cone and
traversed the Atria del Cavallo, always covered, appearing below the
Canteroni of a lively fluidity, until it could no longer be enveloped in
its skin, which was stretched by the addition of new lava, and finally
rent asunder to give room to the current until, owing to diminished
liquidity, it was constrained to stop. When the lava, having traversed
the covered channel it had made for itself from the top of the mountain
to below the Canteroni, made its appearance still running, it frequently
formed large bubbles on the surface, which mostly burst to give vent to
smoke, and then disappeared.

In October, 1871, near the edge of the central crater, another small
crater was formed by falling in, which, after a few days, gave vent to
smoke and several jets of lava. The principal cone frequently opened in
some point of the slope to give egress to small currents of lava, which
quickly ceased. But towards the end of October the detonations
increased, the smoke from the central crater issued more densely and
mixed with ashes, and the seismograph and accompanying apparatus were
disturbed: for all these reasons, I said in one of my bulletins, _we
have either reached a new phase or the end of the eruption_, not knowing
whether the new phase would be the last. On the 3rd and 4th November
copious and splendid lava streams coursed down the principal cone on its
western side, but were soon exhausted. The cone of 1871 appeared again
at rest, and partly even fell in, but did not cease to emit smoke and to
show fire in the interior.

In the beginning of January, 1872, the little cone again became active,
the crater of the preceding October resumed strength, with frequent
bellowings and projectiles, and soon after lavas of the same kind as
before reappeared. The cone of 1871, formed again by the lava ejected,
became so full that the lava poured from its summit in the most singular
and enchanting manner. So far only an eccentric or ephemeral cone had
risen close to the central crater, which, after exhaustion, regained
vigour and discharged lava from the apex instead of the base, as usually
happens.

In the month of February matters were somewhat moderated; but in March,
with the full moon, the cone opened on the north-west side--the cleavage
being manifest by a line of fumaroles--and a lava stream issued from the
lowest part without any noise and with very little smoke, and poured
down into the Atria del Cavallo as far as the pr