Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1833-11-14

Columns, painted walls, wheel-wo'n
streets, amphitheatres, palaces, all as
lonely and deserted as the grave, stand I
around you, and behind is poor cottage
and vineyard Of fresh earth just putting
forth its buds, and beyond, the broad,
blue, familiar buy, covered with steam
boats and sails, and populous modern
Naples in the Jistance--a scene as
strangely mingled, perhaps, as any to be
found in the world. We looked around
for while, and then walked on through
the vineyard to the amphitheatre which
lies beyond near the other gate OF the
city. 1t is a gigantic ruin, completely
excavated, aud capable Of containing
90, 900 spectators. The form is oval,
and the architecture particularly fine
Besides the many vomtories or passages
for ingress or egress, there are three
smaller alleys, one used as the entrance
| for wild beasts, one for the gladiators,
and the third as that by which the dead
were taken away. The skeletons Of
eight lions and Il man, supposed TO be
their keeper were found in one Of their
dens beneath. and those OF FIVE other
persons near the different docrs. II is
presumed that the greater proportion Of
the inhabitants of Pompeii, must have es-
! capped by sea, as the eruption occurred
! while they were nearly all assembled on
tins spot and these few skeletons only
have been iound.t
Il We returned through the vineyard,
and stopping at the Cottage, called for
some of the wine Of the last vintage, de
/ lcious, like all those IN the neighbor-
hood Of Nesuvius,) and producing our
basket Of victuals, made most agreea-
bic dinner. Twoparties Of English pas
sed while we were sitting ut our out-of.
doors table. Our attendant was an un-
commonly pretty girl Of sixteen, born on
the spot, and famous just now as the OBJ
ject .! young English nobleman's pc
cular admiration She is fine, dark
f. eyed creature, but certainly no prettier
{ than every fifth peasant girl in Italy.
{ Having finished our picturesque meal
7 we went down into the ancient streets
: once more, and arrived at the small tenn
pie of Isis, building in excellent pre-
, servation. On the altar stood, when il
was excavated, small statue of Isis, of
} exquisite workmanship, (now in the mu-
{ scum, to which all the curiosities of the
. place are carried) and behind this we
were shown the secret peuetrdiia, where
= the priests were concealed who uttered
j the oracles supposed to be pronoun ced
g by The goddess. The access was by n
b small secret flight Of stairs, communica-
e ting with the apartments Of the priests in
: the rear. The largest Of these apart
It ments was probably the refractory, and
s here was found human skeleton near a
: table, upon which lay dinner utensils
IS chicken bones, bones Of fishes, bread ant
TX wine, and faded garland of flowers
I'd In the kitchen, which we next visited
were found cooking utensils, remains q
j, food, and the skeleton of a man lcanin;
A against the wall with an axe in his hand
ID and near him n considerable hole, whicl
" he had evidently cut to max e his escap,
e when the door was stopped by cinders
e The skeleton of one Of the priests wa,
g found PROSTATE near the temple, and il
e his hand three hundred and sixty coin.
'f Of silver, forty two Of bronze, and eigh
/ of gold, wrapped strongly in cloth H'
!, had probably stopped before his flight t.
" load himself With the treasures Of the
l. temples, and was overtaken by the show
4 er of cinders and suhocated. The skel
lie etons Of one or two were found upor
, beds, supposed TO have been smothereo
. while asleep or i'll. The temple is beau.
e tilnlly paved with mosaic, (as indeed are
o all the better private houses and public
l., buildings of Pompeii) and the open inner
court is bordered with quadrilateraI
a portico. The building is OF the Roman
:, Doric order. | have neither time mol
i room to enumera,c the curiosities found
!; here and in the other parts Of the city,
n and i only notice those which most in,-
o pressed my memory. The enumeration
!. by Madame Stark, will be found exceed
y ingly interesting to those who have not
n read her laconic guide book.
d We passed next across a small stree,
: to the tragic theatre, a large handsome
!, building, where the seats for the ves,als
e consuls, and other places Of honor ar,
!. well preserved, and thence up the hill tc
e the temple Of Hercules, which must have
2 been noble edifice, commanding a
: superb view Of the sea.
e The next object was tho triangular
n forum, an open space surrounded with
three porticoes, supported by hundred
> Doric columns. Here were found sew
eral skeletons, one Of which was that of
!, man who had loaded himself with plum
y der. Gold and silver coins, cups, rings,
: spoons, buckles and other things. were
" found under him. Near here, under the
,, ruins Of wall were discovered skeletons