of the lava, which was running in two ftreams down the fide of the mountain, till eleven o'clock. I had only a peafant of the mountain with me, and was making my remarks, when, on a fudden, about mid-day the great eruption happened about a quarter of a mile from me; at first it was only like a fountain of liquid fire which fprung up many feet in the air, then a torrent burst out with a moft horrid noife, and came towards us. I took off my coat to lighten my felf, and gave it to the peafant, and we thought proper to run three miles without flopping. By this time the noife had greatly increased, and the afhes caufed almoft a total darkness, and as the earth fhook I thought proper to retire ftill further, and upon returning home I perceived another lava towards the Torre del Annonciata, which in less than two hours flowed four miles. Our villa fhook fo much, and the smell of fulphur was fo ftrong, that I thought proper to return to Naples; and indeed the fright of the family was fo great that it was impoffible to remain at the villa. I The king's palace, though not fo near the mountain as our villa, is ftill within reach of lavas, there being no less than feven, one upon. another, under the palace. thought it right to acquaint the court of the impending danger, and advifed the Marquis Tanucci to perfuade his Sicilian Majefty to remove to Naples directly; but, for what reafon I know not, my advice was not followed; and the confequence was, the lava coming within a mile, and a half of the palace, and the thunder of the mountain increafing, the whole Court was obliged to remove in the middle of the fame night in the utmost confufion. The explosions of the volcano occafioned fo violent a concuffion of the air, that the door of the king's room at Portici was burft open, and one door in the palace, though locked, was forced open; and what is more wonderful, the like happened in many parts of Naples itself. The mountain for three days made this noife by fits, which lafted five or fix hours each time, and then was perfectly quiet: we did not fee the fun clear almoft the whole week, and the afhes fell in quantities at Naples, fo as to cover the houfes and ftreets an inch deep or more. Tis really wonderful to think of the quantity of matter that came out of the mountain in fo fhort a time, for on Thurfday the lavas ceafed running, and if I had not examined them myfelf, fince, I could not have believed it from the place where I faw the mountain burft, to the point where the lava ftopped near Portici, is to be fure feven miles, and five miles of this is travelled in two hours, the very road I came down; notwithstanding which, in fome places the torrent is two miles broad, and the lava 40 feet high: it took its courfe through an immense water channel that is about 400 feet deep, and actually filled it up in fome places. Stones of a moit enormous fize were thrown up from the mouth of the volcano, near a mile high, I believe, and fell at least half a mile from it: in fhort, it is impoffible to defcribe fo glorious and horrid a fcene; for whilft this was going on, Naples was crowded with proceffions, women with their hair loofe and bare feet, full of every fuperftition. The prifoners killed their gaoler, and attempted to break An account of the last honours paid ON N Thurfday the 17th of as his Royal Highnefs had ex- attended: the whole lighting confifted of near 200 tapers. The proceffion from thence to the water-fide was fixed for Sunday at four o'clock in the afternoon, according to the order hereunto fubjoined, and the chambre ardent was opened at nine o'clock that morning. At the fetting out of the proceffion, a fignal was made for the hip to fire minuteguns till the body should be on board: board; as it came out of the palace, the regiment was drawn up, their drums in black, and officers with crape; at the water-fide was the long-boat with a canopy for the body covered with black, and the royal standard hoifted half high; this was towed by the captain's barge, with the mutes in it: behind was the commoner's barge, with his Royal Highness's fervants, and two more Order of the proceffion referred to above: Sailors with Flambeaux All the Duke's Servants Two Surgeons a-breaft Gentlemen who carry the Enfigns of the Garter Two by two Lieutenants. Captain Crosby Captain Dickings Pall-Bearer Pall-Bearer with crimfon velvet, with filver lace round the borders, and put into a new one made by his majefty's upholsterer. A beautiful ufn, covered in the fame manner as the coffin, and lined with white fattin, was fent down, in which the bowels of his Royal Highness were depofited. body. In which order they proceeded to the Jerufalem chamber near the house of lords. The fame day the royal vault in Weftminster Abbey was opened, and at night his Highness's bowels were carried into the vault, where his body was interred the evening following. On the fecond of November, the Between nine and ten on the Mary yacht, with the corpfe of his following evening, the proceffion Royal Highness the Duke of York, began from the Prince's chamber, appeared off Woolwich, and was (whither the body had been refaluted minutely whilft paffing; moved the night before,) paffing about twenty minutes after ten it through the Old Palace-yard to the arrived at Greenwich and foon af- fouth east door of Weft minfter ter three was landed and put into Abbey, upon a floor railed in, cothe hearfe under a royal falute of vered with black cloth, and lined the artillery. The proceffion then on each fide with a party of the began to move towards Weftmin-foot guards, in the following or fter. The hearfe was preceded by der: two coaches and fix, befides his Highness's own body coach, in which were three of the lords of his bed-chamber; one of whom bore the urn with the embalmed parts of his Royal Highness's Drums and trumpets founding a folemn march, with banners attached to them, adorned with naval trophies, the drums covered with black. The Serjeant Trumpeter. Gentlemen, Servants to his Royal Highness. Page of the Back Stairs. Pages of Honour. Mr. Frederick. Mr. Codogan. Capt. Wrottelly. Capt. Hamilton. Col. Morrifon. Secretary. Dr. Blair. Purfuivants of Arms.. Heralds of Arms. Treafurer of his Royal Highnefs's Houthold. Norroy |