New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-08-14
THE TRTR UNE.
aettrrs from Europe No. NV.
ASCENT OF vEsuvIrs.
Correspondence Of The TIL

copcudcdl NAPLES March i I
We next descended into the crater, and how
eTer slight u thing one may deem 1t IN "ral"a'y
tines it was grave matter for me. bo'h hailus
and feet had never before been IN such urgent
scuisition. The path at times was not 1901
vide. and indeed was not path, but ciel's III 'iie
ncks. where often single mlsstep would nave
s,nt one to the bottom of the crater, while lava
rocks cracked at their base and apparently wait
;,r Int SLIGHT touch to shake them down on
mn. hung. over head. Frequently my only course
VAS to lie against the rock and cling with my
hands TO the projecting points, while ever and anon
fn out some aperture would shoot Jets OF steam so
;mprcqnated with sulphur as almost TO stranglemc,
Nv guide would then be hid from my sight and
Ihsd nothing to do bat hang on and cough. AT
other times the crater would be filled with vapor,
even to the rim, shrouding every thing from our
sight, even the fiery cone, while we hung mid
NAV on the rocks and stood and listened
Amidst the rolling vapor could hear the chuIn
inc of that tremendous engine and the explosion
that sent the scoria into the air and then, after
moment of deep silence, the clatter Of the re-
tuning fragments like hail-stones on dry leaves,
far. far below nc. 1t was sufficiently startling
and grand to stand halfway down that crater,
with -FOUR feet on smoking sulphur and your hand
on rocks so hot that YOU shrunk from the touch,
and gaac docn on that terrific tire-energy, with
out wrapping 1t in gloom and adding deeper nnys
,ery to its already mysterious workings. A puff
of air would then sweep through the cavity, dash
ing The mist against its sides and sending ii like
frightened spirits over the verge. almost OK
psc,ed to see change when the light again fell
on it, but there it stood churning on as steady
and stern ever.
We at length reached the bottom, and sitting
down at respectful distance from the base Of
The cone, enjoyed the svblime spectacle. There
we were deep down in the bowels Of the noun
1ain while far up on the brink of the crater like
children in size, sat group OF men sending Their
hurrah down at every discharge of scoria. Before
me assembled the column Of rolling smoke, while
every few seconds the melted mass was elected
into the air with report that made me measure
rather seistfully the distance between us and the
top. Our guide took some coppers and as the
scoria fell little distance Off he would run mp
the sides of the conc drop them IN the smaller
portions and retreat before second discharge.
1t was amusing 10 sec how cooly he would stand
and look up on the descending fragments OF fire,
some of which would have crushed HIM TO the
earth and calculate their descent so nicely that
with slight movement he could escape each.--
When the scoria cooled the coppers were left I'M
bedded nit, and thus carried oii,as remcmbrances
Of Vesuyius We went around the crater, con-
tinually descending, unit! we came to the lowest
part close 10 the base Of the cone. Here the
lava was gathering and cooling and cracking oil
in large rolls with that low continuous sound
which is always made by the rapid cooling OF an
intensely heated mass. assembled little cml-
nence which the lava was slowly undermining,
and thrust my cane INTO the molten substance
1t was so hot that had TO cover my face with
my cap in order to hold my stick in it for a SIN
gle moment. As | stood and saw fold after fold
slowly roll over and fall off, and heard the firing
OF the volcano above me, and saw nearly hun
dfed feet over my head, red-hot masses of scoria
suspended in the air, am not ashamed 10 say
felt a little uncomfortable. looked above and
around and saw that it needed but slight tremu-
ous motion to confinc me there forever. il was
not the work of five or tn minutes TO reach the
top, 2,O00 feet high, and little heavier discharge
OF hre-a small shower of ashes-and should
have been smothercd or crispcd in moment
There may have been no danger, but one cannot
escape the belief of it when AT times he is com
Pelled 10 dodge flaming masses Of scoria that
Otherwise would have smiten him to the earth.
We assembled by different and much easier
path. tits longer, but far preferable to the one
We came down. II led US to the other side Of the
crater, from which vc looked down on Polnpeu.
lconIl t-ace the stream Of lava 10 the plain, and
Could well imagine Inc CONSERVATION Of the n
Aaolianls OF the doomed city as the storm Of
ashes shot oii,ior lis bosom. Weary and exhausted
We descended By different route through bed
OF ashes that reached from top TO bottom, mount
ed our horses and rode hoaieward The glorious
pain was spread out before US, bet we were too
tired to enjoy it. We stopped at the hermitage
where ir1ar brought us some L.achryma Christi
and then proceeded homeward At the bottom
Of the hill VIC found our supcrnunerarv guide
half drunk on oar credit, who told US he had
soup fish, beef, fowl, fruit, ct cetera, provided
Tor our entertainment IN q neighboring house.
which proved to be a hoyel. The provisions lie
SAID, had cost bat little more than dollar while
the man asked only about the same for cooking
them. | was thoroughly vcxed, and told him 10
say to the man he might have the provision to
pay for cooking them; and as for him, consid.
s'ed him The greatest scoundrel had yet met
with, and had seen many He replied that he