chimney. Close by this mouth is another, somewhat nearer the
precipice, only twenty feet wide, in which I could observe the play
of the column of liquid lava, which at intervals poised itself at a
level. This lava did not look like a burning mass vomiting flames,
but as glossy as molten metal--like iron issuing from the smelting
furnace, or silver at the bottom of a crucible.

"This melted mass rose and fell--evidently urged by the powerful
tension of elastic vapours pressing it upwards from beneath; and it
was easy to perceive the balance of effect between the weight of
the molten masses and the pressure of the steam which resisted
them. The surface rose and fell rhythmically: there was heard a
peculiar sound, like the crackling of air from bellows entering the
door of a furnace. A bubble of white vapour issued at each crack,
raising the lava, which fell down again immediately after its
escape. These bubbles of vapour dragged to the surface of the lava
red-hot cinders, which danced as if tossed by invisible hands in
rhythmic sport above the brink of the opening.

"This play, so regular and attractive, was interrupted, every
quarter of an hour or so, by more tumultuous movements. The mass of
whirling vapour then rested motionless for a moment--even making a
jerking motion of return, as if inhaled by the crater, from the
bottom of which the lava rose more strongly as if to encounter it.
Then the ground trembles, and the walls of the crater starting
bend. It was quite an earthquake. The mouth of the crater uttered a
loud rolling bellow, which was followed by an immense bubble of
vapour, bursting at the surface of the lava with a loud thundering
report. The whole surface of the lava, reduced to glowing
splinters, was then tossed into the air.