The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-10-08
MOUNT vESUvIUs.

Monday, Jan. 81, 1928. At sunrise this
morning, we were on our way to this ia
nous volcano. Having rode an hour we
arrived at Resina. Our route Law alone the
beautiful bay of Naples, of which we had
hne view, and OF Vesuvius on the left. We
had no sooner left the carriage, than we
were surrounded by all the ragamuftins of
the town, each one holding donkey, and
lmportuning us to engage himself and beast
for the excursion to the crater. Each one
had much to say in praise of himself and ass,
as the very best in the country. We were
crowded upon, by an indiscrimnate mob Of
men, women, and cattle the halters were
thrust into our very faces, and the clamo
was deafening. The competitors for the job,
would fall into the most violent passions
among themselves, and would threaten to
tear out each others eyes. The scene was
at first sufficiently amusing to excite the most
immoderate laughter; but SO closely did
tag. rag, and bobtai, press upon US, that we
were glad to retreat into shop to get clear
of them. Atlength, having made a bargain
for donkey and guide each, we were soon
mounted, and trudging along toward the
mountain. After trotting along for about
FIVE miles through fields of lava and volcanic
matter, we arrived at the Hermitage, a place
occupied by soldiers, to protect TRAVELLERS
from the banditti. Rested here about half
an hour, enjoying fine prospect of Naples,
and its environs, and in another half hour,
came to the steep part of the mountain, and
left our donkeys. Here we had to footit
for an hour, up the declivity, at an angle of
45 degrees. Here the sand and ashes
through which we had to wade, was so loose.
that we advanced with the greatest Difficult
ty; three quarters of every step was retro
grade before footing could be gained.
At last we attained the summit, and looked
down into the crater. There was not SO
much smoke as we had anticipated, nor was
the appearance of the volcano such as we
! had expected. The cavity Of the crater
was indeed immense, but it appeared not
otherwise, than if it had been followed out
( by the hand of man. The wind blew in
violent gusts, and sometimes would fill our
eyes with ashes, and threaten to pIecipitate
every thing before it down the gulph. but
ever and anon, at intervals, when it happen
ed to be calm, we could hear the internal
fire cracking like the burning of an immense
furnace. 1T was appalling to look down the
crater, on the one side, and on the other,
the steep declivity that we had just ascend
ed, and think what wouldbe the consequent
ces of sudden eruption. Having satisfied
curiosity in respect to the volcano, we look
ed towards Naples and its magnificent bay.
The city, and its glittering white buildings,
its harbor and environs as far as the eye
could reach, were picturesque in the ex-
IRENE. Having enjoyed the scene for an
hour, we began to descend. In this we had
no difficulty. We were foot deep in the
soft, movable matter of the mountain, and
the only care was to preserve an erect pos
ture, to guard against descending too fast,
5, and to keep lookout Cor the loose stones,
that more than once came tumbling down
by us from the summit. In half an hour we
reached the place where the donkeys were
in waiting.
This volcano justly ranks among the Won
ders of creation. We had neither time nor
means of penetrating its bowels in search OF
new discoveries. Indeed, all that can be
said or known of it, is the fact of its being
an immense mountain of combustlble matter
which has been burning internally probabl,
| from the foundation of the earth, wlthou
exhausting its combustible qualities. 1t il
necessarily raging within, and ever vomlt
| forth smoke and ashes, varying in quantit,
at different times. 1t is not dangerous t
; approach the very brink of the crater, ex
cept in cases of extraordinary eruption;
These great explosions have been observe
to have occurred after very unequal intel