VESUVIUS.

Southland Times, Issue 3296, 13 January 1879, Page 3

VESUVIUS.

— ♦ A correspondent writes from Naples, Sept. 25) :— " For the last two or three days, according to Professor Palmieri's report, the activity of the mountain has much diminished and the sismic instruments have been quieter. At the time of the new moon there was an increase of activity, as is always the case, and as we shaU witness, no doubt, al the time of full moon ; but the mountain pursues its regular course, except at these seasons, and some little time j must elapse before what the world calls ap I eruption will occur. Of what character it ' will be it is impossible to say precisely, but appearances indicate that it will be a lava eruption — presenting, indeed, a most brilliant spectacle, but unaccompanied by those horrors which marked the eruptions of - 1854, 1861, and 1872. I witnessed them all three, and caunot sympathise with the almost joyous expectation of numbers of persons avlio are looking forward to another as a kind of festive scene. During that of 1854 our houses rocked' and we spent the night in the streets. A slight increase of the movement would have brought the house about our cars, and this, at intervals, lasted for two days and two nights. Those who were, killed in' the provinces amounted to many.'thbusands, as I 'reported to' you at the time', and among the English residents and visitors a subscription was raised, which was distributed in the Basilicata by an English committee. In 1871 Torre del Greco was partially- destroyed— l believe for the tenth or eleventh time. Yet, though the whole population fled, all soon returned, rebuilttheir houses, and are now; living at the base of the mountain as careless and thoughtless of danger, as the animals around them. The eruption of 1872 was most terrific ; darkness was on the face of the land. Upwards of 200 _ persons* were destroyed on the mountain, many of whom were brought past me as I stood at Resina scorched and skinned alive. No one who has ever witnessed any such disaster will look forward to it with any pleasure. It is an awful spectacle, and even a lava eruption must awaken spmpathy for those who watch the burning flood destroying their land and their household gods. It is to be hoped that the eruption which is now pending will be limited to this, but, as Professor Palmieri observes, it is impossible to say how it will terminate. The agents are all unseen, but appearances indicate that it will -not be •of so disastrous a character as any one of the three I have named. After a week of about as bad weather as we could have had, the sky is again of a spotless blue, and a gentle north wind scarcely crisps the sea. Few foreigners have come as yet, and there is, as usual, a strong desire to to make capital out of Vesuvius. With the glass at 70 we are -congratulated on having such a delici-' ous cool temperature ; and it is delicious after having been baked with a.temperature of 94. A heavy column rises from the mountain, . but for the last .two. nights -I Jiave • not ; seen even, the; reflection of the. lava on "the sky."