Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/461

Rh pumice-stone, though light and porous, alarmed them. Between the two dangers, they chose that of the field. They went out therefore, and, to guard themselves from the fall of the stones, bound each a pillow upon his head with his handkerchief or a napkin. It was now day in other places, but here it was still night, more black and dismal than ever was known before, which, however, was a little illumined by multitudes of lights and flambeaux. They thought it best to advance to the shore, to see what chance there was for them, but the sea was very stormy, and the wind contrary. There my uncle, lying down upon a sheet which was spread for him, called for water once or twice, which he drank. Soon afterwards, the flames and the stench of sulphur, a forerunner of the fumes, dispersed the company and roused him. He was supported by two servants, and, in a moment, fell and expired. The cause, I suppose, being, that the dense, smoky air suffocated him, all the more easily as he had a weak chest, and suffered from shortness of breath. On the return of light, three days afterwards, the body was found entire, in the dress in which he died. The appearance of the body was that of sleep rather than death. In the mean time, my mother and I were at Misenum.&emsp;*&emsp;*&emsp;*

In a second letter Pliny relates what occurred to himself.

“After my uncle had taken his leave,” he says, “I employed myself in study, for which purpose I remained behind. I took a bath, supped, and went to bed, but slept very uneasily. We had been for several days sensible of an earthquake, which did not,