side; the wild,
hopeless desolation of the country beyond; and the numerous cones, each
the mouth of a miniature volcano, sending forth smoke in every
direction. We had nearly reached the summit of the cone, when a thick
puff of sulphureous smoke almost drove us back headlong. A loud roar at
the same time, louder than a thousand claps of thunder, saluted our
ears.

"Fly! fly!" cried our guides; "the mountain is going to vomit forth its
fiery breath." Not a moment did we delay. Down the side of the cone we
sprung--none of us looked back. Thicker and thicker came forth the
smoke. Rivulets of lava began to flow, streaming down the cone into the
lake below; some came towards the causeway, leaping down its sides. On
we went, every instant dreading a fall through the thin crust. Ashes
came forth and fell around us, and then huge masses of rock came down
with loud splashes into the fiery plain. Some went even before us, and
were buried deep in the ground over which we had to tread. The roar of
the mountain continued. Down we sprung; a blow from a stone would have
killed us--a false step would have sent us into the fiery pool, to the
instant and utter annihilation of our mortal frames. I felt as if I
could not cry out. An unspeakable dread and horror had seized me. At
length the plain of lava was regained. No one was hurt; yet the danger
was not past. Still the lava streamed forth. It might overflow the
banks of the lake, for aught we could tell. Ashes and masses of rock
fell in showers around us. We fled like Lot and his family, nor stopped
till we reached the cliff. Then it was searched in vain for a way to
mount to the summit. We did now look back to see if the lava was
following us, but the glowing lake lay as calm as before. The outburst
seemed to have subsided. Now and then a jet of lava and fire came
forth, and a puff of smoke, but both soon ceased. At last, walking
round under the cliff, we found a practicable way to the top. We were
saved, and grateful for our escape, while our curiosity was amply
satisfied. We were suffering much from thirst, when what was our
surprise to come upon a pool of clear water, with reeds growing round
it, though in the very neighbourhood of hot basins of sulphur, and of
cones spouting forth wreaths of smoke! We expected to find the water
hot, instead of which, it was deliciously cool and refreshing. On
ascending the cliff, we found that it was too late to descend