Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-08-17
Foreign Correspondence Of the n. v. Tribune.
ASCENT or yEsUyUjs

ASCENT OF vEsUvIUs
NAPtE-, March, 1Sl3.
We have been To Mount vesuvius and to-day has been
one OF the richest days of my life The morning bright
ana Clear nnd the road 10y along the bay Of Naples We
made shor, stop Portic, where the King has palace
II IS beautiful situation with gardens and
aI inc Injuries that royalty easily afford. The
taste and beauty Of the interior, however, are chiefly
'"ihg To Madam Mura, TIE x-Queen Of Naples, who
reformed not only this but all the royal palaces of the
city. When the dethroned Ferdinand returned from ST.
ey' he was exceedingly pleased with the improvements
MS eonqueror had made, and very good humoredly re-
marked mat 'Nurat was excellent upholsterer." The
portraits OF Napoleons and Mura. families arc still ,be,.
ana SAID to be excellent lkenesses The whole palace is
III excellent taste, but the only thing remarkable noticed
was porcelain room, the walls and ceilings Of which
were covered with china from the celebrated manactory
OF CaPo di Mont, specimens OF which are now seldom
round These porcelain panels pointed with LANDSCAPES
and boder,d with wreaihs alto relieve coorcd like life
ana as large with squirrels and birds mingled in charming
confusion The frames OF the mirrors and chandeliers werc
OF the material and the effect Of the whole was
gu!ar and pleasing. hurried through the rooms anxious
to be- on the side OF Vosnyus.
We soon came 10 the place where horse, and donkevq
are taken tor the ascent and here scmmbng and slua
ing ana quarreling commenced that would not have dis
graced steam boalauding OF New York. In the morn
ing when we started mounted the box OF the carrage
with the driver as II he owned it, | asked him wha, he
III n
guide replied, "ycs, Of course ascend the mountains
surprising all was right, on. But here discoy
cred That horse could not be had without guide 10 &C
company MINI turned friend the coach boN and
asked what this mean, and why he had presumed to fs.te
himself on me IN this way He seemed to be somewhat
Mustered, but replied with great dca Of -uaviry son SIR
u see you are not cheated aud have every thing arranged
on your return" 81 take care Of that said 81 dn,,
mean to be cheated byyou others either But the day
was advancing, and this place or time u quarrel
with him, Tor It would only swell the Babel tha, already
At htr,ps
looking horse, while the vuuous donkey that ever
went unsHeared was led up | asked my supcrnu.
meTay guide II this the animal he had come thus far
10 provide We with lie said he thought was an excel
en'6'asi replied was sorry could not agree with
m and deliberately walked away The owner then threw
himself before me- with MS tenure shaggy Io,g cared
inend determined should take HIM asked MIN # he
called haa horse. mo, your exeeeucy but an EcE,rr
rssiNo ASS No. said very coOy your are mistaken.
i neither al horse lie looked in as,onish
ment ms much say, What do you neon? what
lthen' The others had become quiet by ihs time aud
stood waiting the issue. Why, said l. DON'T Won sec it,
EAr--a large RATyou arc wishing me IN r,3o1,
ne men looked each other lr moment
ana then burst into load laugh Seeing was not 10 be
duped they led me forth very nice grey poney which
mounted and galloped Oft.
The guide with strong stick in one hand seized my
friends horse 10y the ia and roed after The ascent for
some Time IS gradual the road passing through VINEYARDS
from which Lachiyma Christi OF Christ as cersi,
kind OF wine is called made The scene gradually grew
dIeaTer until we 10 the region Of pure lava can
convey 10 you no idea Of tie feelings this utterly barren
ana rough Just As II cooled It's slow aud troubled march
Tor the Here II obstacle and rose into bor
eI there II lei of into ridges that cracked and broke into
fragments NIL the whole inclined plane Iat spreads off from
the base ct the appears II the earth had been yio
eny shaken till all the large and loose portions had risen
To the surface. Sometimes could trace for some dis
lance sort OF circular wall OF cooled lava behind which
tie redhot stream had gathered and glowed like brow of
wrath Nothing could be dreary and desoate Thro'
ths was passing IN narrow path My eve wandered nj
her and hther the scahed and Jackened mass blu,
sOleu
enty ascended heavy column OF smoke. From this we
were TO ascend ridge OF earth that the volcano spar
cd anu on winch stood the hermitage. Before reaching
we Coud see on IL narrow top extending nearly
OF the peak, the forms Of mules and horses slowly march
ing IN Indian he and carrying company in advance of L.
10 h same destination Their appearance that distance
and above in bold against the clear .kv was
novel and picturesque. We did stop the hermitage
but pushing straight reached the field of lava thro
"hich our animals picked their with praseorthy
care. As was slowly crossing this rough tract,
the distance ~ 30 mules and horses sadded and brded
scattered around the top the peak amidst the lava on
the open mountain side, like Arab camp the desert
mere we also dismouned, and began the almost perpend:-
cular ascent.
The company before looked like dwas clinging to the
side OF the mountain There was lady among them who
with birdie around her waist pulled up the guide
Ours also started with bride but told him 10 throw i, a.
way, as could take care Of myself Halfway up came
upon S1ow-bank, on which cooled my parched lips
Again and again compelled rest but without re-
greet ror whenever turned eyes below they were
met 10y one Of the most magnificent prospects the
U Naples. of
CdpH ana lschia beyond which the blue Mediterranean
melted away into the mid horizon; nearer slept the civ
with Its palaces and towers, while far away inland on t
the eye grew dim with the extended prospect swept away
the whole compagna tcce, happy country glorious
panorama OF villages, villas fields and vineyards Around
me piled lava that had poured in redhot stream
where sat- close beneath immense cavity, where
volcano had once ragged and died. When near the top as
stood looking off on the world below dense cloud of
mist, borne by the wind swept and around me- blot
ting out in an instant every thing from nay sight cold
hFsH ma.
sunlight and almost bOundcs prospect TO sudden twilight
aud few feet Of broken lava chilling and gloomy
that II for moment dnmped my ardor Our guide howev-
er told Us II would pass rallied spirits and
pressed When reached the summit a prospect
more dreary than had before imagined presented itself
barren field OF stones and ashes and ragged peaks A.
cruSs which fragments Ui passing with the speed
and noiseessness Of spirits lay before Holes appeared
at intervals from which the hot steam Of the burning world
below issuing.
At length reached the verge Of the crater and the i'm
mcHse basin with It's black smoking in the centre was
below From the redhot mouth boiled fast and fierce
an immense column OF smoke, accompanied intervals
with heavy sound and jets Of rcd-hot scora. was dis
appointed expected TO only crater and mouder
ing heap. But mountain was in more than common
agitation and had been throughout the winter seemed
to sympathso with Ena and other volcanoes that appear
10 nave chosen this year for general waking up Every
one has been anticipating eruption, and think there
will be one. could compare to nothing but the work
lug OF an immense steam engine, IL had steady sound
like the working heavy piston, while short intervals
the valve seemed 10 t and the escape with
pJsive sound, aud At the time the black smoke and
lurd blaze would shoot from the mouth. and the redhot
scora 40 50 feet into the air At the moment OF sx
posion, the mouth OF the seemed in blaze and the
masses Of sc0ra thrown out, Of which would weigh
three four pounds esemb ed huge Rous Of boodihey
were Of that deep red, flesh color. deemed myself tor.
tunaie IN the time visited %. Tor real, hping-or
as Carlyle would say authenticated volcano There was
truth and reality and power about IT, that chained and awed
me. | could count the strokes Of that tremendous en-
CINE ~ u Numbered IN the bowels Of the earth, and
the fruits Of It's internal labor u hurled them
into the upper air # purpose startle with
the Preparations that were going under him. That