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Volcanic Mountains: Vesuvius

VESUVIUS, -is a celebrated volcano of Italy, six miles east of Naples. This mountain has two tops; one only of one only of which goes by the name of Vesuvius, the other being now called Somma; but Sir William Hamilton is of opinion, that the latter is what the ancients called Vesuvius The perpendicular height of Vesuvius is only three thousand seven hundred feet, though the ascent from the foot to seven hundred feet, though the ascent from the foot to the top is three Italian miles. One side of the mountain is well cultivated and fertile, producing great plenty of vines; but the south and west sides are entirely covered with cinders and ashes, while a sulphureous smoke constantly issues from the top, sometimes attended with the most violent explosions of stones, the emission of great streams of lava, and all the other attendants of a most formidable volcano.