a
which reached the cemetery of Torre Annunziata turned in the direction
of Pompeii as if to freshly entomb that exhumed city of the past. A
violent storm of sulphurous rain fell at San Giuseppe, Vesuviana and
Sariano, and on all sides the fall of sand and ashes came on again in
full strength. Even with the sun shining high in the heavens the light
was a dim yellow, in the midst of which the few persons who still
haunted the stricken towns moved about in the awful stillness of
desolation like gray ghosts, their clothing, hair and beards covered
with ashes.

THE ERUPTION RESUMED.

A typical case was that of Torre del Greco. Though for thirty hours
the place had been deserted, a few ghostly figures could be seen
at intervals when the vivid flashes of lightning illuminated the
gloom-covered scene, wandering desolately about, hungry and thirsty,
their throats parched by smoke and dust, yet unable to tear themselves
away from the ruins of their late comfortable homes.

So deep was the ash fall that railway or tramway travel to the inner
circle of towns was impossible, and the great depth of fallen dust
choked the roads so as to render travel by carriage or on foot very
difficult. A party of officials made a tour of inspection by automobile,
visiting a number of the town, but were prevented by the state of the
roads from reaching others. Ottajano was thus cut off from travel, and
a heavy fall of ashes followed the officials in their retreat. At Bosco
Trecase the lava had gathered into a lake, already growing solid on top,
but a mass of liquid rock beneath.

The lava carried vast masses of burnt stone and sulphur on its surface,
like dross on melted lead, and nothing was visible toward Bosco
Trecase but endless acres of dark scoriae, broken here and there by the
greenish, curling smoke of sulphur. At one point a great cone pine tree,
torn up by its roots and turned to black charcoal, stuck out of the mass
at a sharp angle. The air was almost unbearable, the heat intense, and
few could long bear the dangers and discomfort of the situation.

SCENES OF HORROR.

The greatest depth of ashes encountered was in the vicinity of Ottajano.
Here large areas were buried to a depth of several feet. Soldiers had
been sent there with military carts, carrying provisions and surgical
appliances, with orders to lend their aid in the work of relief. They
found it almost impossible to make their way through the deep fine dust,
and