The New Hampshire Gazette

Foreign Article.
Eruption of VESUVIUS:
NAPLES, AUGUST 13, 1805.
Yesterday (says a letter) at ten o'clock at night, the eruption of Vesuvius,
of which the earthquake seemed to be the forerunner, took place. We were
going to visit the Crater, when the cries of the people, and a volume of flame
informed us that the volcano had opened. The lava precipitated itself in three
seconds from the last peak of the Mountain, and took a direction towards the
valley situated between Torre dell Greco and Torre del Annuoziata, two
towns on the sea coast beyond Portici, and even or eight miles from Naples.
We set off immediately to see this wonderful and tremendous phenome-
non nearer. From the place of our departure, we saw the whole course of
the lava, which extended already two miles from the Crater to the houses that
join the two towns. The sight was the most magnificently frightful that
could be seen.
I contemplated the cascades of flame pouring from the top of the mountain,
and shuddered at seeing an immense torrent of fire ravage the finest fields, over-
throw houses and destroy, in a few minutes, the hopes and resources of a hun-
dred families.
A line of fire marked the profile of the mountain: a cloud of smoke. which
seemed to send forth from time to time flashes of lightning, hung over the
scene, and the moon appeared to be pale.--Nothing can adequately describe the
grandeur of the scene, or give an accurate idea of the horror of it. As we ap-
proached the spot ravaged by this river of hell, ruined inhabitants having quit-
ted their houses-deolated families trying to save their furniture or provisions,
last and feeble resource-an immense crowd of curious persons, retreating step
by step from the advancing lava, and testifying, by extraordinary cries, their
wonder fear and pity-the frightful bellowing of the mountain, the frequent
explosions which burst from the bosom of the torrent, the crackling of the trees
devoured by the flames, the noise of the walls falling, and the lugubrious sound
of a bell, which the religious of the Camaldules, isolated on a little hill, and
surrounded by two torrents of fire rang in their distress: such are the details of
the frightful scene to which I was a witness.
The moment we arrived, the lava was crossing the great road below Tor-
re del Greco. To see it better we got into a beautiful house on the road side
--from the terrace we saw the fire at no more than fifteen paces from us~-in a
minute we descended, and twenty minutes. afterwards there remained of the
house but three large walls. I approached as near as the heat and snow of
the current would permit me. I attempted at different times to burn the end
of my handkerchief in it-I could only do it by tying it to my cane. The lava
does not run in liquid waves: it resembles an immense quantity of coals on fire,
which an invincible strength had heaped up and pushed on with violence.--
When it met with a wall, it collected to the height of seven or ten feet, burnt
it and overthrew it at once. I saw some walls get red hot like iron, and melt,
if I may use the expression, into the lava. In its greatest speed and on a hor-
izontal road, I reckoned that the torrent travelled at the rate of 18 inches a
minute. Its smell resembled that of iron red hot.