By Phil Stewart and Clara Ferreira-Marques
Vatican City - As the first wisps of smoke appeared, signalling the end of a vote in the Vatican's sealed Sistine Chapel, there was an audible gasp from the thousands gathered to witness the election of a new pope.
But the excitement on the packed St Peter's Square soon turned to uncertainty as the crowds struggled for the second day in a row to agree on the colour of the smoke - which reveals the outcome of the vote - against the cloudy Rome sky.
"It looked black, then white, then black. People started cheering. I thought I was going to have heart failure," Karen Martello, a tourist from New York said breathlessly, as she squinted to see the smoke still rising from the chapel roof.
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'When everyone starting applauding my heart leapt' Black smoke from burning ballot papers rising from the thin metal chimney is the age-old signal for an inconclusive vote, but white would indicate the conclave had chosen a new pontiff.
Around the square groups of people, many with binoculars, stared nervously at the chimney in the hope of a clear colour.
"I understand that they're meant to add chemicals so that it will be either white or black. But it's not," said Colette Mcglevy, who travelled from Ireland for the conclave. "I suppose it adds to all the excitement to guess what colour it is."
During the 1978 conclave, there was confusion over the smoke that signalled the election of John Paul II, as it came out of the makeshift chimney a light grey.
This time, the Vatican has said the bells of St Peter's Basilica will also ring if a pope has been elected - to make sure there is no mistake.
'It is still too soon for a vote' But to make matters worse, Tuesday's rafts of smoke came just before the bells of St Peter's chimed noon, prompting cheers and loud applause.
"When everyone started applauding my heart leapt," said Santiago Roja, a priest from Mexico.
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