After this flight sketch of the molt remarkable events on Vefuvius fince the year 1767, which I flatter myself will not be unacceptable, as it may ferve to connect what I am going to relate with what has already been communicated to the Society in my former letters on the fame fubject, I come to the account of the late eruption, which affords indeed ample matter for curious fpeculation.

As many poetical defcriptions of this eruption will not be wanting, I fhall confine mine to fimple matter of fact in plain profe, and endeavour to convey to you, Sir, as clearly and as diftinctly as I am able, what I faw myself, and the impreffion it made upon me at the time, without aiming in the leaft at a flowery ftyle.

The ufual fymptoms of an ap. proaching eruption, fuch as rombling noites and explofions within the bowels of the volcano, a quantity of fmoke iffuing with force from its crater, 'accompanied at times with an emillion of red hot fcoriæ and afhes, were manifelt, more or lefs, during the whole month of July; and towards the end of the month, thofe fymptoms were increased to fuch a degree as to exhibit in the night-time the most beautiful fireworks that can be imagined.

Thefe kinds of throws of redhot fcoriæ and other volcanic matter, which at night are fo bright and luminous, appear in broad day-light like fo many black spots

in the midst of the white smoke; and it is this circumftance that occafions the vulgar and falfe fuppofition, that volcanos burn much more violently at night than in the day-time.

On Thursday, the 5th of Auguft laft, about two o'clock in the afternoon, I perceived from my villa at Paufilipo, in the bay of Naples, from whence I have a full view of Vefuvius (which is just oppofite, and at the diftance of about fix miles in a direct line from it) that the volcano was in a most violent agitation: a white and fulphureous fmoke iffued continually and impetuoufly from its crater, one puff impelling another, and by an accumulation of those clouds of fmoke refembling bales of the whiteft cotton, fuch a mafs of them was foon piled over the top of the volcano as exceeded the height and fize of the mountain itself at least four times. In the midst of this very white fmoke, an immenfe quantity of ftones, scoriæ, and ashes, were shot up to a wonderful height, certainly not lefs than two thousand feet. I could alfo perceive, by the help of one of Ramfden's moft excellent refracting tele/copes, at times, a quantity of liquid lava, seemingly very weighty, juft heaved up high enough to clear the rim of the crater, and then take its course impetuously down the steep fide of Vefuvius, oppofite to Somma. Soon after a lava broke out on the fame fide from about the middle of

the

Ourfelves, from the higheft to the lowest, underwent the fame fufpicious fcrutiny whenever we went from or returned on board the fhip. Our backs were firft ftroked down by the hand of the infpector; our fides, bellies, and thighs, were then in like manner examined; so that it was next to impoffible that any thing could be concealed.

Formerly they were lefs exact In this vifitation; the chief of the factory and captain of the veffel were even exempted from it. This privilege they ufed in its utmoft extent: each dreffed himself in a great coat, in which were two Jarge pockets, or rather facks, for the reception of contraband goods, and they generally paffed backwards and forwards three times a day.

Abuses of this nature irritated the Japan government fo much, that they refolved to make new regulations. For fome time they found, that the more dexterity they used in detecting the tricks of the Europeans, the more dextroufly they contrived to evade them at laft, however, by repeated trials, they have fo compleatly abridged their liberties, that it is now almost, if not abfolutely, impoffible to smuggle any thing.

The complexions of the Japanese are in general yellowish, although fome few, generally women, are almoft white. Their narrow eyes and high eye-brows are like thofe of the Chinese and Tartars. Their nofes, though not flat, are fhorter and thicker than ours. Their hair is univerfally black; and fuch a fameness of fashion reigns through this whole empire, that the head

drefs is the fame from the emperor to the peasant.

The mode of the men's head

drefs is fingular; the middle part of their heads, from the forehead very far back, is close shaven; the hair remaining round the temples and nape of the neck is turned up and tied upon the top of the head into a kind of brush, about as long as a finger; this brush is again lapped round with white thread, and bent a little backwards.

The women preserve all their hair, and, drawing it together on the top of the head, roll it round a loop, and fattening it down with pins, to which ornaments are affixed, draw out the fides till they appear like little wings; behind this

a comb is ftuck in.

Physicians and priests are the only exception to the general fafhion; they fhave their heads intirely, and are by that means diftinguished from the rest of the people.

The fashion of their cloaths has alfo remained the fame from the highest antiquity. They confift of one or more loose gowns, tied about the middle with a fash; the women wear them much longer than the men, and dragging on the ground. In fummer they are very thin; but in winter quilted with filk or cotton wadding.

People of rank have them made of filk; the lower class of cotton ftuffs. Women generally wear a greater number of them than men, and have them more ornamented, often with gold or filver flowers woven into the stuff.

Thefe gowns are generally left open at the breast; their fleeves are very wide, but partly fewed

up

up in front, fo as to make a kind of pocket, into which they can eafily put their hands, and in this they generally carry papers, or fuch like light things.

Men of confequence are diftinguished from thofe of inferior rank by a fhort jacket of thin black ftuff, which is worn over their gowns, and trowfers open on the fides, but fewed together near the bottom, which take in their skirts. Some ufe drawers, but all have their legs naked. They wear fandals of straw, fastened to their feet by a bow paffing over the inftep, and a string which paffes between the great toe and that next to it, fixing to the bow. In winter they have focks of linen, and in rainy or dirty weather, wooden fhoes,

They never cover their heads but on a journey, when they use a conical cap made of ftraw; at other times they defend themselves from the fun or the rain by fans or umbrellas.

In their fafh they faften the fabre, fan, and tobacco-pipe; the fabre always on the left fide, and (contrary to our European cuftom) with the fharp edge uppermoft. Those who are in public employments wear two, the one confiderably longer than the other.

Their houfes are built with upright pofts, croffed and wattled with bamboo, plaistered both without and within, and white washed. They generally have two ftories; but the uppermost is low, and feldom inhabited. The roofs are covered with pantiles, large and heavy, but neatly made. The floors are elevated two feet from the ground, and covered with planks. On thefe are laid mats

which are double, and filled with ftraw three or four inches thick. The whole house confifts of one large room; but may be divided at pleasure into several smaller, by partitions made with frames of wood, filled up with painted paper, that fix into grooves made for that purpose in the floor and cieling. The windows are also frames of wood, divided into fquares, filled up with very thin white paper, tranfparent enough to answer tolerably well the purpose of glass.

They have no furniture in their rooms; neither tables, chairs, ftools, benches, cupboards, or even beds. Their custom is to fit down on their heels upon the mats, which are always foft and clean. Their victuals are ferved up to them on a low board, raised but a few inches from the floor, and one dish only at a time. Mirrors they have, but never fix them up in their houses as ornamental furniture; they are made of a compound metal, and used only at their toilets.

Notwithstanding the feverity of their winters, which oblige them to warm their houses from November to March, they have neither fire-places nor ftoves; inftead of thefe they use large copper pots ftanding upon legs; these are lined on the infide with loam, on which afhes are laid to fome depth, and charcoal lighted upon them, which feems to be prepared in fome manner which renders the fumes of it not at all dangerous.

The Portuguese, in all probability, first introduced the ufe of tobacco into Japan: however, be that as it may, they use it now with great frugality, though both F 3

fexes,

I had the fatisfaction to attend the ambaffador, who was intrufted with these presents, on his journey to Jeddo, the capital of this vaft empire, fituated at an immenfe diftance from Nagafacci, a journey on which three Europeans only are permitted to go, attended by two hundred Japanese at least.

We left our little island of Dezima, and the town of Nagafacci, on the 4th of March, 1776, and travelled through Cocora to Simonoseki, where we arrived on the 12th, and found a veffel prepared for us; we embarked on board her, and coafted along to Fiogo. From thence we travelled by land to Ofacca, one of the principal commercial towns in the empire. At this place we remained the 8th and 9th of April, and on the 10th arrived at Miaco, the refidence of the Dairi, or ecclefiaftical emperor. Here we also stayed two days; but after that made the best of our way to Jeddo, where we arrived on the ift of May.

We were carried by men in a kind of palankins, called norimons, covered, and provided with windows. The prefents alfo and our provifions were carried on men's fhoulders, except a few articles, which were loaded on pack-horfes. The Japanese officers who attended us provided us with every thing, fo that our journey was by no means troublefome.

On the 18th we had an audience of the cubo, or temporal emperor, of the heir-apparent, and of the twelve fenators; the day following, of the ecclefiaftical governors, the governors of the town, and other high officers. On the 23d we had our audience of leave. We left Jeddo on the 26th of May, and arrived at Miaco on the 7th of June. Here we had an audience of the emperor's viceroy, to whom we also made prefents, as we were not allowed to fee the dairi, or ecclefiaftical emperor. On the 11th we procured leave to walk about the town, and visit the temples and principal buildings. In the evening we set out for Ofacca, which town we were alfo permitted to view, which we did on the 13th.

We faw temples, theatres, and many curious buildings; but, above all, the manufactory of copper, which is melted here, and no where else in the empire.

On the 14th we had an audience of the governors of this town; after which we refumed our journey to Fiogo, where we again embarked on the 18th, and proceeded by fea to Simonofeki, from whence we arrived on the 23d at Cocota, and from thence were carried in norimons to Nagafacci, and arrived at our little island Dezima on the last day of June, after an absence of one hundred and eighteen days,