us; but during
the whole of the preceding autumn, the fall of rain had been unusually
great and continuous. There were frequent thunderstorms; and, on one
occasion, the quantity of rain that fell was so great, as to cause a
land-slip in Pizzifalcone, by which several houses were overwhelmed;
and, on another occasion, the torrent of rain was so violent, that the
Riviera di Chiaja was covered, to the depth of half a metre, with mud,
and stones brought down by the water from the heights above. This
enormous quantity of water pouring on the slopes of Vesuvius, and
percolating through the crust of the earth into the fiery caverns, where
volcanic forces are generated, being resolved into steam, and possibly
aided by the expansion of volcanic gases, may have been a partial agent
in propelling the formidable stream of lava which has caused such
destruction. We observed, that when lava abounded, the projection of
rocks and lapilli either ceased altogether, or became of small amount.
The whole eruption ended in a shower of impalpable ashes, which hid the
mountain for many days, and which were carried to a great distance by
the wind. Sometimes the ashes were pure white, giving the mountain the
appearance of being covered with snow. Vapour continued to rise from
Vesuvius in beautiful silvery clouds, which ceased and left the edge of
the crater white with sublimations. I owe to Vesuvius the great
pleasure of making the acquaintance of Mr. Phillips, Professor of
Geology in the University of Oxford; and, afterwards, that of Sir John
Lubbock, and Professor Tyndall, who had come to Naples on purpose to see
the eruption. Unfortunately, Sir John Lubbock and Professor Tyndall were
so limited for time, that they could only spend one evening with us; but
I enjoyed a delightful evening, and had much scientific conversation.

Notwithstanding the progress meteorology has made since it became a
subject of exact observation, yet no explanation has been given of the
almost unprecedented high summer temperature of 1868 in Great Britain,
and even in the Arctic regions. In England, the grass and heather were
dried up, and extensive areas were set on fire by sparks from railway
locomotives, the conflagrations spreading so rapidly, that they could
only be arrested by cutting trenches to intercept their course. The
whalers found open water to a higher latitude than usual; but, although
the British Government did not avail themselves of this opportunity f