322 JOURNEY THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF THE CRIMEA,

vapour, and the noife had apparently fubfided; but he returnedwith an account, that the hill had been rent, and prefentedan opening, the extent of which could not be afcertained; asevery accefs to it was rendered impoffible, by the fudden andfucceffive ftreams of hot mud that overflowed it in every direc-tion, and were fometimes accompanied with flames and fmoke.The eruption, however, was not attended with any fhocks of anearthquake.

According to the colle&ed teftimonies of perfons, who wit-nefTed the awful fcene from Taman and Yenilcale, and whovifited the mountain immediately after the eruption, it com-menced with a noife refembling a peal of thunder, both in itsftrength and duration. Prior to and for fome time after thereport, the inhabitants perceived a whiftling and ruftling in theair. A white vapour afcended during the explofion, and wasfucceeded by a black footy fmoke, through which appeared acolumn of red and pale-yellow flame, rifmg in a perpendicularline to double the height of the mountain, and fpreading onthe top not unlike a fheaf of com ; though a confiderable windagitated the atmofphere. The column of 6re was vifible forabout twenty-five minutes, when it gradually vanifhed, butthe fmoke continued from four to five hours; difperfing itfelfin thick heavy clouds on both fides, which alfo fubfided onthe following day. During the firft explofion, the hill threwup quantities of mud into the air, and fcattered it about inevery direction to the diftance of a verft. The great mafs ofmud proceeded from the gulf, or crater, by raifing and re-moving the argillaceous earth from the furface, which at thattime was frozen to the depth of feven feet. At firft it flowed

rapidly,