DOI chapter:
Chap. I: Bay and Castle of Procida - Evening Hymn - Beautiful View, Observations - the Island of Vivara - Ischia, its Mountains, Eruptions, Appearance, and Population - Nisida - Vesuvius
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62268#0037
Ch. I. THROUGH ITALY. 27
rocky roof of which has given way, and admitted
light from above. Hence it is conjectured, that
it is par of the interior of the mountain, as the
rido’e nat borders it, or the Monte Somma, is
the remnant of the exterior, or original sur-
face so much cel brated for its beauty and ferti-
lity, previous to the eruption of the year 79 of the
Christian era. It is indeed probable, that the
throes and convulsions of the mountain in that
first tremendous explosion may have totally shat-
tered its upper parts, while the vast ejection of
ashes, cinders, ignited stones, and melted mine-
rals, must have left a large void in its centre.
One entire side of the mountain seems to have
been consumed, or scattered around on this occa-
sion, while the other remains in Monte Somma.
The cavity thus formed was filled up in part by
the matter ejected in suf sequent eruptions, and
gradually raised into the present cone, which
however varies its shape with every new agita-
tion, and increases or diminishes, according to
the quantity of materials thrown out by the
mountain. Even in the last eruption*, it lost a
considerable share of its elevation, as the greater
part of it, after having been raised and kept
suspended in the air for some minutes, sunk into
An. 1794.
rocky roof of which has given way, and admitted
light from above. Hence it is conjectured, that
it is par of the interior of the mountain, as the
rido’e nat borders it, or the Monte Somma, is
the remnant of the exterior, or original sur-
face so much cel brated for its beauty and ferti-
lity, previous to the eruption of the year 79 of the
Christian era. It is indeed probable, that the
throes and convulsions of the mountain in that
first tremendous explosion may have totally shat-
tered its upper parts, while the vast ejection of
ashes, cinders, ignited stones, and melted mine-
rals, must have left a large void in its centre.
One entire side of the mountain seems to have
been consumed, or scattered around on this occa-
sion, while the other remains in Monte Somma.
The cavity thus formed was filled up in part by
the matter ejected in suf sequent eruptions, and
gradually raised into the present cone, which
however varies its shape with every new agita-
tion, and increases or diminishes, according to
the quantity of materials thrown out by the
mountain. Even in the last eruption*, it lost a
considerable share of its elevation, as the greater
part of it, after having been raised and kept
suspended in the air for some minutes, sunk into
An. 1794.