain is riddled with
craters and fissures, that it is like an inverted
colander, and that a stranger is in doubt and
fear lest a mouth may open beneath him and
swallow him up. I knew one party of friends
who watched a rotatory motion in some
smoke ascending from the ground, which
grew into a whirlwind of dust and smoke
and flame, and then the earth cracked and
opened, giving them barely time to fly. A
Spanish family, too, were in imminent peril
of a similar accident. However, here we were
after our struggle through the ashes, and our
catlike walk over burning scoriae, by one of
the new craters. The lava was running over
the sides like a cup over-filled with treacle,
and it seemed purer, finer, and more liquid
than it did in the river below. I explain it
by the fact of its having come immediately
from the furnace, and not having, as yet,
been exposed to the action of the air. There
were other tributary streams more towards
the back of the mountain, but only two main
streams flowed into the valley, and nothing
could be more beautiful than their movement.
As the descent was rapid, they
flowed down like water, their surface, like
that of a crisped lake, being ruffled with
gentle undulations. Near the base of the
cone they united, and then they ran along in
one great somethingclouds of sulphurous smoke. New craters
were continually opening, and a fountain of
up beneath one's feet was not
besides, the crust of the moun-
tain was so thin that it might fall in at any
time. Having struck our bargain with our
man, however, away we started, over a
rugged bed of lava, for upwards of a mile.
I'liuming and tumbling over heaps of scoriae,
on we went, rising gradually until the mag-
nificent scene began to open upon us in
all its splendour. On our left, and between
us and the mountain of Somma, which
was irradiated with reflected light, ran
a river of lava, pursuing its course to the
cascade w T e had just left; then making a
bend to the right, till we got to the base
of the cone, we perceived two streams of
lava flowing down its sides, and uniting
below in that great body of fire. It was a stiff
pull through the fire and ashes; and we sunk
to the knees in cinders. Fortunately the wind
was from us, or we should have the entire
mass of red-hot stones upon our heads. After
strong effort, having most magnanimously
refused the assistance of our guides, we stood
by the edge of one of the most active of the
new craters. How many there are, it is impos-
sible to say. One day's report differs from an-
other, and no two people behold the mountain
under the same aspect, so continual are the
changes. I have heard that there were four, and
seven, .and ten, and twenty craters. I should
prefer saying that the mountain is riddled with
craters and fissures, that it is like an inverted
colander, and that a stranger is in doubt and
fear lest a mouth may open beneath him and
swallow him up. I knew one party of friends
who watched a rotatory motion in some
smoke ascending from the ground, which
grew into a whirlwind of dust and smoke
and flame, and then the earth cracked and
opened, giving them barely time to fly. A
Spanish family, too, were in imminent peril
of a similar accident. However, here we were
after our struggle through the ashes, and our
catlike walk over burning scoriae, by one of
the new craters. The lava was running over
the sides like a cup over-filled with treacle,
ji:id it seemed purer, finer, and more liquid
than it did in the river below. I explain it
by the fact of its having come immediately
from the furnace, and not having, as yet,
exposed to the action of the air. There
were other tributary streams more towards
the baek of the mountain, but only two main
streams flowed into the valley, and nothing
could be more beautiful than their move-
ment. As the descent was rapid, they
flowed down like water, their surface, like
that of a crisped lake, being ruffled with
gentle undulations. Near the base of the
cone they united, and then they ran along in
one great something—for no word can describe
itclouds of sulphurous smoke. New craters
were continually opening, and a fountain of
up beneath one's feet was not
besides, the crust of the moun-
tain was so thin that it might fall in at any
time. Having struck our bargain with our
man, however, away we started, over a
rugged bed of lava, for upwards of a mile.
I'liuming and tumbling over heaps of scoriae,
on we went, rising gradually until the mag-
nificent scene began to open upon us in
all its splendour. On our left, and between
us and the mountain of Somma, which
was irradiated with reflected light, ran
a river of lava, pursuing its course to the
cascade w T e had just left; then making a
bend to the right, till we got to the base
of the cone, we perceived two streams of
lava flowing down its sides, and uniting
below in that great body of fire. It was a stiff
pull through the fire and ashes; and we sunk
to the knees in cinders. Fortunately the wind
was from us, or we should have the entire
mass of red-hot stones upon our heads. After
strong effort, having most magnanimously
refused the assistance of our guides, we stood
by the edge of one of the most active of the
new craters. How many there are, it is impos-
sible to say. One day's report differs from an-
other, and no two people behold the mountain
under the same aspect, so continual are the
changes. I have heard that there were four, and
seven, .and ten, and twenty craters. I should
prefer saying that the mountain is riddled with
craters and fissures, that it is like an inverted
colander, and that a stranger is in doubt and
fear lest a mouth may open beneath him and
swallow him up. I knew one party of friends
who watched a rotatory motion in some
smoke ascending from the ground, which
grew into a whirlwind of dust and smoke
and flame, and then the earth cracked and
opened, giving them barely time to fly. A
Spanish family, too, were in imminent peril
of a similar accident. However, here we were
after our struggle through the ashes, and our
catlike walk over burning scoriae, by one of
the new craters. The lava was running over
the sides like a cup over-filled with treacle,
ji:id it seemed purer, finer, and more liquid
than it did in the river below. I explain it
by the fact of its having come immediately
from the furnace, and not having, as yet,
exposed to the action of the air. There
were other tributary streams more towards
the baek of the mountain, but only two main
streams flowed into the valley, and nothing
could be more beautiful than their move-
ment. As the descent was rapid, they
flowed down like water, their surface, like
that of a crisped lake, being ruffled with
gentle undulations. Near the base of the
cone they united, and then they ran along in
one great somethingclouds of sulphurous smoke. New craters
were continually opening, and a fountain of
up beneath one's feet was not
besides, the crust of the moun-
tain was so thin that it might fall in at any
time. Having struck our bargain with our
man, however, away we started, over a
rugged bed of lava, for upwards of a mile.
I'liuming and tumbling over heaps of scoriae,
on we went, rising gradually until the mag-
nificent scene began to open upon us in
all its splendour. On our left, and between
us and the mountain of Somma, which
was irradiated with reflected light, ran
a river of lava, pursuing its course to the
cascade w T e had just left; then making a
bend to the right, till we got to the base
of the cone, we perceived two streams of
lava flowing down its sides, and uniting
below in that great body of fire. It was a stiff
pull through the fire and ashes; and we sunk
to the knees in cinders. Fortunately the wind
was from us, or we should have the entire
mass of red-hot stones upon our heads. After
strong effort, having most magnanimously
refused the assistance of our guides, we stood
by the edge of one of the most active of the
new craters. How many there are, it is impos-
sible to say. One day's report differs from an-
other, and no two people behold the mountain
under the same aspect, so continual are the
changes. I have heard that there were four, and
seven, .and ten, and twenty craters. I should
prefer saying that the mountain is riddled with
craters and fissures, that it is like an inverted
colander, and that a stranger is in doubt and
fear lest a mouth may open beneath him and
swallow him up. I knew one party of friends
who watched a rotatory motion in some
smoke ascending from the ground, which
grew into a whirlwind of dust and smoke
and flame, and then the earth cracked and
opened, giving them barely time to fly. A
Spanish family, too, were in imminent peril
of a similar accident. However, here we were
after our struggle through the ashes, and our
catlike walk over burning scoriae, by one of
the new craters. The lava was running over
the sides like a cup over-filled with treacle,
ji:id it seemed purer, finer, and more liquid
than it did in the river below. I explain it
by the fact of its having come immediately
from the furnace, and not having, as yet,
exposed to the action of the air. There
were other tributary streams more towards
the baek of the mountain, but only two main
streams flowed into the valley, and nothing
could be more beautiful than their move-
ment. As the descent was rapid, they
flowed down like water, their surface, like
that of a crisped lake, being ruffled with
gentle undulations. Near the base of the
cone they united, and then they ran along in
one great somethingclouds of sulphurous smoke. New craters
were continually opening, and a fountain of
up beneath one's feet was not
besides, the crust of the moun-
tain was so thin that it might fall in at any
time. Having struck our bargain with our
man, however, away we started, over a
rugged bed of lava, for upwards of a mile.
I'liuming and tumbling over heaps of scoriae,
on we went, rising gradually until the mag-
nificent scene began to open upon us in
all its splendour. On our left, and between
us and the mountain of Somma, which
was irradiated with reflected light, ran
a river of lava, pursuing its course to the
cascade w T e had just left; then making a
bend to the right, till we got to the base
of the cone, we perceived two streams of
lava flowing down its sides, and uniting
below in that great body of fire. It was a stiff
pull through the fire and ashes; and we sunk
to the knees in cinders. Fortunately the wind
was from us, or we should have the entire
mass of red-hot stones upon our heads. After
strong effort, having most magnanimously
refused the assistance of our guides, we stood
by the edge of one of the most active of the
new craters. How many there are, it is impos-
sible to say. One day's report differs from an-
other, and no two people behold the mountain
under the same aspect, so continual are the
changes. I have heard that there were four, and
seven, .and ten, and twenty craters. I should
prefer saying that the mountain is riddled with
craters and fissures, that it is like an inverted
colander, and that a stranger is in doubt and
fear lest a mouth may open beneath him and
swallow him up. I knew one party of friends
who watched a rotatory motion in some
smoke ascending from the ground, which
grew into a whirlwind of dust and smoke
and flame, and then the earth cracked and
opened, giving them barely time to fly. A
Spanish family, too, were in imminent peril
of a similar accident. However, here we were
after our struggle through the ashes, and our
catlike walk over burning scoriae, by one of
the new craters. The lava was running over
the sides like a cup over-filled with treacle,
ji:id it seemed purer, finer, and more liquid
than it did in the river below. I explain it
by the fact of its having come immediately
from the furnace, and not having, as yet,
exposed to the action of the air. There
were other tributary streams more towards
the baek of the mountain, but only two main
streams flowed into the valley, and nothing
could be more beautiful than their move-
ment. As the descent was rapid, they
flowed down like water, their surface, like
that of a crisped lake, being ruffled with
gentle undulations. Near the base of the
cone they united, and then they ran along in
one great something—for no word can describe
it—until they shot over the precipice. From
our standing-place we had a view of its entire
course until it was lost below, and never can I
forget that semicircle of fire which half girdled
us about. So many were the mouths, either
opened or opening, that attention became
distracted amongst them. Some fizzed and
smoked, others flamed, others threw stones,
(though not large ones,) to a great height, and
some of these fell over us. The noise near the
surface was as the sound of many forges at
work, but deep in the bowels of the mountain
it sounded like a continued distant cannonade
whilst the ground vibrated and shook beneath
us, as if every fresh effort must split it
open. Yet there was a fascination in the
scene which was irresistible; and still we
stood by the boiling cauldron, fixed as the
bird by the eye of the serpent. Like a
copper cauldron, too, it appeared: glowing at
the rim and edges with red heat. In
the background, piled up against the sky,
were mountains of lurid clouds, full of sulphurous
exhalations and everything deadly
and destructive to human life. A change
of wind had driven them back, and they
hung suspended; but if another change of
wind had taken place on this inconstant, fitful
night, we must have fallen dead on the spot.

As we descended, we gazed back continually
on the scene. There has since been
a cordon of soldiers drawn across the mountain,
not far from the Hermitage, and no one
is permitted to pass beyond. The ground
is riddled with holes; all the upper part of
the mountain, including the cone and the
ground around it, is like a sponge or a colander.
The crust breaks continually beneath
the feet, and the expectation is that the whole
of the upper part of the mountain will fall in.
Should such a crash come, it is impossible to
calculate what the consequences may be,
immediate and remote. The ruin and suffering
it may involve—the altered aspect of
the country—a lake where there is now a
picturesque cone—the possible change in
the climate of Naples when the bulwark
against the easterly wind is removed,—all
these are pure speculations as yet; meanwhile
the lava is spreading ruin far and wide
over the lower parts of the mountain, down
amongst smiling vineyards and perfumed
bean fields, folding cottages and palaces in its
fiery embraces, and filling the inhabitants
of a populous district with consternation.
More of this, however, in another article.

On going down the mountain, we met the
king and the royal family, encircled by
guards, and lighted by blazing torches. It
was near four o'clock in the morning, and
yet the tens of thousands of people who were
coming and going, gave the scene the appearance
of a fair. Perhaps the women and
the children outnumbered the men. There
were troops of the fair sex without any
escort, and babies innumerable in arms. In
short, a madness had seized on every one,