Page:Great Neapolitan Earthquake of 1857.djvu/373

Rh a wooden Roman-Doric pillar, the base of which was fixed into the flagged floor, and which carries on its top a wood globe surmounted by a small gilded cross. The two last are bent over upon the iron spindle that confined both, towards the south in a plane very nearly north and south. This probably was produced by the second half vibration of the wave, but may have resulted from a blow from some falling body. The spindle or bolt that held ball and cross, was about $5⁄8$ in. diameter; the ball about 8 in. diameter; and the cross rose about 15 inches over it. I could not get its weight, but both it and the column were of hard wood. This church was built after the earthquake of 1652, and with special reference to future shocks. Iron chain bars had been built into the arches and roof, and would no doubt have done good service had the shock been more horizontal, but its direction of steep emergence took them transversely, and in several instances tore them across. The fractured ends of one, may be seen projecting from opposite sides, of the fallen roof-vault, and corroborate all other evidences of the steep emergence of the wave here.

Photog. No. 169 (Coll. Roy. Soc.) shows the interior of the church of St. Dominico (?), attached to a monastery a few hundred yards from the last, and looking westward. This was a much worse built church, and of stone. The direction of the inclined fissures may be seen, inclining northwards at their upper ends, in the west wall. The line of fracture of the arched groin of the roof at the south side, as well as the mass of the fallen material of the roof thrown towards the opposite or north wall, all prove the same general direction of path and steep emergence.

Photog. No. 170 presents an arched wall in a north and