CHAPTER V.

OF THE VOLCANIC PHENOMENON.

THE volcanic phenomenon consists of a process to which nature has recourse for the purpose of restoring the earth's fertility. The stone ignited by volcanic fire, at great depth beneath the surface of the earth, is caused to expand enormously, and in a melted state to run out in great torrents, and to flow like water over the surrounding land, clouds of ashes and vast quantities of burning matter being, by the fiery blast, and violent explosions, at the same time, caused to pass through the air: the effused substance gradually crumbling down into new and most fertile earth.

It is related that in some of the eruptions of Etna, a deluge of lava four miles broad and fifty feet deep has issued from the mountain, taking its course over a great extent of country, overwhelming forests and every thing in its way. When large bodies of lava have passed from volcanoes directly down into the sea, the most indescribably terrific phenomenon is said to have presented itself, accompanied by explosive burning of the waters.

Etna.

Mount Etna, perhaps, affords the best example Mount extant of the restoration of the earth's fertility by the volcanic process. Etna and the forty extinct craters about it, have fertilized Sicily, by the decomposed granite which they have thrown forth. Vegetation has taken possession of some of those craters, which contain forests of oak and other

1

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ne, the Seventy

sent very

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from the

been burn1 from this having been oling process open of the

es evidently ex

Edinburgh. The

sent volcanic hol

in other parts: the rtainly, has been the

new earth

to that of the old soil; the of volca

ve an extreme purity of flavour.

grown on the soil of the old are indescribably delicious whilst the neighbourhood of Rome are nauseous, earthy taste. Hence the om grapes grown on the side of Vesucalled lacrymæ Christi, tears of Christ, treme purity of the juice of the fruit: of the moins is always superior to the On the old impure

the vines and other trees eat luxuriance; but the very unpleasant insipidity

noes.

Campania
Felice.

A

timber, the largest and finest in the world.
great zone of vegetation has sprung up, extending
over the sides of Etna, called La Regione Selvosa,
or, The Woody Region, forming a continuous circle
all round the mountain, with a breadth of eight and
ten miles extending towards its summit, having,
according to Recupero, a circumference of about
eighty miles, and comprehending a surface of about
forty-five square leagues, where the most profuse
and luxuriant vegetation revels on the new earth
which has resulted from the pulverized lava and
ashes of the mountain. That great forest supplies
the dock-yards, and all the surrounding country
with timber and wood. The ground is covered with
the richest aromatic plants, and the most beautiful
flowers, and produces the most delicious fruit, and
the largest trees in the world. Its atmosphere is

no less remarkable for its clearness, purity, and
rich fragrance. Over the sides of Etna are scat-
tered no less than seventy-seven cities, towns, and
villages.

All the most fertile parts of the earth are marked by traces of volcanoes or of volcanic action; and the regions now most fertile, are those which have been most recently visited by the volcanic process. For example, it is evident that the former mountains of the Campania Felice, and Campi Phlegræi, near Naples, have been dispersed by volcanic fire; and on account of the luxuriant vegetation which rioted on the debris of the stone of those regions, the former has been, by the ancients, named the Campania Felice, or Happy Fields. Between Naples and Cumea, in the space of twenty miles in length

and ten in breadth, there is said to be no less than sixty extinct volcanic craters: and in Auvergne, the most fertile part of the south of France, seventy have been enumerated.

Ireland, Scotland, and England, also present very conspicuous traces of volcanoes. The basalt of the Giant's Causeway has certainly resulted from the lava of a volcano, which seems to have been burning at the time that Ireland was torn from this island; the columnar form of the stone having been occasioned by the rapidity of the cooling process consequent on the suddden tearing open of the abyss. The fire of this volcano has evidently extended itself to all the stone about Edinburgh. The hills in the north of England present volcanic hollows; such also may be observed in other parts: the valley in which Bath stands, certainly, has been the site of a volcano.

Fertile

new earth

noes.

The new earth of the volcanoes produces a vegetation vastly superior to that of the old soil; the of volcafruits grown on it have an extreme purity of flavour. The figs and grapes grown on the soil of the old volcano of Ischia are indescribably delicious whilst those produced in the neighbourhood of Rome are apt to have a nauseous, earthy taste. Hence the wine made from grapes grown on the side of Vesuvius has been called lacrymæ Christi, tears of Christ, from the extreme purity of the juice of the fruit : the wine of the mountains is always superior to the produce of low situations. On the old impure soil of the plain of the Po, the vines and other trees grow, apparently, with great luxuriance; but the fruit has a flatness and very unpleasant insipidity