3-021-489 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius [in Italy]: flood of lava and red-hot ashes, 1868. Engraving of a sketch by Lieutenant H. Robley, of the 68th Regiment, showing '...the moving mass of live ashes and lava travelling down hill on the night of the 5th January. It had a very perceptible motion, like a sea of mud. Its shape resembled that of a glacier, especially at the base, where, as it fell over and over, the crust of grey ashes opened, and showed in the interior, as in a huge furnace, the living fire of the lava. The day was obscured by rain and by the steam from the rain and mist on the fire. The cone of the volcano was therefore hidden from view. On the left hand is seen the hill of the Observatory, with a cross above it...a stream of burning lava, mixed with red-hot ashes, burst out from the principal cone, overwhelmed the smaller one, and rushed down over the western side of the mountain...For two days the stream which flowed towards Resina advanced with a velocity of 500 metres a day...It is calculated that at this time the depth of this bed of burning matter was from six to seven metres...Frequent shocks of earthquake were felt in Naples during this interval, and on the 11th, at mid-day, one was perceived very sensibly'. From "Illustrated London News", 1868.