visited by a violent whirlwind. There was then a loud noise and explosion in the great fiery furnace, above which the smoke eddied; whole rows of newly piled up lava walls were tumbled in, or the blackening heaps were broken up, blue flames flashed out of them, red-hot stones were hurled down, kindling trees and bushes along the boundaries of the lava-streams. The more the darkness increased, the more animated became the eruption. It was a terrible sight, and yet at the same time it attracted to itself the eye and the mind with a power of fascination. One could not give up the sight of these continually-changing, and yet ever kindred phenomena; one could not but gaze at these fiery abysses, at these blackening heaps which must explode, at these glowing masses, which rolled forward, could not but gaze at them with a secret joy, although they carried along with them desolation and death. All around and above this scene nothing was visible save darkness and smoke.
Along the ridge, on the contrary, human life was in motion, full of thoughtless merriment and curiosity; people shouted, laughed, ran about, offered cigars, fresh water, champagne, marsala, torches; and torch-bearers offered themselves to conduct one to the very furthest point of the ridge, where the lava was still glowing hot beneath the blackening crust, and could be felt hot beneath the feet of whoever might go so far, defying the reality of danger; because, below this cooling crust, flows the fiery flood of a boiling red heat. My lively young friends, Mrs. M——, and Mr. S——, were amongst the courageous ones; but, whilst they went on this adventure, I seated myself upon a
