Page:Awful phenomena of nature -- burning mountains.pdf/20

 Our landlord at Nicolosi gave us an account of the singular fate of the beautiful country near Hybla, at no great distance from hence. It was so celebrated for its fertility, and particularly for its honey, that it was called Mel Passi, till it was overwhelmed by the lava of Ætna. The mountain from whence the first eruption issued, that covered Mel Passi, is known by the name of Monpelieri. This mountain was formed by the first eruption that destroyed the country of Mel Passi, and is of a very old date. It buried a great number of villages aud country houses and particularly two noble churches, which are more regreted than all the rest, on account of three statues reckoned at that time the most perfect in the island. They have attempted, but in vain, to recover them, as the spot where the churches stood could never be justly ascertained. Indeed it is impossible it should, for these churches were built of lava, which it is well known is immediately melted, when it comes in contact with a torrent of new erupted matter: As Massa says, that in some eruptions, of Ætna, the lava has poured down with such a sudden impetuosity that in the course of a few hours, churches, palaces and villages, have been entirely melted down, and the whole run off in fusion, without leaving the least mark of their former existence. But if the lava has had any considerable time to cool, this singular effect never happens.

The great eruption of 1669, after shaking the whole country around for four months, and forming a very large mountain of stones and ashes, burst out about half a mile above Monpelieri, and descending like a torrent, bore directly against the middle of the mountain, and (they pretend) perforated it from side to side, this however, I doubt, as it must have broken the regular form of the mountain, which is not the case. But certain it is, that it pierced to a great depth. The lava then divided in two branches; and