Page:Burning mountains.pdf/23

(23) t that our author met with, was near the vilf the Madonna dell'Arco, and be paſſed ſeveral between that and the town of Ottai no; one  Trochia, and two near the town of Somma,  the moſt conſiderable, and not leſs than a er of a mile in breadth; and, according to the ony of eye witneſſes, when they poured down from the mountain of Somma, they were from y to thirty feet high; the matter of theſe tor was a liquid glutinous mud, compoſed of ſco aſhes, ſtones (ſome of an enormous ſize) mixith trees that had been torn up by the roots. torrents, as it may well be imagined, were irable, and carried off every thing before them; s, walls, trees, and not leſs than four thou ſheep and other cattle. At Somma, a team ht oxen, which were drawing a large timber were at once carried off, and never were heard re.

e appearance of theſe torrents was like that other torrents in mountainous countries, exhat what had been mud was become a perfect nt, on which thing leſs than a pickaxe could  any impreſſion. The vineyards and cultivated were here much more ruined; and the limbs e trees much more torn by the weight of the, then thoſe which have been already deſcribn the ſea ſide of the volcano.

e abbe Tata, in his printed account of this ion, has given a good idea of the abundance, great weight, and glutinous quality of theſe aſhhen he ſays, that having taken a branch from tree ſtill ſtanding near the town of Somma, on  were only ſix leaves, and two little unripe figs, aving weighed it with the aſhes attached to it,  and it to be thirty-one ounces; when having