Etna.

by the in

nent. This cause is the evaporation of those aqueous particles which arise from the constant ebullition at the Produced bottom of the volcanic focus. These issuing out at the ternal eva- great crater, and at innumerable chinks in the sides of poration of the mountain, are soon condensed by the cold of that the moun elevated region of the atmosphere, and, percolating through the earth, give birth to those numerous streams in question.

tain.

Eruptions of Etna more frequent an

"A volcano, according to my ideas, cannot subsist without water; nor can water occupy a place in any volcanic focus without being changed into vapour. But before that water can make its appearance, except in the form of smoke, it must have filled the whole volcanic cavern, and must have been forcibly pressed by the action of the fire against its sides: it must next have condensed, and assumed the form of water; in which state it must have penetrated through the inclined layers of sand and pozzolano which intervene betwixt the different strata of lava; for these, strata lie one above another, and are full of chinks, in such a manner as to present to the eye an appearance pretty much resembling that of the inside of a tiled roof."

It has been a question, Whether the eruptions of Mount Etna were more frequent in ancient than in modern times? At first it seems impossible to give a ciently than precise answer to such a question; but when we consi

ΔΙΟΥ.

tion.

der, that the matter in the volcanic focus was then greater in quantity than at present, in proportion to the space which it occupied; that the cavities were then sooner filled with vapour; and that the centre of the focus was then less remote, we will not hesitate to pronounce, that in earlier times the eruptions were more frequent as well as more copious.

Sigas of an The first symptom of an approaching eruption is an approach- increase of the smoke in fair weather: after some time, ing erup. a puff of black smoke is frequently seen to shoot up in the midst of the white, to a considerable height. These puffs are attended with considerable explosions: for while Vesuvius was in this state, Sir William Hamilton went up to its top, which was covered with snow: and perceiving a little hillock of sulphur, about six feet high, which had been lately thrown up, and burnt with a blue flame on the top, he was examining this phenomenon, when suddenly a violent report was heard, a column of black smoke shot up with violence, and was followed by a reddish flame. Immediately a shower of stones fell upon which he thought proper to retire. Phenomena of this kind, in all probability, precede the eruptions of Ætna in a much greater degree. The smoke at length appears wholly black in the day-time, and in the night has the appearance of flame; showers of ashes are sent forth, earthquakes are produced, the mountain discharges volleys of red-hot stones to a great height in the air. The force by which these stones are projected, as well as their magnitude, seems to be in proportion to the bulk of the mountain. Signior Recupero assured Mr Brydone, that he had seen immensely large ones thrown perpendicularly upwards to the height of 7000 feet, as he calculated from the time they took to arrive at the earth after beginning to descend from their greatest elevation. The largest stone, or rather rock, that was ever known to be emitted by Vesuvius, was 12 feet long and 45 in circumference. This was thrown a quarter of a mile; but much larger

Etna.

ones have been thrown out by Mount Etna, almost in the proportion in which the latter exceeds Vesuvius in bulk. Along with these terrible symptoms, the smoke that issues from the crater is sometimes in a highly electrified state. In this case, the small ashes which are continually emitted from the crater, are attracted by the smoke, and rise with it to a great height, forming a vast, black, and to appearance dense, column; from this column continual flashes of forked or zig-zag lightning issue, sometimes attended with thunder, and Thunder sometimes not, but equally powerful with ordinary and lightlightning. This phenomenon was observed by Sirning from William Hamilton in the smoke of Vesuvius, and has also been taken notice of in that of Ætna; and where this electrified smoke hath spread over a tract of land, much mischief hath been done by the lightning proceeding from it.

When these dreadful appearances have continued sometimes four or five months, the lava begins to make its appearance. This is a stream of melted mineral matters, which in Vesuvius commonly boils over the top, but very seldom does so in Etna; owing to the great weight of the lava, which long before it can be raised to the vast height of Mount Etna, bursts out through some weak place in its side. Upon the appearance of the lava, the violent eruptions of the mountain generally, though not always, cease; for if this burning matter gets not sufficient vent, the commotions increase to a prodigious degree.-In the night-time the lava appears like a stream of fire, accompanied with flame; but in the day-time it has no such appearance: its progress is marked by a white smoke, which by the reflection of the red-hot matter in the night assumes the appearance of flame.

We shall close this article with an enumeration of all the different eruptions from Mount Etna which are found upon record.

the smoke.

1. The first mentioned in history, is that of which List of Diodorus Siculus speaks, but without fixing the period eruptions at which it happened. That eruption, says he, obliged from the the Sicani, who then inhabited Sicily, to forsake the riod. eastern, and retire to the southern part of the island. A long time after that, the Sicilians, a people of Italy, migrated into Sicily, and took up their abode in that part of the island which had been left desert by the Sicani.

2. The second eruption known to have issued from this volcano, is the first of the three mentioned by Thucydides; of none of which he fixes the date, mentioning only in general, that from the arrival of the first Greek colonies that settled in Sicily (which was in the 11th Olympiad, and corresponds to the 734th year before the Christian era, to the 88th Olympiad, or the year 425 before Christ, Ætna at three different times discharged torrents of fire. This second eruption happened, according to Eusebius, in the days of Phalaris, in the 565th year before the Christian. The assertion of Eusebius is confirmed by a letter from that tyrant to the citizens of Catania, and the answer of the Catanians (if, after Bentley's Dissertations against their authenticity, any credit be due to the Epistles of Phalaris). But Diodorus gives both these pieces.

era.

3. The third, which is the second of the three mentioned by Thucydides, bappened in the 65th Olym

Etna. piad, in the 477th year before the Christian era, when Xantippus was archon at Athens. It was in this same year the Athenians gained their boasted victory over Xerxes's general Mardonius near Platea. Both the eruption of the volcano and the victory of the Athenians are commemorated in an ancient incription on a marble table which still remains. An ancient medal exhibits a representation of an astonishing deed to which that eruption gave occasion. Two heroic youths boldly ventured into the midst of the flames to save their parents: their names, which well deserved to be transmitted to future ages, were Amphinomus and Anapius. The citizens of Catania rewarded so noble a deed with a temple and divine honours. Seneca, Silius Italicus, Valerius Maximus, and other ancient authors, mention the heroism of the youths with just applause.

4. The fourth eruption, the third and last of those mentioned by Thucydides, broke out in the 88th Qlympiad, in the 425th year before the Christian era. It laid waste the territory of Catania.

5. The fifth is mentioned by Julius Obsequens and Orosius, who date it in the consulship of Sergius Fulvius Flaccus and Quintus Calpurnius Piso, nearly 133 years before the Christian era. It was considerable; but no peculiar facts are related concerning it.

6. In the consulship of Lucius Æmilius Lepidus and Lucius Aurelius Orestes, in the 125th year before the Christian era, Sicily suffered by a violent earthquake. Such a deluge of fire streamed from Ætna as to render the adjoining sea into which it poured absolutely hot. Orosius says, that a prodigious quantity of fishes were destroyed by it. Julius Obsequens relates, that the inhabitants of the isles of Lipari ate such a number of those fishes, as to suffer, in consequence of it, by a distemper which proved very generally mortal.

7. Four years after the last mentioned, the city of Catania was desolated by another eruption, not less violent. Orosius relates, that the roofs of the houses were broken down by the burning ashes which fell upon them. It was so dreadfully ravaged, that the Romans found it necessary to grant the inhabitants an exemption from all taxes for the space of ten years, to enable them to repair it.

8. A short time before the death of Caesar, in the 43d year before Jesus Christ, there was an eruption from Mount Etna. Livy mentions it. It was not distinguished by any thing extraordinary. It was afterwards considered as an omen of the death of Cæsar.

9. Suetonius, in the life of Caligula, mentions an eruption from Mount Etna which happened in the 40th year after the Christian era. The emperor fled on the very night on which it happened, from Messina, where he at that time happened to be.

10. Carrera relates, that in the year 253, there was an eruption from Mount Etna.

11. He speaks of another in the year 420; which is also mentioned by Photius.

12. In the reign of Charlemagne, in the year 812, there was an eruption from Etna. Geoffroy of Viterbo mentions it in his Chronicle.

13. In the year 1269, on the 4th February, about day-break, there was an earthquake in Sicily, which was felt as far as Reggio, on the opposite side of the strait. Catania was reduced by it to ruins; and in

that city more than 15,000 souls perished. The bi-a. shop, with 44 monks of the order of St Benedict, were buried under the ruins of the roof of the church of St Agatha. Many castles in the territories of Catania and Syracuse were overturned; new rivers burst forth, and ancient rivers disappeared. The ridge of the mountain was observed to sink in on the side next Taormino. The spring of Arethusa, so famous for the purity and sweetness of its waters, then became muddy and brackish. The fountain of Ajo, which rises from the village of Saraceni, ceased to flow for two hours; at the end of which the water gushed out more copiously than before. Its waters assumed a blood colour, and retained it for about an hour. At Messina, the sea, without any considerable agitation, retired a good way within its ordinary limits; but soon after returning, it rose beyond them, advanced to the walls of the city, and entered the streets through the gates. A number of people who had fled to the shore for safety were swallowed up by the waves. Ludovico Aurelio relates, that the vines, corn, and trees of all sorts, were burnt up, and the fields covered over with such a quantity of stones as rendered them unfit for cultivation.

14. Twelve years after this, in the year 1281, a dreadful eruption issued from Ætna on the east side. Streams of fire ran down the declivity of the mountain, and encircled the church of St Stephen, but without burning it.

Nicholas Speciale, who relates, though he did not see, this event, was witness to another conflagration on Etna 48 years after this, in the year 1329, on the 23d of June, of which he has given a description.

15. On that day, says he, about the hour of vespers, Etna was strongly convulsed, and uttered dreadful noises; not only the inhabitants of the mountain, but all Sicily, were struck with consternation and alarm. On a sudden, a terrible blaze of fire issued from the southern summit, and spread over the rocks of Mazzara, which are always covered with snow. Together with the fire, there appeared a great deal of smoke. After sunset, the flames and the stones that issued out with them were seen to touch the clouds. The fire making way for itself with the most furious impetuosity, burnt up or reduced to ruins all those structures which the piety of former times had consecrated to the Deity. The earth yawning, swallowed up a great many springs and rivulets. Many of the rocks on the shore of Mascali were shaken and dashed into the sea. A succession of these calamities continued till the 15th of July, when the bowels of Etna were again heard to rebellow. The conflagration of Mazzara still went on unextinguished. The earth opened near the church of St John, called Il Paparinecca; on the south side fire issued from the gap with great violence to add to the horrors of the day, the sun was obscured from morning to evening with clouds of smoke and ashes, as entirely as in an eclipse. Nicolas Speciale went towards the new-opened crater, to observe the fire and the burning stones which were issuing from the volcano. The earth rebellowed and tottered under his feet; and he saw red-hot stones issue four times successively in a very short space from the crater, with a thundering noise, the like of which, he says, he had never before heard.

In a few days after this, all the adjacent fields were burnt up by a shower of fire and sulphureous ashes; and both birds and quadrupeds being thus left destitute of food, died in great numbers. A great quantitity of fishes likewise died in the rivers and the contiguous parts of the sea. "I cannot think (says he) that either Babylon or Sodom was destroyed with such awful severity."-The north winds, which blew at the time, carried the ashes as far as Malta. Many persons of both sexes died of terror.

16. Scarce had four years elapsed after this terrible event, when Ætna made a new explosion, and discharged volleys of stones, causing the neighbouring fields to tremble. This happened in the year 1333.

17. Forty-eight years after this, on the 25th of August 1381, an eruption from Ætna spread its ravages over the confines of the territory of Catania, and burnt up the olive yards in the neighbourhood of that city.

18. In the year 1444, 63 years after the last eruption, a torrent of lava issued from Ætna and ran towards Catania. The mountain shook; and the shocks were so violent, that several huge masses of rock were broken from its summit, and hurled into the abyss with a tremendous noise.

19. After this Etna was scarce at rest for 18 months or two years. On Sunday the 25th of September 1446, about an hour after sunset, an eruption issued from the place called La Pietra di Mazarra. This eruption

was soon over.

20. In the following year, 1447, on the 21st of September, there was another, with a good deal of fire; but this eruption was likewise of short duration.

21. Ætna now ceased to emit fire, and that for a considerable time. The neighbouring inhabitants not only ascended to the summit of the mountain, but even, if we may credit accounts, went down into the fiery gulf, and believed the volcanic matter to be now exhausted: But on the 25th of April 1536, near a century from the slight eruption in 1447, a strong wind arose from the west, and a thick cloud, reddish in the middle, appeared over the summit of the mountain. At the very same instant a large body of fire issued from the abyss, and fell with the noise and rapidity of a torrent along the eastern side of the mountain, breaking down the rocks, and destroying the flocks and every other animal that was exposed to its fury. From the same crater, on the summit of the mountain, there issued at the same time a stream of fire more terrible than the other, and held its course towards the west. It ran over Bronte, Adrans, and Castelli. It consisted entirely of sulphur and bitumen. On the same day the church of St Leon, which stood in a wood, was first demolished by the shocks of the earthquake, and its ruins after that consumed by the fire. Many chasms were opened in the sides of the mountain; and from those issued fire and burning stones, which darted up into the air with a noise like that produced by a smart discharge of artillery. Francis Negro de Piazza, a celebrated physician, who lived at Lentini, wish ing to have a nearer view of the eruptions, and to make some observations which he thought might be of con ́sequence, was carried off and burnt to ashes by a volley

of the burning stones. lasted some weeks.

This conflagration of Ætna Etna,

22. In less than a year, on the 17th of April 1537, the river Simeto swelled so amazingly as to overflow the adjacent plains, and carry off the country people and their cattle and other animals. At the same time, the country around Paterno, the neighbouring castles, and more than 500 houses, were destroyed by the ravages of the river; and most of the wood was torn up by the roots by violent blasts of wind. These ravages of the elements were followed by Ætna, which on the 11th of the following month was rent in several places, disclosing fiery gulfs, and pouring out a deluge of fire in more terrible torrents than those of the preceding year. They directed their course towards the monastery of St Nicholas d'Arena; destroyed the gardens and vineyards; and proceeding_on wards towards Nicolosi, burnt Montpellieri and Fallica, and destroyed the vineyards and most of the inhabitants. When the conflagration ceased, the summit of the mountain sunk inward with such a noise, that all the people in the island believed the last day arrived, and prepared for their end by extreme unction. These dreadful disturbances continued through the whole year, more especially in the months of July and August, during which all Sicily was in mourning. The smoke, the noise, and the shocks of the earthquake, affected the whole island; and if Filotes may be believed, who relates this event, many of the Sicilians were struck deaf by the noise. Many structures were demolished; and among others the castle of Corleone, though more than 25 leagues distant from

the volcano.

23. During the succeeding 30 years there was no disturbance of this nature. At the end of that space, Sicily was alarmed by a new eruption from the mountain. Ætna discharged new streams of fire, and covered the adjacent country with volcanic ashes, which entirely ruined the hopes of the husbandman.

24. In the year 1579, Ætna renewed its ravages; but no particular account of the damage which it did upon this occasion has been transmitted to us.

25. Twenty-five years had elapsed, when Etna, in the month of June 1603, flamed with new fury. Peter Carrera affirms that it continued to emit flames for the space of 33 years, till 1636, without interruption, but not always with the same violence. In 1607, the streams of lava which flowed from it destroyed the woods and vineyards on the west side of the mountain. In 1609, they turned their course towards Aderno, and destroyed a part of the forest del Pino, and a part of the wood called la Sciambrita, with many vineyards in the district Costerna. These torrents of lava continued to flow for three months. In the year 1614, a new effort of the subterraneous fire opened another crater, from which fire was discharged on Randazzo, in the district called il Piro. The fire continued to flame for 10 or 12 years longer.

26. The same Peter Carrera relates, that a dreadful conflagration happened in the year 1664, of which he himself was witness. It happened on the 13th of December, and lasted without interruption, but with different degrees of violence, till the end of May 1678. But in 1669 the inhabitants of Nicolosi were obliged

to